The Outdoor Shower {Unnecessary, or Necessity?}

There is a shower spigot hanging off the back of The Country House. Clearly, it’s an unfinished design problem that the last owners left behind for us to come up with the solution. It looks pretty silly the way it is currently configured. There isn’t even a place to stand and wash – except for a patch of grass, which becomes muddy when the water runs for any length of time. Never in my life did I think about needing or let alone wanting a shower outside. As a matter of fact, I’m not *that close* with nature. I actually want my feet to be squeaky-clean when I through washing off. Go figure, eh? But the fact remains, we have an ugly spigot hanging off the back of the house and it’s up to me to figure out how to integrate it to the surroundings and make it look like it belongs in our backyard.“These showers are best when they look like a part of their site and take advantage of surrounding views,” says Ethan Fierro in his book The Outdoor Shower: Creative Design Ideas for Backyard Living, from the Functional to the Fantastic. Perhaps I need to visit amazon and scoop up a copy of Ethan’s book? Maybe then my outdoor shower will go from pseudo-functional to fantastic!!
When creating an outdoor shower environment, Coastal Living Magazine suggests that you should mimic your home’s architectural details and incorporate the structure into the landscape by adding fragrant, colorful plantings. Good points, Thanks!
Now, how exactly did those Shakers design their outdoor showers?! *winkwink*

Posted by Amy Beth Cupp Dragoo / The Country House and Uncategorized

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20 Responses to “The Outdoor Shower {Unnecessary, or Necessity?}”

  1. Jennifer Sanderson on 01 Jul 2010 at 10:41 am

    I always loved outdoor showers. Mostly a summertime thing, but essential if you live near a beach; that way you don’t track sand into the house. [I don't live near a beach...it's a dream of mine...] If you have small children or big dogs an outdoor shower can certainly make your life easier…rinsing those buggers off before they come into the house saves a lot of cleaning headaches! If you have a spigot, go for it!

  2. Debbbie @TheHipHostess on 01 Jul 2010 at 10:43 am

    I’m thinking an outdoor shower at your Country House would easily become a necessity. With all that gardening you’re going to be doing, what a cool way to clean up without dragging dirt in the house. With looks like this it could easily become a second bathroom, Summer only of course. I’m loving that yellow stripe shower curtain.

  3. Sara on 01 Jul 2010 at 10:44 am

    I think outdoor showers (at least the ones you’ve pictured) are adorable! I’d love to have an outdoor shower someday; perfect for summertime!

  4. Dina @ White Thread on 01 Jul 2010 at 10:55 am

    I have a love affair with outdoor showers. Until we moved South, I associated them with summers on Cape Cod where it seems an outdoor shower is not necessarily a necessity but definitely a nice luxury. It’s simply awesome in a beach setting where you’re always too sweaty and sand covered. Now that we live in a warmer climate and summers seem to stretch on forever, I would say an outdoor shower is a necessity. I would give anything for one here, beach or not. AND it makes a perfect place to clean off a muddy dog (which mine always seems to be). Darn you, now I want an outdoor shower! I say you keep it and see how much you use it.

  5. ABC Dragoo on 01 Jul 2010 at 11:10 am

    Dina, We’re not going to get rid of it. It’s more about integrating it into the backyard so that it makes visual sense. We’re far from the beach — but like I said — with only one shower in the house, it might be good for when we have guests in the Summer… as long as we can get the privacy issues handled! ;)

    Debbie – you’re right=there is plenty of gardening to do!

    Jennifer+Dina – Perhaps what we need is a big dog so that the outdoor shower makes sense?! winkwink

    Thanks for chiming in today Sara! I think you’re right, they are adorable.

  6. Jennifer on 01 Jul 2010 at 12:39 pm

    You definitely need to keep the outdoor shower and embrace it! And a few posts back you were talking about a sleeping porch. Our friends with a lake house in New Hampshire have a double bed on their screen porch and it was a fantastic place to sleep. Outdoor shower AND sleeping porch!

  7. ABCDDesigns on 01 Jul 2010 at 12:50 pm

    What a house, right Jennifer?! It totally has “good bones” and for that, I could NOT be happier! :D

  8. Aleah + Nick on 01 Jul 2010 at 12:52 pm

    An outdoor shower is a must at our beach cottage! I love that first one; pretty deluxe!

  9. Lee Nicholson on 01 Jul 2010 at 1:18 pm

    LOVE outdoor showers! Good for those quickie clean ups after a day gardening or for any dogs that get dirty. Would be dreamy to have one but don’t think the condo HOA would approve : )

  10. Julia on 01 Jul 2010 at 1:40 pm

    Outdoor showers are wonderful! I love the one at my parent’s house on Cape Cod — perfect for a nice shower before going in the house & prevents sand, etc., from entering… :)

  11. Jennifer Duchene on 01 Jul 2010 at 1:54 pm

    Love outdoor showers. Absolutely YES. romantic invigorating delightful. All the elements to wake up living the outdoor life. If you can do it, DO.
    Great pics. Sweet post. Coming from Africa – sometimes the indoor showers are partly outdoors – open to the elements. One time husbo and me are on this bush trip. Cool luxury in the wild. Unbelievable cottage. In the morning he goes to take a shower and freaks out – bathroom is open near roof all the way along, a narrow window, glassless – easier to maintain. and the shower and bathroom are covered in insects. I run in wondering what the problem is and laugh. Growing up in Africa, insects flourish & we live side by side.

  12. casey on 01 Jul 2010 at 2:05 pm

    I love outdoor showers! Would love to have one someday–and the beach house to go with it ;-)

  13. ABCDDesigns on 01 Jul 2010 at 2:15 pm

    Overwhelmingly – seems like an outdoor shower wins! I guess I should have asked “Who doesn’t like one?” LOL!

  14. Helena - A Diary of Lovely on 01 Jul 2010 at 2:53 pm

    Fab! especially if there’s a pool or lake close by!

  15. Nancy Hoerdemann on 01 Jul 2010 at 2:56 pm

    Hi Amy,

    It’s funny that you’re bringing up an outside shower. As you know I just came from the Jersey Shore & every home from the oldest little bungalow to the biggest multi-million dollar home on the Jersey shore has an outside shower. Some have multiple outdoor showers. As I would stand on our third floor balcony I would just stare in amazement at all of this outdoor plumbing. As you know I’m also a midwest girl, a city girl from the SouthSide of Chicago and like you not a big person of nature. I must admit at first I thought it was odd, it almost embarrassed me, I thought, ‘they want me to bathe on the outside of the house????’ What would the people back in the hood think if I told them that I soaped up in the back yard?! But than I thought about how great it was & such a strong characteristic of the shore. I was so excited to head back here to the flat lands & tell everyone about them. I think it’s such a great old tradition that keeps some of the simple things of the past alive today. And really when you look at it everyone has them because they are so darn helpful. No matter how many showers a home may have, having more always help. I’m not sure if you plan on having a family but even if you just have little temporary visitors (like Hannah) they are the best for kids. I always joked about hosing down my kids because they were so dirty from playing outside & with an outdoor shower you can. It is easier & keeps your house so much cleaner & face it… it’s a fun country experience! I know you were going to keep it anyway but I’m so glad I had the chance to share my outside washing encounter with someone. Thanks for listening!
    Good luck w/the remodel.
    Nancy

  16. jen@homeinthecountry on 01 Jul 2010 at 5:57 pm

    I love the look of the outdoor shower, but to be honest, I’m not sure how often I’d use it (like you, I am totally not nature-y). Definitely keep it and make it pretty… and don’t forget to share pictures with all of us! :)

  17. Will on 02 Jul 2010 at 4:57 am

    I think outdoor showers are fun, but they wouldn’t be top priority on my list!

  18. Maggie on 02 Jul 2010 at 9:09 am

    I love this post! How fun (and challenging) to take on the bones left for you by the previous owners. It’s hard for me to imagine an outdoor shower in a non-beach setting (where they are a MUST!), but since it’s already there I can’t wait to see what you do with it!

  19. Catherine on 06 Jul 2010 at 12:31 pm

    Absolutely love outdoor showers! What says summer more? It’s such a simple old-fashioned pleasure. We have the nicest rainhead shower in ours – heaven… You will love it.

  20. nycgirl0501 on 07 Jul 2010 at 8:55 pm

    Given the heat wave we are in…I say its an interesting addition. But not so practical in the Winter. Hmmm I still kinda like it.

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