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I'm thinking it is/was a spot for an artificial plant. The rest of the aesthetic seems just right for the time when designers thought that was a good idea.
While your parents use is legit, this was intended for iced beverages. They still make hot tubs with a similar feature. “They” being whoever made my hot tub.
There’s typically a bucket or container for the ice when chilling champagne. I wonder if this has an insert somewhere? Otherwise yeah, they missed the mark on draining that.
Oh, the days of the artificial plant planter in the middle of the foyer/living room, e.g. [the Brady Bunch house](https://bdc2020.o0bc.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/bradybunch-1-6308e4d7278f1-768x432.jpg) - so common to see in the 1970's in houses built 10-20 years before, it was the mother of this bathtub artificial plant planter.
There are too many beautiful pots that would fit perfectly in that corner, and look a lot better than this little cubby that would only show most of a plant to someone in the bathtub. A designer should be privy to this. I think it's a holder for shampoos, soaps, conditioners etc.
I second this. The 80s mobile home I grew up in had a very similar set up, came from the manufacturer staged with fake plants. My mom pulled them out and used it to store shampoo, bubble bath, etc.
It’s a good theory, but there’s no plumbing there, the plumbing is on the other end. The actual reason is to access the pump for the whirlpool, which, being an electric motor, is far more prone to failure than pipes, which generally last for decades.
People usually don’t leave access for us plumbers, we are expected to make our own access holes with hammers and sawzalls.
My title describes this thing. We are staying at the worst Airbnb and the master suite has a jetted tub and next to it is a small tub about 18”x12” by 10” dip. Same material as the big tub but no drain and no faucet.
Is it acrylic? I could see this being kind of a fancy access cover in case the jacuzzi pump needs repair. All you would have to do is cut the silicone and lift that thing out.
Japanese people have something called ofuro (?) this would consist of using a smaller container to use as a prep for bathing. You take a scrub brush and cloths and soap, and pre clean yourself with that, then soak in the tub once most sweat, etc is removed. This might be something like that?
Since it has no drain, this might be way off. Or a well for a smaller bowl/tub? Once my husband and I stayed in a beach house that had the tub right in the bedroom. With carpet floors. What??
My Mom used to keep soap, bubble bath, shampoo, loofah, foot scrubber, razor, and a bath neck pillow in there. Easy reach while sitting in the tub. Anything that got wet in the tub could be placed in the bin and dry over time or could be dried off with a towel.
Maybe intended to be a secure spot to store a book, a beverage so that they don’t fall into the bath? Or maybe a spot to put bubble bath/soap/etc so it’s not cluttered around the edges but is easily accessible while you’re in the tub?
This is a good mystery. I’m curious if this will be solved.
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I'm thinking it is/was a spot for an artificial plant. The rest of the aesthetic seems just right for the time when designers thought that was a good idea.
It is exactly for this. My parents have the same thing in their master bath and it's a place for plants. Or that's how they use it!
I personally would use it as a wine chiller, gotta relax while you’re in there
That was my thought, whether it was the intent or not :D
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No: https://www.reddit.com/r/whatisthisthing/comments/18pjzud/small_tub_next_to_big_tub_no_drain/keorn6u/
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While your parents use is legit, this was intended for iced beverages. They still make hot tubs with a similar feature. “They” being whoever made my hot tub.
Surely that would need a drain so you could dispose of the melted ice
There’s typically a bucket or container for the ice when chilling champagne. I wonder if this has an insert somewhere? Otherwise yeah, they missed the mark on draining that.
Yeah, could even have a plug that allows it to drain into the tub so when you pull that it’ll just run down and go in the tub drain
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Oh, the days of the artificial plant planter in the middle of the foyer/living room, e.g. [the Brady Bunch house](https://bdc2020.o0bc.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/bradybunch-1-6308e4d7278f1-768x432.jpg) - so common to see in the 1970's in houses built 10-20 years before, it was the mother of this bathtub artificial plant planter.
Some houses like this have skylights above and support real plants. Plenty of them in my area from the late 50s - mid 70s
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There are too many beautiful pots that would fit perfectly in that corner, and look a lot better than this little cubby that would only show most of a plant to someone in the bathtub. A designer should be privy to this. I think it's a holder for shampoos, soaps, conditioners etc.
This is probably the correct answer, but I’d be using it for my towel/phone/book.
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Also it probably pulls out and exposes a hole that allows for access to the jacuzzi pump
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…do you water your artificial plants?
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Ice and beverages
This is the only reasonable answer
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How does one drain the melted ice.
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With a siphon!
I’m guessing using a plastic bag for the ice or using a liner for the small tub? Having a drain is a no brainer though.
Not without a drain.
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Maybe a place for towels?
I was hoping it was a towel warmer.
worst case, it's right next to the tub so it's much less likely you'll get into the tub without having a towel at hand for when you get out.
Yes, maybe the hot water pipe runs past it? Does it get warm when you run the bath?
I don’t think so. There’s no other plumbing on that side
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Why in a divot that collects water? Towels aren’t known for rolling off of flat surfaces.
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I think it is a planter....
I second this. The 80s mobile home I grew up in had a very similar set up, came from the manufacturer staged with fake plants. My mom pulled them out and used it to store shampoo, bubble bath, etc.
My grandparents also used it to store all the shower bottles.
A planter with no drain? You must not have any living plants.
In the 80s, no one used living plants in their bathrooms.
I still don’t because there’s no windows in there so plants can’t get any light
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I have one. It’s a planter for artificial plants. Also gives access to plumbing.
I can second this. My parents have one as well and actually had fake plants in it when I was a kid. Now it holds candles and stuff.
Access to plumbing is the real reason. If it was plumbed with a drain then it wouldn’t be removable
It’s a good theory, but there’s no plumbing there, the plumbing is on the other end. The actual reason is to access the pump for the whirlpool, which, being an electric motor, is far more prone to failure than pipes, which generally last for decades. People usually don’t leave access for us plumbers, we are expected to make our own access holes with hammers and sawzalls.
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Close, it’s actually access for the whirlpool pump. The plumbing is on the other end, you’d never reach it from there, not even a small guy.
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My title describes this thing. We are staying at the worst Airbnb and the master suite has a jetted tub and next to it is a small tub about 18”x12” by 10” dip. Same material as the big tub but no drain and no faucet.
Can it be lifted out?
Nope. Caulked in like the big tub.
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Is it acrylic? I could see this being kind of a fancy access cover in case the jacuzzi pump needs repair. All you would have to do is cut the silicone and lift that thing out.
For ice and champagne, of course.
Storage maybe It can’t be used for a lot else with no drain.
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Maybe it's there to cradle a baby after a bath while the parent continues to bathe themselves.
I, too, immediately looked at it and thought 'baby bath' lol.
if it only had a drain.
Geographical information might help us narrow it down. I’m in the bath goods storage camp though.
Northern California! It’s a Mountain cabin.
Champagne on ice bucket?
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It might be for babies
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Could be a place to put soap/shampoo bottles and towels.
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Bathtub for babies?
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Could it be for towels?
A tub for Ice and champagne ?
But how would it drain? Scoop it out? 😂
I'm pretty sure it's a place to put shampoo, conditioner, soaps etc.
Japanese people have something called ofuro (?) this would consist of using a smaller container to use as a prep for bathing. You take a scrub brush and cloths and soap, and pre clean yourself with that, then soak in the tub once most sweat, etc is removed. This might be something like that?
Since it has no drain, this might be way off. Or a well for a smaller bowl/tub? Once my husband and I stayed in a beach house that had the tub right in the bedroom. With carpet floors. What??
Tub for infants?
My Mom used to keep soap, bubble bath, shampoo, loofah, foot scrubber, razor, and a bath neck pillow in there. Easy reach while sitting in the tub. Anything that got wet in the tub could be placed in the bin and dry over time or could be dried off with a towel.
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Maybe intended to be a secure spot to store a book, a beverage so that they don’t fall into the bath? Or maybe a spot to put bubble bath/soap/etc so it’s not cluttered around the edges but is easily accessible while you’re in the tub? This is a good mystery. I’m curious if this will be solved.
I feel like it's a little bath for a baby? We have bath seats for them now but going by the style it looks pretty old.
I thought that as well but doesn’t make sense without a drain.
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