The Home Front: You don't need a swimming pool to create a backyard oasis

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There is something so magical about bathing outdoors, especially in summer. Creating a backyard oasis is easier than you think, and you don’t need a swimming pool to achieve it, says Shaun Krahn, general manager of Vancouver’s Cantu Bathrooms & Hardware Ltd.

Postmedia sat down with Krahn to hear about different options for transforming your backyard, whatever your budget.

An outdoor shower is a great way to feel connected to your natural surroundings if you don’t have the room or budget for a swimming pool.

“Health and wellness is a growing trend,” says Krahn. “There have been significant advancements in design and technology for outdoor showers this past year.”

Italian brand Gessi is leading the way in outdoor shower design, he reports, recently launching a “comprehensive outdoor wellness collection that combines natural elements, such as stone and earthy finishes, to complement nature while maintaining a sculptural presence.” These showers are now available in North America.

Krahn says Gessi’s “outdoor wellness” showers are designed with refined and delicate lines, and the lastest tech makes them effortless to control.

“Integrating technology with digital thermostatic controls is a true luxury, and the option to add chromotherapy, which has been proven to provide tremendous health benefits such as the reduction of anxiety and the promotion of cheerful mental clarity, completes the experience,” he says.

Chromotherapy is therapies that use light and colour to help treat mental and physical conditions.

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