Western Living Magazine
6 Bathroom Design Tips for 2026
The Room: Pet Project
6 Rooms with Area Rugs That Pop
Vancouver Chef Vikram Vij’s Indian Chai Tiramisu (A Coffee-Free Twist on the Classic)
9 Dishes That Are Perfect for Date Night at Home
How Vancouver’s Amélie Nguyen of Anh and Chi Hosts Lunar New Year at Home
Tofino’s Floating Sauna Turned Me Into a Sauna Person
A Wellness Getaway in Squamish Valley: Off-Grid Yurts, Sauna Cycles and River Calm
Local Getaway Guide: A Peaceful Two-Day Itinerary for Harrison Hot Springs
Protected: The Hästens 2000T Is the Bed of All Beds
“Why Don’t Towels Stretch?” Herschel Co-Founder’s New Home Goods Brand Rethinks the Towel
Audi Elevates the Compact Luxury SUV
Entries Are Now Open for the 2026 Designers of the Year Awards!
Designers of the Year Frequently Asked Questions
Photos: The Western Living Design 25 Finalists Party
With bold black tubs, these designer bathrooms make a statement.
There are a lot of reasons why you might want to opt for a black bathtub in your ensuite. And while we could explain them all here, we think it would be more fun to let these bathrooms from the WL archives do the talking for us. So, what are you waiting for? Scroll down to see what a black bathtub can do for your space.
The soaker tub was the starting point for this graphic bathroom, and it shows! Every other element—the basket weave tile on the floor, the dark-grouted subway tile on the steam shower and the richly veined marble on the counter—is visually anchored by the bath’s stunning black exterior. Check out the rest of this Reena Sotropa-designed Calgary home.
Designers usually employ a bunch of tricks to make a space appear larger than it is, but that wasn’t the case in this West Vancouver bathroom. To keep this large bathroom from feeling too cavernous, the team at Knight Varga brought in a dark smoked glass for the shower and a black bathtub—both help to anchor the eye. See more of this beautiful ensuite.
Okay, you caught us! The exterior of this clawfoot tub is actually painted a near-black graphite grey colour. And you know what? It’s just as effective!. “It picks up on some of the accents in the tile and creates a statement on its own,” says designer Jenny Martin. Learn more about this timeless bathroom style.
In this ensuite, Aleem Kassam of Kalu Interiors opted for materials that would make a big visual impact. The shower is clad in large-format porcelain tile with dramatic directional veins and the black tub makes a unique statement underneath a Kuzco lighting fixture.
“I just really love how that area turned out,” says the designer. “It feels natural and comforting. And it’s also really sexy.” Step into this black-and-white bathroom.
Finished with maroon and peach tiles, the walk-in shower is meant to be the star of this bathroom—but the black tub is what has captured our attention. It’s the perfect foil to the room’s “crazy pop of colour”. Explore this summer-y Calgary home designed by Suzanne Tetrault.
The team at Atmosphere Interior Design were determined not to let the pattern of this marble tile overwhelm this Saskatoon bathroom. It’s why they brought in rich wood accents, smoked glass and an excellently deep soaker tub. The Victoria and Albert bath holds its own with a high-gloss interior and matte black exterior. Get more design tips from this jaw-dropping space.
Kaitlyn is a design-obsessed writer, editor and content manager based in Vancouver. When she's not busy swooning over gorgeous homes, you can find her reading, hiking and befriending as many dogs as possible.
Are you over 18 years of age?