by Melissa Howell, Central Oklahoma Homes, June-July 2009

Oklahomans love the outdoors. Thanks to the recent popularity of outdoor rooms, now yet another room in the house has become a place where people are blurring the line between indoor and outdoor.

Enter the outdoor bath.

With a sustained interest in “staycations,” luxuries usually reserved for hotels and spas are being included in homes. Home-based outdoor spa retreats now include showers, soaking tubs and underwater home gyms.

As a result, Americans are reacquainting themselves with their bathtubs in big numbers.

Bath manufacturer Duravit USA recently introduced Sundeck, a bathtub for indoor and outdoor use.

“We’ve found that both markets with warm climates and urban markets are attracted to this trend,” said Duravit USA president Timothy Schroeder. “In warmer climates, outdoor tubs are an alternative to traditional hot tubs. In urban markets, they’re sought after by those looking to create an outdoor spa experience while keeping abreast of the latest innovations in design.”

The Sundeck tub can be installed anywhere that has running water. Depending upon ground conditions, a hose or pipe carries water to fill the bathtub outdoors.

Builder Reggio Branchini, who specializes in homes along the South Carolina coast, added an outdoor bathroom to a home on the Isle of Palms near Charleston.

“I noticed a lot of homes and hotels in the Caribbean featured outdoor baths, and I’m always looking to step outside the box,” he said. “I’m getting a lot of great response to it.”

Even traditional bathtub manufacturers are seizing opportunities provided by the outdoor bath trend.

“Many architects and remodelers are centering our freestanding tub designs in front of a window that overlooks a tranquil nature view,” says Karl Schuele, U.S. sales and marketing director for Victoria & Albert Bath. “Think of a getaway retreat spa — this is what homeowners are recreating. The bathroom has become a sanctuary and a haven.”

Designing Hardware by Faye, general manager Anna Paulk said outdoor bathtubs have been slow to catch on in Oklahoma, but outdoor showers are quite popular.

“They (outdoor showers) are fairly common,” Paulk said “Most people building a cabana bath want an outdoor shower. They are nice for when someone is gardening so they can rinse off outside.”

Outdoor showers are a great addition for pool owners, she said.

“You don’t have people tripping in and out of the (indoor) shower trying to get into the pool,” Paulk said.

As for privacy, Paulk recommends using something simple and that blends in with your landscaping such as native rock, Paulk said. Some homeowners just add a partition around the shower. Plus, most pool owners already have fences or trees that add extra privacy.

While outdoor tubs offer relaxation, outdoor underwater gyms provide a hydro-workout that can complete the home-based outdoor spa.

Dimension One’s Aquatic Fitness System is a hybrid of fitness and hydrotherapy. One side keeps a person at peak performance temperature during the most vigorous workout, while the other heats up for a soothing, post-exercise soak. Swim stationary laps for a full-body workout, row to work the upper body and arms with a rowing system, run or jog underwater in place for a cardiovascular workout, or get a massage with fully adjustable, hydrotherapy jets.

Similar to their inside counterparts, outdoor spas, showers and tubs require access to drain lines, so take that into consideration before deciding to create your own retreat.