Outdoor bathing has never felt more luxurious than at Justin Baldoni's Ojai, California home. The actor's patio features a gorgeous copper bathtub nestled on a wooden patio. His design flows seamlessly into the surrounding verdant landscape, with natural and manmade elements becoming indistinguishable from one another.
If anyone needs a cozy outdoor oasis to get away from it all, it's Justin Baldoni. His life as an acclaimed actor, director, producer, and New York Times bestselling author is incredibly busy, and the pace is only picking up. Baldoni is currently directing, executive producing, and starring in the highly anticipated film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s #1 bestselling novel It Ends With Us. However, the idea to work with Native Trails to build the perfect bathtub paradise didn't come from Justin.
Baldoni tells Homes & Gardens, 'The idea of the outdoor bathroom came from my wife Emily and her love of the moon. “Moon” was her first word (in Swedish), and of course, we ended up moving to Ojai, which is derived from the Chumash word “Awhai,” meaning “moon.” So, as we were building our home and Emily mentioned that she always dreamed of bathing under a full moon, Native Trails was the only answer.'
Though the bathtub itself was important in their project, the surrounding patio was an equal consideration in this Ojai project. 'After we picked the tub, we wanted to create a little sanctuary for Emily that felt almost organic to the landscape and cocooned under our beautiful mother oak tree,' says Baldoni. 'This area is visible from our living room and kitchen, so we wanted it to feel like an art installation where the afternoon light would hit the copper and make it glow.'
He continues: 'We worked with our designer to create a backdrop with a spa-like feel that would also help Emily feel safe at night by creating a barrier between her and the very real wildlife in our hills (though we didn’t think through the spider situation). We surrounded the area with native plants, bushes, and flowers, and all the surrounding elevated planters will be filled with Emily’s herbs for her work with elixirs and oils.' The potted olive trees help tie the look together, creating that seamless connection between the trees and the patio.
Far from just working in this space, a copper bathtub is the perfect bathtub choice for any home. 'Copper bathtubs are stunning. As I write this, the afternoon light is hitting the tub, and it’s literally glowing,' Baldoni says. He continues, 'It feels magical, like something out of a fairytale. Whether it’s indoors or outdoors, a copper tub stands out and adds a touch of elegance to any design style.' We couldn't agree more.
Shop The Look
In case you want to recreate the look, we tracked down Justin's exact bathtub, the Native Trails Santorini Freestanding Tub in Antique Copper. It looks best paired with two olive trees tucked into earthy, grounding planters. Our editors especially love the patina on this accessibly priced pot.
For those hoping to recreate Baldoni's iconic bathtub material and placement, practical considerations are just as important as the look. Baldoni jokes: 'We fell in love with the tub first and then figured out the rest, but my advice would probably be to do the opposite!'
He advises to avoid his mistakes: 'The biggest challenge was ensuring the outdoor weather coating was applied properly. Native Trails has an amazing protective coating that helps the tub weather beautifully, but we missed a few spots on our first try. Another challenge is figuring out how to get hot and cold water to the tub.'
Installing an outdoor tub is an exercise in patience and planning, but the hard work pays off when the results look as good as on Baldoni's patio.
