The Outdoor Shower

Showering outdoors after a day of playing in the surf, digging in the garden, or taking a daylong bike ride is the ultimate in summer relaxation.

Designer/builder Ethan Fierro celebrates the creativity and whimsical inspiration of summer with this collection of original outdoor shower designs he’s uncovered from coast to coast. He offers dozens of examples for homeowners to choose from, all pictured in stunning color photographs, ranging from the simple showerhead on the side of the cottage, to semi-detached and freestanding structures. Accompanying text describes the design and material elements involved in each example.

Beginning with the basics, Fierro includes an overview of basic plumbing and structural requirements, along with suggestions for incorporating a wide range of building materials, including stone, wood, metal, frosted glass blocks, earth, concrete, tile, stucco, and landscape vegetation. His plans are environmentally sound and mindful of cost-saving techniques, with ideas for repurposing found and recycled materials.

Fierro exhibits his own inspired aesthetic in the final chapter with illustrated plans for six fantasy showers, including a tree house, a vineenclosed frame, a stained-glass nautilus, and an underground cavity with a hole for sky-viewing. The Outdoor Shower will set free the inner spirit—and the inner builder—of any summer-home owner.