They Brought That Back?
December 12, 2025
Source: Reddit
Historically found at the top of rural country saunas and European-style bathhouses, hanging there for centuries has been a wooden pail attached to a rope. To get wet instantly, all you have to do is pull on the rope. You will be doused with cold water from the waist down to the top of your head. This is called a “bucket” or “doccia scozzese,” an ancient form of hydrotherapy that has made its way into multi-million dollar homes (such as a $25 million Brooklyn home).
History of The Bucket
This idea was first started using hydrotherapy practices. After a person had finished a hot sauna or steam bath, they would hang an overhead pail of cold water over the shower area. Then they would pull on the rope to pour the cold water down on them. This was a means to create a rapid and extreme difference between the hot and cold temperatures in their body.
Bucket Construction
The buckets are built out of either larch or thermally treated ash wood. This makes them strong enough to hold water and retain the temperature long after being filled. They are mounted high up on the wall and attached to a rope. This allows you to quickly and easily pour the cold water down on yourself.
Going From Functionality to Luxury Item
For many years, the bucket shower disappeared from modern bathroom designs. However, it is now being designed into some of the most luxurious spas and high-end bathrooms across the world. It is valued not only for its function but also for its aesthetic appeal.
When combined with a marble or tile surround, the wooden bucket creates a unique look in a very modern bathroom interior. The bucket provides a nostalgic element to the bathroom. It still provides a clean, modern and/or spa-like design.
Benefits Of Using The Bucket Shower
- Increased circulation: The sudden cold causes blood vessels to constrict. It then increases blood flow as soon as the warm sensation begins again.
- Athletes use cold water immersion to help alleviate muscle soreness and reduce inflammation after working out.
- Cold showers can stimulate the nervous system and provide energy boosts.
To accommodate modern usage, designers are now creating stainless steel brackets, refilling systems and higher quality finishes. However, the design is still simple and functional and the engineering is precision.
Going Back to The Basics
One of the best things about this type of shower is the simplicity that it provides in today’s electronic controlled and smart home world. When you pull the rope, you immediately feel a physical shock. It is similar to when you would take a plunge into ice-cold water after taking a sauna back in the day. It takes you back to a simpler time when wellness rituals were not complicated. You could really feel what was happening to your body.
It reminds you of family cabin weekends, post-sauna plunges and the feeling of cold water hitting your warm skin. The bucket shower is charming because it is an experience and not just a product design. It allows people to connect with their bodies’ natural rhythms in a way that few other products allow.
Last Splash
Today, the bucket shower is not something you find in old-fashioned rural country saunas and bath houses. Instead, it is a revived ritual, installed in homes around the world, that combines wellness and tradition. With luxury design embracing tactile, time-tested experiences, the bucket shower is finding its way back into homes. It is a refreshing way to experience the thrill of the past.