Bathtubs, Steam, and Wellness Dreams with Maidstone & Mr. Steam

On this episode of Design U, host Tina Guziec interviews the local representatives for Maidstone and Mr. Steam. Dive into the luxurious world of freestanding bathtubs, innovative steam showers, and the latest wellness trends transforming home bathrooms. Katie and Rob share insider tips on product selection, explain the benefits of high-flow faucets, and introduce exciting new innovations like translucent tubs and outdoor saunas. Whether you’re planning a remodel, building from scratch, or simply dreaming of your personal spa retreat, this episode is packed with ideas to elevate your home wellness experience.

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TINA: You’re listening to Design U, sponsored by Studio41, your one-stop podcast for everything home design. I’m your host, Tina Guziec, and each episode we dive into the expertise of designers, contractors, and brand representatives who will share their secrets behind beautifully crafted interiors. Join us as we explore the latest trends, find fresh inspiration, and make your design projects a success, no matter how big or small.

I’m here today with Katie Pomeroy and Rob Garlick. They’re going to be talking about some of the products available at Studio41 showrooms around the Chicagoland area.

TINA: Katie, Rob—welcome!

KATIE: Good to be here.

ROB: Great to be here.

TINA: Katie, tell me a little bit about what you do and the company you work for.

KATIE: I work for American Bath Group, and we are a company that owns a lot of other companies. I’m the regional sales manager for the decorative side of American Bath Group, which means I work with four brands that we bring to showrooms in the Midwest. That includes nine states, including Illinois. The four brands are Maax, Maidstone, Swan, and Mr. Steam. Rob is our local rep for Maidstone and Mr. Steam.

TINA: One of the things we’ve talked about on the podcast in the past is how reps get involved in the process—how they’re our partners when we’re on the showroom floor, talking to people, and trying to understand products. They bring us all the information we need.

Rob, tell me a little bit about how that process works for your group.

ROB: Basically, we act as support for you—the sales force. Any questions you have on the spot, I’m a good resource. I’m local, so I can always come to you or to your customer to help either sell the product or support in any way. If you need literature or anything like that, I’m also your go-to. Through us, designers can easily get in touch with products and specifications, especially for something like a bathtub.

TINA: One of the lines we work a lot with is Maidstone. I always think of Maidstone as the best bathtub line you’ve never heard of. Whenever I tell someone, “I’ve got a great tub for you at a really good price,” and then I tell them it’s Maidstone, they’re like, “Huh?” So let’s talk about Maidstone first. Tell me a little about the company’s history and what it’s producing now.

KATIE: Maidstone is an importer. We bring tubs in from all over the world. It started around 2012, so not that long ago—12, 13 years ago. When it originally started, it was more about salvaging old tubs out of buildings and reselling them—things like clawfoot tubs. But the demand got so high that they started importing new tubs from other places. Then they realized all the stuff they could be importing, so they grew the number of SKUs tremendously.

TINA: I feel like this last round of product that came in—2023, right?—your catalog practically doubled.

KATIE: Yeah, it’s crazy how much we added. Beautiful stuff too.

TINA: That’s what I love about Maidstone. You’ve got really great everyday freestanding tubs—which is the majority of what we sell—but you also have some really unique pieces. Fluted tubs, round tubs, even a tub you can see through that comes in colors like blue!

KATIE: Yeah, I mean, not that you necessarily want to be on the outside looking in while someone’s in it! But if you’re putting a tub in front of a big window with a beautiful view, it’s a cool option because it doesn’t block the scenery.

TINA: Exactly. We have that translucent tub in blue on display at our Naperville location, and it’s showstopping. People walk past and just stop—”Whoa, look at that tub.”

KATIE: It’s definitely a conversation piece.

TINA: And you have some really interesting new shapes too—like that organic, hammock-shaped tub that looks like it levitates.

KATIE: Yeah, it’s really cool. It actually floats between two posts. It’s extraordinary—a true focal point for a contemporary bathroom.

TINA: But you also have traditional styles. Those pedestal tubs that you offer are a great substitute for clawfoot tubs.

KATIE: Right. The pedestal tubs give you that traditional look, but they’re easier for plumbing, and they cover up the underside so you don’t have to see the drain running to the floor.

TINA: Exactly. No plumber wants to carry a 400-pound cast iron clawfoot tub upstairs! And with clawfoot tubs, people don’t realize—you can see under them, you see the plumbing. A pedestal hides all that.

KATIE: And we also offer acrylic clawfoot and pedestal tubs, so they’re much lighter and easier to install.

TINA: And they still have that pretty, fussier line for people who want a more traditional or transitional look.

KATIE: Absolutely. We have plenty of transitional styles too—not everything has to be super sleek and modern. You can have a freestanding tub that’s softer, without going full contemporary.

TINA: Another thing I love is that many of your tubs come in multiple sizes. So if someone likes a tub that’s shown at 67 inches, we can often get it in a 55-inch version if we need to.

KATIE: Yep. And they ship pretty quickly too, from our warehouse in Pennsylvania.

TINA: And the waste and overflow kits—you include them, and they come in white or finishes to match the faucets. That’s huge. Some brands charge extra for that.

KATIE: We do include them in most cases, and a lot of the tubs feature trimless overflows, which gives a nice clean look.

TINA: I usually recommend white for the overflow because then you don’t have to worry about matching metals like champagne bronze or brushed gold.

KATIE: Exactly. And it gives you flexibility if you ever want to change your fixtures later.

TINA: Another great feature is that you have tubs that allow for deck-mounted faucets, so you don’t always have to do a floor-mount filler—which, frankly, can double the cost.

KATIE: Yeah, we have about a dozen tubs that allow for deck-mounting, and we offer coordinating faucet kits too.

TINA: A lot of homeowners replacing those giant 90s Jacuzzi tubs are shocked when I tell them that a floor-mounted faucet can cost as much as the tub itself.

KATIE: Totally. And floor mounts use more material, which drives the price up. But we offer both high-flow and standard options.

TINA: Talk about the difference between high-flow and standard-flow faucets, because a lot of people don’t know.

KATIE: High-flow faucets can fill a tub much faster—up to 16.2 gallons per minute if you have 80 PSI water pressure. Most homes don’t, though—more like 40–60 PSI—so you might not reach that maximum, but it still fills faster than a standard faucet.

ROB: And if you want better pressure, you can install a water booster or upsize your supply lines from half-inch to three-quarter-inch piping.

TINA: Right—getting bigger supply lines makes a huge difference. Otherwise, you’re stuck waiting forever for your tub to fill.

KATIE: Even with standard flow, the difference is just a few minutes. It’s not the end of the world, but if you can, high-flow is nice.

TINA: Speaking of Maidstone—besides tubs, you also offer sinks, vessel bowls, shower pans, and even console sinks, right?

KATIE: Yep. Plus, for the cast iron pieces, we offer custom exterior paint options in any major brand’s paint colors. It’s a really fun way to personalize a bathroom or laundry room.

TINA: I love seeing people do blues, greens, even that classic Tiffany blue. It adds so much character.

KATIE: And our shower bases are low-profile and textured, which is great for aging-in-place designs.

TINA: Absolutely. Those bases offer traction and a zero-threshold option, which is so important for accessibility.

TINA: Let’s switch gears to Mr. Steam—because steam showers are huge right now.

KATIE: Mr. Steam makes it super easy to add a steam shower at home. People are used to steam rooms at gyms and spas, but you can have one right in your house.

TINA: And the Butler Packages make it so simple—you get the control, the steam head, the generator, and the automatic flushing system all together.

ROB: The auto-flush is a big deal. It flushes the generator after every use, so you’re not leaving water sitting inside, which reduces scale and keeps everything clean.

TINA: And just like a water heater, you should have a licensed plumber check it once a year. No DIY here!

ROB: Exactly. Same maintenance as a water heater. Flush it, descale if needed, and you’re good.

TINA: And now you’ve got touchscreen controls with Netflix, Spotify, Audible, and more. You could basically live in your steam shower.

KATIE: Wellness is the big trend. Everyone wants spa bathrooms now, not just basic white tile.

TINA: And you’re getting back into saunas too, right?

ROB: Yes! We’re offering indoor modular saunas and outdoor barrel-style saunas. They’re built to handle cold climates like ours.

TINA: Perfect for a home wellness suite. Steam, sauna, gym, cold plunge—you can have it all!

TINA: Thank you both so much for coming in today. This was such a fun conversation!

KATIE: Thank you, Tina!

ROB: Thanks, Tina. It was a blast!