Would You Take a Soak in an Outdoor Bathtub?
An outdoor shower is refreshing, but an outdoor tub can be bliss. Would you strip down for a soak alfresco?
Brace yourselves, people, this story is about to get racy! Let’s talk about going au naturel alfresco. Many folks are happy to strip down to nothing in outdoor showers or even in the hot tub, so placing a tub outside really doesn’t seem like a big leap. Some want to enjoy their soak out in nature, while others simply don’t have room for a bathtub inside the house. Take a look at these tempting outdoor bathtubs and decide whether you would dare scrub-a-dub-dub in the great outdoors.
This Nashville, Tennessee, deck makes it easy to transition from outdoor shower to outdoor bathtub; it uses the tub-shower combo formula. The mirror reflects a view, opening up the corner a bit.
Surrounded on two sides by a vertical garden, this bathtub at Northern California’s iconic Sea Ranch coastal development must make it feel like bathing in a lush tropical wonderland.
In a search for outdoor bathtubs on Houzz, Hawaii won as the area with the largest number per capita. Where better than an island paradise to take an alfresco soak? And the contrast between the smooth, sculptural white bathtub and the rugged lava rock wall strikes a great design note.
Conversely, a stone bathtub blends into landscaping. Note the outdoor shower on the left side of the photo.
By the way, have you ever bathed in a stone tub? I haven’t, and I’m curious about what it feels like. If you’re in the know, please share in the Comments.
By the way, have you ever bathed in a stone tub? I haven’t, and I’m curious about what it feels like. If you’re in the know, please share in the Comments.
Japanese soaking tubs are becoming more common in the U.S. They are made for soaking while sitting upright on a bench inside. Here, there’s a wonderful juxtaposition of the tub’s industrial steel and the bluestone and pebbles surrounding it. And the placement in the corner makes bathers feel more private and secure.
And if it’s privacy you’re worried about, this design is for you. The bathtub is on a patio concealed by high solid walls right off the bathroom. Your only worry would be that kid down the street who just got a camera-equipped drone for his birthday.
With space tight in this compact city home, there wasn’t room for a bathtub indoors. The designers added a private deck so they could accommodate a bathtub outdoors. Beautiful wood fencing and bamboo trees create a meditative atmosphere, while the greywater left after a soak can be used to water the plants.
This bathtub may look delightfully patinaed and crusty on the outside, but it’s pristine on the inside. Homeowner Dot Shetterly runs this property as a bed and breakfast and a gathering place for her family, which includes 20 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. When it’s functioning as a B&B, newlyweds toast each other in the tub. When it’s serving the family, the kids can clean up outside.
See more of this bed and breakfast
See more of this bed and breakfast
This Santa Barbara, California, ranch also had the spirit of newlyweds in mind with this outdoor bathtub. The property includes a main house and five guest cottages, and this one is known as the Honeymoon Cottage. The agreeable climate in this beautiful place makes it just the spot for a private outdoor soak and shower. (See the shower nestled in the tree.)
See more of this vacation home
See more of this vacation home
If you like the look of a bathtub outdoors but are afraid a drone might catch you in your birthday suit, you can still incorporate one into the landscape design as a planter.
This shot popped up in a recent float house tour, and many of us were taken with its unexpected artistic presence. When the home underwent a full gut renovation, the homeowner was not interested in bathing in this existing iron claw-foot tub, but the designers knew they could find a place for it. They enlisted the floral boutique Crooked Nest to “do something cool with it.”
See the rest of this home
This shot popped up in a recent float house tour, and many of us were taken with its unexpected artistic presence. When the home underwent a full gut renovation, the homeowner was not interested in bathing in this existing iron claw-foot tub, but the designers knew they could find a place for it. They enlisted the floral boutique Crooked Nest to “do something cool with it.”
See the rest of this home
This photo has already been in a lot of featured ideabooks. But I couldn’t possibly leave out the bathing dragon. It serves as a delightful folly and fountain in the garden.
Share: So now that you’ve seen some of the best outdoor bathtub options, are you ready to take the plunge? Let’s chat about it in the Comments.
More
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Houzz TV: 71 Dream Bathtub Views
Share: So now that you’ve seen some of the best outdoor bathtub options, are you ready to take the plunge? Let’s chat about it in the Comments.
More
12 Refreshing Ideas for Outdoor Showers
Houzz TV: 71 Dream Bathtub Views