BUYING A LUXURY OUTDOOR SHOWER ROOM IN THE UK
An outdoor shower can be a wonderful thing. It can also be an expensive pipe beside a screen, photographed on the only warm day of the year.
PLUVIA began with a different question: what would an outdoor shower become if it were designed as a complete room?
The result is a fully enclosed and insulated luxury outdoor shower room with hot water, heating, changing space, privacy, architectural lighting and sound. It is not simply a concept or a structure built only for photographs. PLUVIA is available to order, with prices starting from £18,900 including VAT.
Each PLUVIA is designed and built by MXN DESIGN in the Ribble Valley. The proven structure becomes the starting point, while its colours, materials, tiles, flooring, fittings, basin, lighting and selected details are configured around the client, the property and the way the space will be used.
Explore the PLUVIA bespoke luxury outdoor shower room →
WHAT IS A LUXURY OUTDOOR SHOWER ROOM?
Most outdoor showers are fittings. They provide water, perhaps a small enclosure for privacy, and very little else.
A properly designed outdoor shower room must resolve an entirely different set of questions. Where do you leave your clothes and robe? Is there somewhere warm to sit? How is privacy maintained? What happens when it rains, the temperature drops or the garden is dark by late afternoon? Where does the water drain, how is the space ventilated, and how do wet surfaces remain safe?
PLUVIA treats the shower, changing area, architectural shell and surrounding experience as one design. The original measures approximately 2.85 metres wide, 2 metres deep and 2.4 metres high. It is constructed around a strong steel base and designed as a complete transportable structure rather than assembled from a collection of unrelated garden products.
Inside, a 300 × 300 mm overhead rain shower is accompanied by a separate handheld shower. A changing area provides hooks for towels and robes, together with a heated bench and a private transition into the shower itself. The original PLUVIA also incorporates an illuminated demister mirror, glass basin, live-edge walnut basin shelf, warm ceiling lighting, colour-adjustable floor lighting and integrated Bluetooth sound.
It is outdoor bathing treated as garden architecture.
IS PLUVIA ACTUALLY AVAILABLE TO BUY?
Yes. PLUVIA is available to order from MXN DESIGN.
The original black and green PLUVIA is fully built, working and available to view—or experience properly—at our Ribble Valley studio. It proves the construction, proportions and complete bathing experience. New PLUVIA commissions are then developed around the individual client and setting rather than reproduced without thought.
PLUVIA can be commissioned for a private garden, swimming pool, natural swimming pond, outdoor sauna, hot tub or country estate. It can also become a distinctive guest amenity for a boutique hotel, spa, holiday retreat or glamping destination.
HOW MUCH DOES A PLUVIA OUTDOOR SHOWER ROOM COST?
PLUVIA prices start from £18,900 including VAT.
The final price depends on the specification and site. Important variables include exterior finishes, internal tiles or porcelain, flooring, shower and basin fittings, heating choices, lighting, glazing, bespoke joinery and any site-specific changes. Delivery, lifting, groundwork, drainage and service connections also depend on the location and access.
A basic outdoor shower can be bought for considerably less because it is a different product. PLUVIA is an insulated, enclosed and transportable room containing its own changing space, hot-water system, heating, lighting, fittings and architectural interior.
The starting price therefore creates a genuine entry point, while the final quotation reflects the PLUVIA that will actually be built and delivered for the client.
CAN AN OUTDOOR SHOWER BE USED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR IN THE UK?
An exposed garden shower will always be limited by the British weather. A properly enclosed and heated outdoor shower room can be used through far more of the year.
PLUVIA is fully insulated and fitted with 28 mm double glazing. Its integrated 45-litre hot-water supply means it does not need to rely on an existing domestic hot-water system (80 litres as an optional upgrade for heavy use). The original includes an electric heater beneath the bench, creating a warm changing area before and after the shower.
For new commissions, underfloor heating can also be incorporated. This provides warmth beneath bare feet, improves comfort during colder months and helps the room dry after use. The exact heating, insulation, ventilation and frost-protection strategy is specified around the location, expected pattern of use and available services.
No outdoor room should be described as suitable for every winter condition without considering its site. But shelter, insulation, hot water, heating and an enclosed changing area transform PLUVIA from a summer novelty into a serious part of a private wellness garden.
DESIGNED AROUND YOU—NOT A FIXED CATALOGUE
The original PLUVIA has black timber cladding, vivid green details, warm cedar, live-edge walnut and a glass basin. That is one PLUVIA, not the compulsory specification for every client.
A new commission can be quieter, lighter, darker, more natural or more dramatic. The exterior may be configured to complement a contemporary house, a stone country property, a coastal garden or the visual identity of a hospitality business. Interior materials can move from warm timber and subtle porcelain to veined stone, expressive pattern or deeply coloured ceramic.
The PLUVIA SAGE and PLUVIA COASTAL design studies demonstrate how the same proven architectural idea can acquire a completely different character. They are starting points rather than packages.
Exterior colour, cladding, internal surfaces, flooring, basin, taps, shower controls, lighting temperature, planting and selected details can all be considered. Site-specific changes to the structure or layout can also be discussed where engineering, transport and access permit.
The aim is not to offer fifty standard options. It is to create one coherent room.
PREMIUM TILES, SHOWERS, TAPS AND BASINS
PLUVIA can be specified at different levels, from restrained and beautifully practical to unapologetically luxurious.
For tiles and porcelain surfaces, we can source from the extensive premium collections available through ROCCIA Design Centre in Preston. These include Versace Ceramics as well as quieter stone, marble and architectural porcelain finishes. A Versace tile may become a focal surface; a subtle large-format porcelain may allow the timber, glass and landscape to lead. The material is selected for the design rather than for the name alone.
Shower heads, controls, taps and bathroom fittings can be specified from high-end manufacturers such as Gessi, AXOR and Dornbracht, subject to suitability, availability and budget. These brands offer everything from minimal rain showers and refined thermostatic controls to more immersive water and lighting experiences.
The basin can remain a transparent glass bowl on a bespoke live-edge timber shelf, as in the original PLUVIA, or be reconsidered in stone, ceramic, crystal or contemporary composite materials. Pieces from specialist manufacturers such as Glass Design and antoniolupi can be incorporated where they belong within the wider design.
Heating, demister mirrors, concealed lighting, colour-adjustable floor illumination, Bluetooth sound, robe hooks, towel storage and bespoke joinery can all be integrated from the beginning. Practically anything is possible, provided it can be engineered properly and made to feel as though it belongs.
WHAT DOES PLUVIA NEED ON SITE?
Every location is different, but a PLUVIA installation normally requires suitable groundwork, drainage, an electrical supply and a cold-water connection. The integrated hot-water system then provides hot water within the structure.
The steel base allows PLUVIA to be lifted using a forklift or front loader. This makes it transportable, but access must be considered before an order is finalised. Gates, driveways, ground conditions, overhead restrictions, turning space and the position of underground or overhead services can all affect delivery and installation.
These are discussed at the beginning, not discovered when the finished structure arrives.
PLUVIA can be delivered and installed across the UK, subject to the final specification, site access, groundwork, services and lifting requirements.
PLUVIA FOR PRIVATE GARDENS AND HOSPITALITY
In a private garden, PLUVIA can sit beside a swimming pool, sauna, hot tub or natural swimming pond. It provides privacy and changing space while allowing the bathing experience to remain connected to the landscape.
For hospitality, it can become more than a practical shower. Beside a private suite, cabin, spa garden or secluded retreat, PLUVIA creates a moment guests remember and photograph. The exterior finish can respond to the architecture or brand, while the interior can be specified around guest use, cleaning, durability and the wider treatment or wellness journey.
The structure can stand alone, but it is strongest when the route towards it, surrounding planting, privacy and lighting are considered as part of the project.
CAN I VIEW PLUVIA BEFORE ORDERING?
Yes—and we encourage it.
The original PLUVIA is fully operational at the MXN DESIGN studio in the Ribble Valley, Lancashire. Photographs show the form and materials, but they cannot fully communicate the warmth, privacy, sound, lighting or the feeling of standing beneath the rain shower while remaining connected to the garden outside.
You can arrange a private visit to see PLUVIA, discuss your site and explore possible materials and specifications. If you are serious about outdoor bathing, you can experience it properly rather than judging it from a render.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1 Is PLUVIA a product or a one-off design?
PLUVIA is a proven outdoor shower-room concept available to order. The original working structure provides the starting point, but every new PLUVIA is individually configured for its client, location and intended use.
2 What is the starting price of PLUVIA?
Prices start from £18,900 including VAT. The final price depends on materials, fittings, heating, lighting, site-specific changes, delivery, access, groundwork and service requirements.
3 Can PLUVIA have underfloor heating?
Yes. New PLUVIA commissions can include underfloor heating in addition to, or as part of the heating strategy developed for the room. The original PLUVIA has an electric heater integrated beneath the changing bench.
4 Does PLUVIA provide its own hot water?
The original PLUVIA incorporates an 80-litre hot-water supply, so it does not rely on an existing domestic hot-water system. The appropriate hot-water specification is confirmed for each commission and expected pattern of use.
6 Can I choose different tiles, taps and shower fittings?
Yes. Tiles, flooring, basin, taps, shower heads, controls and finishes can be configured around the design. Premium options can include Versace tiles sourced through ROCCIA in Preston and fittings from manufacturers such as Gessi, AXOR and Dornbracht.
7 Is PLUVIA suitable for hotels and holiday retreats?
Yes. PLUVIA can be developed for boutique hotels, destination spas, private lodges, glamping retreats and other hospitality settings, with the specification considered around guest experience, durability, cleaning and operational use.
8 Can PLUVIA be delivered anywhere in the UK?
PLUVIA is designed and built in the Ribble Valley and can be delivered across the UK, subject to suitable site access, groundwork, services and lifting arrangements.
9 Does an outdoor shower room require planning permission?
Planning requirements depend on the property, location, size, intended use and local constraints. Listed buildings, protected landscapes and commercial or hospitality uses may require particular consideration. The relevant local planning authority should be consulted for the specific site before work proceeds.
10 Is the PLUVIA shown in the photographs real?
Yes. The original PLUVIA is fully built, operational and available to view at MXN DESIGN in the Ribble Valley. The alternative SAGE and COASTAL versions are design studies showing how the proven structure could be reinterpreted for different clients and settings.
11 REQUEST YOUR PLUVIA PRICE
Tell us where PLUVIA would be installed, how you intend to use it and which materials or atmosphere you are drawn to. We will consider the site, specification, access and services before preparing an initial proposal and price.