• Whether you're updating an old bathtub or adding a new one, the bathtub enclosure or surround you choose will help improve the look and feel of your bathroom. Made from a variety of different materials, tub enclosures or surrounds cover the three walls around the bathtub.
  
  

Keep It Simple

• If you just want a simple tub or you're trying to cover old tile, you can install a simple acrylic tub enclosure in white, off-white or another neutral color from your local home improvement store in a weekend. Tub enclosure kits typically include three acrylic walls and acrylic trim for the corners. According to This Old House, a basic bathtub enclosure kit without the bathtub will cost about $600 as of May 2010. You can hire a contractor who specializes in bathtub fittings to install it for a couple hundred bucks more.
  
  To get a final product that looks professional, place lengths of molding around any outside tub enclosure edges, where the tub enclosure wall meets the rest of the bathroom wall. This will cover any visual gaps where the enclosure ends and add a bit of interesting visual detail to your bathroom.
  
  

Go Traditional

• If you're looking for a more traditional style in your bathroom, use a standard bathroom product, like porcelain, ceramic tile or stone to surround your bathtub. For a uniform look use a single color and product. For a more unique take on the traditional style, mix it up, and use stone and ceramic tile together. If color fits you, jazz up your tub walls with a rainbow of color. Porcelain, ceramic and stone tiles all come in a variety of different colors.
  
  If your bathtub doesn't have a shower and you don't plan to add one, try wood. You can purchase whole sheets or wood or single panels to enclosure your bathtub. A dark wood enclosure can add a traditional warm element, while a lighter wood can brighten a dark room. If natural wood isn't for you, keep it clean with a surround made from white beadboard wainscoting.
  
  

Be Unique

• If you're looking for something different, be unique by using a less common bathtub surround element, like stainless steel or acrylic square or rectangular tiles. If a new product isn't for you, add some color to your bathing area by using a splash of a bold color, like red, in your tile design or on the wall, or break ceramic tiles into jagged pieces to create a unique tile mosaic surround that's truly you.