Concrete and bathtubs have not always been an obvious match. The material is often associated with excessive weight, a cold touch and the risk of cracking. Vast Design Studio set out to challenge those assumptions, and the effort paid off in a major way when its concrete tub won the 2025 KBB Bathroom Product of the Year award.
Featured in a recent episode of the KBB From the Tap podcast, the concrete tub stands as more than a design statement. For kitchen and bath designers, it signals how material innovation and customization can reshape expectations in the bath category.
From Setback to Breakthrough
In the podcast conversation with KBB Executive Editor Chelsie Butler, Vast Design Studio CEO James Byford shares the origin story behind the brand’s development. What began as a materials-focused business evolved after a devastating facility fire forced the team to reconsider its future. That turning point led to an intensive development process, including global factory research, years of testing and the eventual creation of a proprietary manufacturing approach. The result was a concrete tub designed to overcome the common drawbacks that have historically limited the material’s appeal.
Why the Product Stands Out
For design professionals, the appeal goes beyond the tub’s sculptural look. Vast developed a proprietary lightweight reinforced concrete that offers notable heat retention, strong performance and a smooth honed interior while weighing about a third as much as traditional concrete. The tub also features an integral overflow system, a rare advantage in the concrete bath segment.
Equally important is its flexibility. The product can be color matched, repaired if damaged and finished in a wide range of textures and effects. Combined with U.S.-based production, those capabilities make it especially relevant for designers seeking both customization and practical performance.
What’s Next for Vast Design Studio
Future plans include adaptive sizing for more tailored specifications, integrated countertops and sinks and coordinated toilet finishes that help complete a more unified bathroom scheme.
For brands and designers watching the market, the episode offers a useful look at how one award-winning product found its place in a crowded field. It also arrives at the right moment: The 2026 KBB Awards are now open for submissions through July 2.
