I am one of those types that longs for grey skies and downpours. Give me a rainy day, a good book and a cup of home roasted fresh brewed coffee and Iām one happy gal.
One of the main features of our new home that made me fall in love with our property was the large, wide, floor to ceiling length windows in the living room, kitchen and dining room. The large, open floor plan of these three rooms makes me feel like Iām living in an atrium or conservatory ā especially when itās raining!
The living room and kitchen especially look out onto a large enclosed deck in the front yard, with walls of hanging ivy and garden vines enclosing the patio. Itās pretty much my happy place whenever itās raining.
The previous owners had recently installed the deck, but hadnāt finished the project, so hubby and I knew some of our springtime tax return (or Taxmas money, as we like to call it) would be spent power washing, sanding, staining, sealing and beautifying the front deck.
One of the features I KNEW I wanted for my deck was a rain chain. Not just because it would make a great focal point (our downspout on the deck is centrally located, so itās easily viewed from the living room windows, the front door and the seating area of the deck), but also because a better downspout / redirect was a necessity.Ā The previous owners pretty much left the downspout without a redirect, so rain water was emptying directly onto the exposed, untreated wood of the deck. In just two seasons (even in this California drought!) the wood was getting pretty nasty and water damaged. So a rain chain with a catch basin was pretty much a must in my mind.
In my quest for rain chains, I came across Good Directions, a company that takes the art of rain chains to a whole new level, with unique designs and superior workmanship handcrafted in the Old World style. I reached out to them in hopes of having a chance to try out one of their handcrafted copper rain chains. And lucky me, the awesome folks at Good Directions decided to send me a rain chain to review for all you lovely folks!
(As luck would have it, the rain chain arrived right when our rainy spell in this California drought passed, and it hasnāt rained ONCE since I received my chain for review. Grrrrr!! But at least it’s installed in time for April showers, and with the magic of technology (and a good garden hose) the hubby and I were able to recreate a rainy day on our front porch to capture in photos, much to the amusement of our neighbors, hehe!)
A Little More About Rain Chains
Rain chains originated hundreds of years ago in Japan, where they are known as kusari-doi (literally “chain-gutter”) and where they are still widely used on homes and temples.
Rain chains are essentially alternatives to a typical tube-style downspout. Their purpose is largely decorative, to make a water feature out of a homeās rain gutter system – rain chains guide water from the roof gutter to the ground as a decorative alternative to a downspout.
Rain chains generally terminate into a catch basin tray, a downspout splash block, or a basin to collect the water. (Rain barrels, container water gardens and rock beds are also becoming increasingly popular as rain gutter / rain chain reservoirs.)
About Good Directions
Good Directions offers fresh, unique and classic outdoor living dƩcor from a growing roster of artisans. From weathervanes to birdhouses to fire pits, all of their heavy-gauge, high quality products are designed to last for generations.
From the president of Good Directions:
Outdoor living is booming. Todayās homeowners are bringing the same attention to beautifying their outdoor living spaces as they do their interiors. Good Directions is passionate about providing our customers with unique items that combine stylish form with durable function; elements that meet the high standards of house-proud homeowners. At Good Directions we believe excellent quality and service should be a given. We think you deserve more. We hope youāll always look to Good Directions for outdoor living products that are unique and innovative.
My Thoughts on the Good Direction Rain Chain
Good Directions sent me one of their most popular items, their Polished Copper Double Link Rain Chain. The double link chain features an all-time classic design. The handcrafted links intercept in such a way that the rainwater is funneled and directed to playfully dance and flow down the chain, creating a delightful focal point for your outdoor enjoyment.
The 6 foot rain chain includes a gutter clip that fits into any standard size downspout for easy installation.
For our porch, we extended the rain gutter out from the support pole on the deck (before, the rain gutter just emptied out along the pole onto the deck), and installed the new downspout outlet to allow the chain to trail down into a tall garden vase filled with river pebbles.
This rain chain certainly is a beautiful looking and sounding alternative to the traditional, boring and eyesore gutter downspout I could have installed on our deck! Itās a classy and unique focal point on sunny days, and is an active water feature during rainy days.
Additionally, a natural patina will develop on the polished copper over time, adding to the character and charm of this unique piece of art.
I am EXTREMELY pleased with the strength and quality of this product. I was actually shocked to see how solid this chain is.. it’s definitely a pass down to the children keepsake / garden heirloom! Now Good Directions has me wistfully eyeballing their weathervanes (need a new piece for the goat barn!) and their hose pots… and boot trays.. and bird feeders… Seriously, their online catalog is pretty much eye candy for homeowners.
Interested in a rain chain for yourself? Good directions offers pure copper rain chains in a broad selection of styles and finishes that will appeal to every taste. They also offer rain chain basins, (sold separately). CLICK HERE to check out their online catalog!Ā
[Disclaimer: There are no affiliate links in this review. I am an independent product reviewer. I only review products I am truly interested in. I donāt accept payment for reviews. The products I take the time to jabber on about are either items I have personally purchased, or the product has been provided for review after meĀ initiatingĀ contact and incessantly nagging for a sample. All of my reviews are unbiased regardless of how the item wasĀ obtained.]
I’m not familiar with rain chains -In fact this is the first time I’m seeing and hearing the name. (I must be living under a rock! Lol!). One thing I love about blogging is learning new things. Thank you for sharing and educating me my friend. š
missymayification.blogspot.co.uk
I only very recently became aware of such chains after watching an old episode of Holmes Makes it Right on tv. Glad to read this post, will check out the company.
Shireen | Reflection of Sanity
i just wanted to tell you i LOVE your blog!
Awww, thank you! <3 <3 <3
I have never heard of this!! Your disclaimer made me smile a lot, though.
We get a lot of rain here so I don’t love rainy days or even like them. When I lived in California, I liked them, though! They didn’t happen often.
When I lived in Florida it rained ALL THE TIME.. I miss it so badly! As much as I love California, I’m hoping the next time we get moved by the Navy we end up back in Florida.. Spanish moss, white beaches and rainstorms! *le sigh*
This is so interesting! I didn’t know about this
http://www.girlandthepolkadot.com
I’ve never heard of rain chains. I would be super interested in learning if it works better than a downspout in heavy rains. I like the way they look!
It looks so pretty! Does it sound pretty too? I’ve always wanted one of those types that sounds like chimes as the water hits it. How are you going to drain the rock basin? It would be nice if you had a little spigot at the bottom that you could reclaim the water and use to water your potted plants. The first real rain we get, you need to get video of the rain chain in action!
The vase is actually hollow.. I installed some chicken wire in the lip of the vase, so the rocks are only layered about three deep. So it’s a very light container! I figure I will roll the vase to the flower bed and pour it out for my magnolia tree. As to capturing rain water in a container with a spigot.. I’m actually thinking about doing that in the back patio near my raised garden beds, and in the greenhouse!
I just recently learned about those chains from another blog. Thanks for sharing Gingi!
It is the first time I have heard and seen a Copper Double Link Rain Chain and I must agree that it makes a really good decoration as a cool water feature! Thanks for sharing!
Prudence
http://www.prudencepetitestyle.com
Gingi, I have never heard of a rain chain but like the idea now that you showed me… I agree that it would be a great look and pretty to watch… We sure get lots of rain here… if the ice and snow ever leave xox
I’m pretty sure I’m living in one of the driest parts of the country right now, with the California drought. Haha. But once the rain comes, I’m prepared with the most rain friendly deck on the block!! š
Amazing.
I never knew there is something like this
I love it
XO
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One of our neighbors has a rain chain and I absolutely love the look of it. There’s a corner gutter next to our patio door that overflows every time there’s a heavy rain, I need to get one of these for that area. Thanks for the review Gingi, and your pictures are beautiful. š
Thank you Linda!! Since I’m always drooling over your food photography, a photo compliment from you means a lot! š
Wow, that looks so pretty! I want one!
Melanie @ meandmr.com
love its absolutely, great post my darling
I wish you an happy day
<<< fashion blogger Pamela Soluri >>>
kiss
I had never heard of these…Really interesting read….Thnx for sharing.
http://scribbleyourthoughts.blogspot.in
Thanks for reading!! <3
Gingi, you are are too funny! Taxmas money. Ha. Love it. Never heard of a rain chain and having a gardening blog, that’s kind of embarrassing =) Anyhow, Now I want one. I think Tom sort of okay a composter for our Taxmas money, that is if we don’t owe. Great post. Hope you enjoy that rain chain, seems really cool.
It’s okay, I’m into gardening AND a huge Japanese culture geek, and I only JUST heard of rain chains a couple years ago. So you get a free pass on learning about them from me. š If you DO get a rain chain, you better we blogging about it girly!! š
I didn’t know nothing about rain chains but it’s too cool!
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So cool, didn’t know about this kind of water feature!
Sarah x
http://www.palmtreesandheels.blogspot.com
Hi Gingi, I am not familiar with this, but for decorative purposes, it looks gorgeous especially when you have the space for it. It looks beautiful on your porch.
Jo | Say Cheesy Cake
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Thank you!! I’m quite fond of it myself! <3
I’d never heard of them before, but yours is so pretty! As for the somewhat brave bunny, I wasn’t that close to him (I cropped the photo a bit).
I’ve never heard about that, but it was so interesting to learn about rain chain. Thanks so much dear! xx
Margo Raffaelli
It looks great! Rain chains are like art or beautiful decoration. They serve a purpose and do it with style š
Yeah, I didn’t anticipate it being such a focal point when NOT raining.. I’ve already got compliments from guests and neighbors and it hasn’t even been up for a week! ^_^
So pretty! I would love to have one of these! I also want a rain barrel for watering my garden š
Yeah, I want a rain barrel now soooo bad!!
I’d never heard of a rain chain before this, but now I think I need one! Love the look of it š
I recently saw these chain on another blog. You articles is very informative. thanks Gingi!
wow, I’ve never seen a rain chain but it looks very cool. your photos are excellent btw! i too love a good rainy day with a hot mug of coffee and a good book. a little thunder is icing on the cake. š
love, liz
http://www.stylewich.com
Never have I heard of such a wonderful contraption, a rain chain sounds lovely. Thank you for sharing all about this rain chain.
Thanks for stopping by!! Glad you found the post informative! ^_^
I have never even heard of rain chains before! Such a great idea. I need to try to find one, I am sure it would be so great to look at. I love comfy rainy days at home with a good book, a cup of tea and bunny/kitty cuddles.
Oh I love this! Looks very interesting. Also I love rainy days as much as you do, unless I’ve had exciting plans and was about to spend an entire day outside haha!
Yeah.. I never found myself upset by rainy days until I became a home owner, and my “work in the yard with power tools” plans got ruined, haha! š