Enjoy outdoor shower

With many indoor rooms such as kitchens, living rooms and dining rooms finding their place outside the house, it was only a matter of time before the bathroom became part of outdoor spaces. An outdoor shower or bath provides a place where you can enjoy the movement of water on your body, surrounded by plants and the gentle breeze of the garden with nothing but the sun, moon or stars above for cover.

It provides you with a personal and intimate connection to your outdoors and reinforces your outdoor space as an extension of your house. To ensure your outdoors cater for the needs of an outdoor bathing area, here are a few practicalities that need to be addressed:

Shower

An outdoor shower can be incorporated into the outdoor living areas for several practical purposes. It is a place for rinsing after being in the pool or spa or for simply cleaning up after working in the garden hence eliminating the need to tiptoe through the house on your way to the indoor bath. But it also adds to the experience of outdoor living. There is something quite amazing about immersing yourself in water with only the sky for cover.

Outdoor showers are easy to install. With sufficiently high walls for privacy, a shower head and adequate drainage, you can be showering outside in no time. ‘Walls’ for your outdoor shower need not be solid masonry walls. Go for something that will blend in with the natural setting such as lattice screens with climbing plants or a dense hedge.

The floor of the shower area must be able to withstand water and prolonged periods of dampness. Treated timber is a suitable option. Not only does it feel good underfoot and provide an adequate grip, the spaces between the slats will also allow water to drain out quickly. Natural stone pavers are another suitable flooring option for shower areas, provided they have a matte finish and are slip-resistant. They create that real indoor bathroom feel and are easy to clean.

Bathtub

Unlike the outdoor shower, the bathtub is generally a more personal item. It is a place of relaxation where you can sit and soak, allowing time to pass without care. The stillness of the water also allows you to take in the natural surrounding and the movement of the foliage. Add some subtle lighting at night and scented candles or incense burners and you have your very own spa retreat.

There is a wide variety of tubs suitable for outdoor bathrooms. The free-standing kinds make for great design elements as well. When not in use, they provide a unique focal point, with their presence suggesting a feeling of relaxation and calm.

Privacy

Privacy is an important issue when it comes to outdoor bathrooms. The experience of showering or bathing outside will only be enjoyable if you feel relaxed and at ease. With the right design considerations and screening using plants and structures, you can enjoy your outdoor bathroom in comfort.

Go for screens that will enhance and allow you to appreciate your natural surroundings. Dense, water-loving plants that thrive in moist environments can provide lush greenery in the immediate surroundings of the bathroom.

A dense bed of miniature bamboo, for instance, will provide a great screen to protect your privacy while enhancing the natural look and feel.