LOVEFOOL: Discovering The UKS ONLY Love Heart Tub Bath
Photos by: Yaz @yasm.ony
Ever since my eyes first locked with Juno Calypsos’ self-portrait series that gives a heavy Seventies x Jawbreaker aesthetic aka two BIG inspirations to my everyday being, I formed a strong affinity for heart-shaped tubs. In my journey scouting unique locations, I often encounter others who have an obsession with retro & period architecture, interior and decor. A name that derives as a huge source of inspiration in this community, is, of course, the kitsch queen herself, let us all hail Jayne Mansfield and her iconique Pink Palace. Mansfield and her husband Mickey Hargitay hired Glenn Holse, who had designed Mansfield's Las Vegas nightclub act for the main home. As a condition for their marriage, Jayne expressed her desire for a house with a heart-shaped pool, making it a prominent feature of the property. Shortly after their marriage in 1958, Mickey personally constructed a pool that spanned 40 feet in width, and it wasn't just in the shape of a heart; it also featured a mosaic of gold leaf tiles on the pool's floor, which spelt out the words "I love you Jaynie." Iconique and if that’s not a declaration of love, I have no idea what is (future lovers, take note…) With the Palace primed for the spotlight it would appear the world was watching and the romantics in the interiors spread out to influence American motels and hotels to follow in its footsteps.
The concept of the heart-shaped hot tub becoming commercialised, originated in 1968, courtesy of Morris Wilkins, the proprietor of Cove Haven Hotel in the Poconos mountains of Pennsylvania. His inspiration was to craft a passionate and alluring bathtub to entice travellers seeking a romantic retreat. Many of these rooms still stand today, which I was virtually touring and escaping to over the pandemic which led me to find the dream duo Margaret and Corey that make up A Pretty Cool Hotel Tour who got the pleasure of not only visiting some of the most unreal themed hotels across America but showcased their visit to Cove Haven Resort in particular.
I became determined to find a Love Heart Bath Tub in the UK and after some serious location scouting I recently came across one, not in some obscure place that required pulling out my passport but in one of the most sought-after accessible places for filming … London! I had to pinch myself several times over, I mean, AS IF right?! Well, as it happens, RIGHT! I wanted to visit immediately but a birthday on my side and a wedding on Millicents’ permitted seeing the space IRL for a few more weeks. Finally one exceptionally unexpectedly sweaty Sunday in September it was time to take the trip and step inside. The abode is every bit the paradise of a burlesque dancer boudoir, from the French fancy antiques of the bedroom the to Art Deco-inspired bathroom, with the imported rarity of the heart tub bath. Naturally, I got in the tub to get some insight into how Millicent sourced this UK rarity and the background of the decor, which you can watch here. The best part is you can also use this space as the backdrop to your next production, photoshoot, film set or it’s available to hire hourly for content creation (note there is a minimum hourly hire rate of 3 hours) and you can book it through our agency location library below:
