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THE MATERIALS WE USE ARE A HUGE PART OF WHAT WE DO, Oxboel said. We wanted the shower to be as perfect as possible and to really have a quality of design and materials.

ORAIN
BY Q U I N N R O B ERTS
For more information, visit: oborain.com

Sometimes the best ideas come in the most unexpected places at the most unexpected times. Just ask Kirsten Oxboel and Jim Lobley, the co-founders and designers of Oborain. Stopping at a pizza joint as they traveled through Costa Rica in December 2011, Lobley handed Oxboel an idea hed sketched out on a napkin. On it was a picture of an outdoor shower that could be set up on any level surface during spring and summer, then disassembled and stored inside for winter. After that initial idea, we took the next few months to experiment and nail down the idea, figuring out what materials we wanted to use, Oxboel said. One of our goals from the beginning has been to simplify and pare down, so it is easy for customers to understand and install without any tools. That was really important to us. Gradually making a name for themselves in the design world since showcasing their pre-fabricated showers at Dwell on Design in June, Oxboel and Lobley have seen their shop in Greenfield, Massachusetts, where everything is built and manufactured, busier then ever. Trying to celebrate the aliveness of showering outdoors, Oborain weaves the elements of steel, wood, water and air to create the ultimate outdoor showering

experience that can be anywhere from the backyard to the beach. And while the company could have outsourced the assembly of their product, Oxboel and Lobley made it a priority to have everything handcrafted locally with the best materials. The shower deck is made from Cumaru, a sustainability harvested Brazilian hardwood that is durable, rich in color and weather resistant. The frames, along with all of the hardware, is crafted from stainless steel tubing that has a 400 grit finish, giving the steel a soft, reflective luster. The Axor Citterio showerpipe, which has integrated German engineering and Italian design, also offers temperature control and a three-jet showerhead with spray modes. The materials we use are a huge part of what we do, Oxboel said. We wanted the shower to be as perfect as possible and to really have a quality of design and materials. Offering a solo, double and trio shower, along with a new piccolo addition, Oborain prices range from $4,300-$12,000, depending on the size and amenities purchased. Oborain also offers accessories to go along with the showers, including: benches, towel hooks and soap shelves. I really have seen nothing like it, Oxboel said. The prefabricated showers we make are really one-of-a-kind.

9.07.2012 | SOUTHBAYDIGS.COM

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