Got an extra $40K in your pocket and a hankering for a nice hot bath? Then you’re going to love relaxing like royalty in this handsome unit of a tub!But even if you don’t have the kind of cash it takes to float this luxurious soak, don’t feel bad. Because even Nathie Katzoff, the mastermind behind this stunning functional artwork, can’t afford to soak it up in his own creations.
“I don’t have to own the Mona Lisa to appreciate it.”Although fiberglass bathtubs are now standard in every apartment and home, back in the day people used simple wooden containers to wash up.We’ve been taught that wood and water don’t mix because the wood will warp, but we tend to forget wood is what boats were traditionally made of.
As a former shipbuilder, that’s exactly where Katzoff gathers his inspiration from – the elements of wood and water.
When the founder of Seattle-based NK Woodworking & Design was inspired to create his stunning bathtubs, he didn’t have to look any further than his background in building old-timey ships of yore.
SOURCE: YOUTUBE – NK WOODWORKING
Katzoff got his start as a carpenter at 16, and by the time he reached 18 he “fell in love with the building arts.” He learned more about the use of natural materials and “untraditional construction” when he attended a Natural Building Colloquium.
And it’s that untraditional way of constructing things that has put him miles ahead of the competition. In fact, there’s really no one else like him in the design world.
His rich and famous clientele are quite happy to pay top dollar for custom creations that are more like sculptures than plumbing fixtures.
SOURCE: YOUTUBE – NK WOODWORKING
Imagine for a moment what it must feel like to sit back and relax in one of these beautiful, curvy vessels with its gorgeous flowy lines.
It’s like a tiny wooden boat that’s gently rocking back and forth in the ocean, and you’re just a baby being cradled with a sweet lullaby.
As for the extravagant cost of these tubs, Katzoff laughed it off and said, “I can’t afford one right now.”
“But I have been in them before. They’re handmade pieces of art, essentially, that are functional. It has the appearance and the insulation factor of wood but it’s functioning as a composite bath.”
SOURCE: YOUTUBE – NK WOODWORKING
Of course, the price tag on these art-level pieces is out of reach for the vast majority of consumers, too.
Katzoff reminds us that you can still appreciate something without owning it. And your pocketbook will even thank you for it!
He told King5 News, “I like going to museums, I like seeing photos of work, I like knowing that cool work and interesting pieces exist out there because it inspires me to either create or just to feel appreciative of what humans can do.”
SOURCE: YOUTUBE – NK WOODWORKING
Not all of Katzoff’s tubs are boat-shaped. Some of his designs are more modern and follow the rules of geometry, like this rectangular-shaped tub we’re so familiar with.
But it’s the material and craftsmanship that makes all the difference between
