Hey...Who Needs a Bathroom Stall When You Can Take a Spritz in Your Own Backyard?More and more homeowners are embracing the outdoor shower as a fun and functional way to add value and interest to their homes. The new trend toward the outdoor shower leaves behind the feature’s roots in grungy campgrounds and rented summer cottages, though. Today’s outdoor showers are sleek, well-appointed extensions of the indoor bathroom...except they're located outside of your home.
So what’s driving this unusual fad toward the great outdoors?
“We spend so much time in cyber reality, in front of the TV or the computer, on the phone, in our cars, divorced from the natural world, that people really respond to something like an outdoor shower,” explains Ethan Fierro, a designer and author of The Outdoor Shower. “It allows you those 10 to 15 minutes to connect with nature.”
In fact, reclaiming outdoor spaces for traditionally indoor activities has been popular in home construction and renovation for some time.
“The outdoor shower is definitely part of the trend of people bringing the outdoors in, with people now building outdoor bathrooms and even outdoor kitchens,” says David Buchanan, a Boston-based architect.
Today’s outdoor showers aren’t just for those who live in warm climates, either.
“Clients who ask for outdoor showers aren’t usually deterred by a chill in the air,” says Elizabeth Demetriades, an architect in Lakeville, CT who has designed several outdoor showers for clients in the Northeast. “The showers are typically used until the onset of freezing weather mandates draining the pipes for winterization—and clients frequently push the envelope in this regard.”
Buchanan has noticed the same mentality in his clients.
“At a house we did in South Dartmouth, MA. Part of the appeal was that you could take a hot outdoor shower in chilly weather then crawl immediately into a warm bed,” he says.
While there’s definitely something appealing about the idea of an outdoor shower, there are certain considerations that must be taken into account before undertaking such a project.
Depending on building codes in your area and the design of your shower, you may be required to install an appropriate drainage system.
“When hot water—and by inference soap and shampoo—will be used, connection to a properly engineered septic or dry-well system is a must,” says Demetriades.
Be sure your architect and contractor have experience designing and building outdoor showers so you don’t run into any unforeseen environmental or plumbing issues.
Privacy is another consideration, but surprisingly it’s not as high a priority as you’d think.
“Many clients aren’t all that concerned with privacy, particularly in more rural areas where neighbors aren’t an issue,” explains Demetriades.
You should think hard about your home’s location before taking the proverbial plunge. Modesty may not be your number one concern if you live out in the woods, but if your house sits in the middle of a suburban development you could risk raising more than a few eyebrows at the next neighborhood block party.
Another important privacy concern: sightlines. If your neighbor’s kitchen window overlooks the spot where you want to install your outdoor shower, you should probably find a more suitable placement.
And let's not forget sound. If you sing in the shower, the whole neighborhood can hear your enitre repertoire...for better or worse! And an outdoor shower can never duplicate that great audio quality and echo you get in a traditional indoor shower.
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