Up close with nature: outdoor bathrooms are a top trend

Playing with the boundaries between indoors and outside is common practice in architecture and interior design and is fuelling the imagination of home builders and bathroom planners alike: why not have an outdoor bathroom for a change?

Out of a longing to be closer to nature, but also against the backdrop of climate change, species extinction and corona, more and more people are trying to find their place in nature. We’re meeting friends outside more again, turning to outdoor sport as an antidote to our digitalised daily lives, avidly tending gardens and bee pastures and even indulging in “forest bathing”.

That’s having an impact on the furnishing market too. The trend towards a “second living room”, for instance, continues to gain momentum: the patio and garden are playing an increasingly important role in our home culture and being equipped with cosy, good-quality furniture, and thanks to the barbecue boom an outdoor kitchen has become a highly desirable and exclusive asset as well. Now it seems that the longing to experience naturalness and authenticity is prompting another area of the home to relocate to the fresh air: for many, an outdoor bathroom is a long-cherished dream. Where else could you feel so close to nature?

The morning grooming routine could be totally different: the double glass doors to the patio are wide open, the bathroom is bathed in the first rays of morning sun and the dew tingles under your bare feet as you walk the short distance across the paving stones and lawn, enjoying the feel of the fresh air on your naked skin. The idea of an open-air bathroom is more than just a modern fantasy born of urbanites’ alienation from nature: it’s rooted deep in our cultural history. You don’t have to go that far back in the history of our civilisation to find a time when a morning wash by the river, a refreshing evening dip in the lake, a solitary walk to the outside toilet or a quick, cold wash at the pump in the yard were everyday rituals. In many countries and cultures, such things are still part of people’s daily lives. A good part of our new fascination with outdoor bathrooms may well lie in a renewed appreciation of these roots, which we associate with simplicity, authenticity and robustness.

Just pretend or a “proper” outdoor bathroom?

At the same time, it’s not so much that people want to turn their backs on the modern world or civilisation, it’s that they’re looking for an (additional) alternative to it. After all, the network of supply and wastewater pipes and the relocation of the toilet and bathroom to the inside of the house didn’t just mean better hygiene, they brought a touch of luxury to modern life as well. Nobody wants to go without the comfort and convenience they’ve become used to, not even in a new outdoor bathroom. Nevertheless, the outdoor bathroom trend is more than a castle in the air – it just depends how it’s implemented. A “proper” open-air bathroom with plumbing for a shower and washbasin, a covered outdoor area, a courtyard with a plunge pool, a bathroom with patio access or a normal indoor bathroom with a jungle feel: the nuances are endless.

“Implementing a proper outdoor bathroom is definitely a challenge,” advises Jens J. Wischmann, managing director of the German Bathroom Sector Association (Vereinigung Deutsche Sanitärwirtschaft e.V. [VDS]). “Water-carrying products that are installed outdoors can’t be used in winter and have to be protected from frost. And there are certainly reasons to be critical of an outdoor bathroom equipped with warm water from an energy perspective, too. There’s no way round it: an indoor bathroom is a must – at least in our part of the world.” But if you accept that, says the industry insider, there are still plenty of ways to make your dream come true. “The emerging desire for an at least partially outdoor bathroom should definitely be taken seriously,” says Wischmann of the growing trend. “And if architects and the bathroom sector develop viable offerings, I’m sure they’ll find acceptance.”

Linking the architecture with nature

The idea of an outdoor bathroom is of increasing interest to end customers and bathroom planners alike – and it’s not just being implemented in the form of an original bathroom in the garden. It’s having an impact on the design and architecture of more conventional bathrooms too – especially in hotels. Creating the effect of an outdoor bathroom doesn’t necessarily mean it has to be outside. With a new build or complete remodelling, bathroom planners and architects can use relatively conventional means to imply a connection between the bathroom and the outdoors. Large areas of glazing, doors or windows that overlook the greenery or a planted courtyard are enough to create the impression that the bathroom opens up to nature. And a bathtub positioned under a roof window or skylight conjures up a very special mood: who wouldn’t love to take a bath beneath the stars? Linking the bathroom with a winter garden is another way to give the space the feel of an outdoor bathroom, especially when the effect is reinforced by a continuous floor throughout the entire zone.

Alternatively, the outdoor bathroom can be housed to great effect in a disused shed or a tiny house. And when a fireplace or stove is added, the integration of water and the play with heat and cold turn time spent in the outdoor bathroom into an emotional experience that brings different elements like earth, water, air and warmth together in a unique way.

A midsummer night’s dream: an outdoor shower and washbasin

A permanently installed outdoor shower – preferably with both hot and cold water for less hardy souls – delivers genuine added value. A washbasin with a view of the garden or forest turns an everyday routine into a ritual that puts its user in touch with nature. And a bathtub with a view or under the open sky provides an unparalleled scenario for nature lovers and romantics.

Where the fitness trend crosses paths with nature

For fitness fans, the possibilities an outdoor bathroom holds are nothing short of paradise. Whether it’s a refreshing shower after a jog, a place for morning workouts and evening meditation, or simply the idea of toughening up your immune system in the fresh air – on closer inspection, an outdoor bathroom is perfectly in tune with the zeitgeist. The ideas and therapeutic treatments advocated by Sebastian Kneipp are also easy to implement in an outdoor bathroom. Two different pools and/or a special Kneipp spray are all it takes to enjoy the benefits of alternating hot and cold water. In combination with other wellness options, they turn the outdoor bathroom into an open-air fitness centre – a realistic option for flat inner-city roofs too.

Touchpoints with nature: the wellness benefits of a swimming pool, outdoor whirlpool, hot tub or outdoor sauna

The desire for a private indoor or outdoor pool or a natural swimming pond – a particularly popular alternative at the moment – has been growing continuously for some years now and is developing into a top trend. Increased health consciousness, our longing to experience nature in an authentic way, rising temperatures and not least of all the corona crisis are making a private pool seem like a long-term guarantee of holiday feeling on demand. In an outdoor whirlpool, the body is gently caressed by warm water and feels almost weightless; stress melts away, replaced by a sense of deep relaxation. The pleasant hydromassage soothes the muscles and relieves tension, while the unobstructed view of the natural surroundings combines with the fresh air to produce an energising effect that can be enjoyed at any time of year. The same is true of an outdoor sauna: in fact, it’s even more fun to use during the colder months. Rustic-looking barrel saunas – miniature versions of the garden sauna – are very much on trend right now too. And getting together with family or friends in a wood-fired or conventional hot tub has cult appeal.

A place to linger

Incorporating greenery into the design of a bathroom reinforces the sense of being close to nature. And the outdoor narrative that’s so popular in interior design right now can be told in the setting of an indoor bathroom too. Besides wallpaper with floral patterns, plants that thrive in bathroom conditions can also play an important part. The colour green itself takes on a key role in the interior design, and the use of natural materials – like ceramic and stone, or wood for the furniture, wall coverings and flooring – underscores the “green” motif. But stylistic elements that evoke exotic cultures, Mediterranean flair, a rustic atmosphere or archetypes like old-fashioned winter gardens are also suitable for triggering associations with a lifestyle in close touch with nature.

The lighting adds another layer of design to the outdoor bathroom: besides creating atmosphere and emotionality in the indoor space, it can provide accentuation outdoors too. Illuminating bushes or trees makes the bathroom seem to extend outside and adds extra depth to the garden at dusk or at night.

Furnishing elements designed for use on the patio or elsewhere in the garden are ideal for creating an outdoor feel in the bathroom, regardless of whether it’s indoors or outside. Waterproof carpets add a cosy touch, special outdoor lamps brighten up the evening and a hammock is guaranteed to become a favourite hangout.

For a life in tune with nature

As an expression of a nature-focused lifestyle the outdoor bathroom goes one step further than the green bathroom, where the love of nature primarily manifests itself in the form of natural furnishings and sustainable products. The outdoor bathroom quite literally moves outside the comfort zone – or at least hints at this step. And although it goes without saying that sustainability and brand image play a role in how this kind of bathroom is furnished too, the outdoor bathroom is nevertheless more sensuous and hedonistic – even if its style tends towards the rustic. At the same time, opting for a “proper” outdoor bathroom is an unusually radical statement in favour of a certain lifestyle. There’s no doubt about it: this is a bathroom for individualists.