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There is a garden tub in the dressing area of my bedroom, wide open to view. It is in the back corner of the home, and the water heater is accessible from outside, right behind the tub. There is a mirror behind it, a shelf above it, probably over the water heater, and two octagonal windows, one in each corner. I was thinking of decorating it with plants and candles, but the former owners put new carpeting in and had it run up the sides of the tub. Yuck! Would it be a big job to totally remove the tub? I would probably make that side of the room into a walk-in closet. I was also thinking of a nice folding screen to hide it from view, as it makes me feel like I am in a brothel. Had the tub been put in the bathroom area, where it belongs, it wouldn't look bad at all. What's the best thing to do? The easiest? The cheapest? I plan on living in that home for the rest of my life.

What you have was marketed as a "Glamour Tub" and was very popular in homes in the 90's. Many builders used the treatment you have described with the mirrors, windows and carpet on the sides of the tub.

You can remove the tub and increase the size of the bedroom or make the space into a closet. The most economical thing you can do perhaps is to recover the carpeted sides with Formica. Use the plants, candles and screens to add privacy and personal decor taste... fill that thing with warm water, turn on some soft music, grab a good read and drop yourself in. You may find that very relaxing and discover a new appreciation for that big tub.