Just Add Water: Rain Barrel Magic

Harvesting rainwater is an old idea that's gaining more adherents as water issues affect more and more of us. It's a practical approach — you collect the water that would otherwise drain off your roof and use it to water your garden. The one drawback has always been looks. Most rain barrels were plastic containers that didn't add much to the overall landscape, a consideration that was made even more obvious by the fact that their location, at the end of a gutter or rain chain, made them a prominent garden feature.

Times have changed, as the rain barrels featured here prove. With a little work and imagination, you can have a rain barrel that fits your style and is a standout in your garden design.

Show it off. This elegant rain chain/stone barrel combination doubles as a sculptural element in the garden. In fact, you have to look closely to recognize its pragmatic function.

The use of strands of closely spaced, thin galvanized iron chains is an interesting variation on the more common and larger chains while the colors of the stone and metal blend seamlessly with the home's exterior paint and trim.


On a similar vein, consider turning a fountain into a rain barrel. The scrollwork spigot could easily be attached to a downspout and you could add a hose end to the bottom of the pot. Hidden pipework is an added expense but worth it for the final look.


The sleek lines of this metal container would be too stark for most homes, but they work perfectly with this contemporary style. It's proof that a rain barrel needn't be hidden.


Blend it in. If you'd rather your barrel blend in, tuck it into the corner and surround it with soft plantings. Repeating the terra cotta elements in the rest of the space provides design continuity.


Cladding your storage tank in the same siding as the wall it sits against allows it to fade into the background.


A wooden barrel is, of course, the ultimate rain barrel. Fortunately, it fits well with a number of house and garden styles, including traditional, cottage and ranch homes.


Experiment with the look. At first sight, this rain barrel makes its presence known as it perches on its custom wooden stand. Though the mix of materials might seem like it would clash, it works well with the surrounding wood and stone facade of the house, architectural plantings and ground cover.


This large galvanized container would seem to be an odd choice for this more natural garden. It turns out that the lavish use of rocks grounds it instead. It still is visible, but not as awkward as it could be in a more traditional space.


Add more functionality. Water storage and irrigation are combined in this modern take on classic rainwater storage. Rather than hide the workings, the storage unit and custom overflow tank are part of the overall patio design.


A similar, though slightly larger scale, has a rain chain leading to the planter and a larger gutter in the background draining to the larger cistern beyond it, which sits back far enough to not overwhelm the space right outside the door.


If industrial is your style, forget the wood barrels and go all out with metal and concrete. The pipe look, rather than an open gutter, reinforces the theme and the concrete blends with the home's siding.


Go big. If you live where rainfall is plentiful, you needn't be limited by size. Sure, these cisterns are big. But rather than try to hide them, embrace them as part of the landscape.


Thanks to the greenery and the painted wall next to it, this traditional cistern almost, but not quite, hides in plain sight. The weathered wood is another way to help this blend into the space, even if it is as tall as the house.


Or, simply put the your rain water storage system front and center. Yes, these are very large, but the contemporary home design can hold its own against them.


Add your own touch. Nestle your barrel into a bed or rocks and grow vines around it for a natural look.


Or go bold. If you don't want to disguise your rain barrel, make it stand out. Who wouldn't like this frog?


Or surfing scene?


Or glorious peacock?

There are no rules. Only ideas.

More: Protect a Precious Resource With a Rain Garden

URL: Just Add Water: Rain Barrel Magic http://www.decor-ideas.org/cases-view-id-20566.html