Homeowners fortunate to have gardens or backyard space will most certainly find the thought of outdoor lounging appealing, especially during the lockdown/ summer. Even though the great British weather tends to have a mind of its own all year round, there are countless ideas to try out when creating a garden room.
A garden room can be as lavish or as simple as your space allows. If you have a limited outdoor yard then you can dress it to look like a garden room, thus increasing your living space. If you’re fortunate enough to have a large garden, you can invest in a summer house, oven and large seating options such as an outdoor sofa.
2020 saw a boom in the property market with houses with garden space selling for a premium. A recent Cuprinol survey discovered that 62% of Brits would avoid buying a home without a garden shed, Brits would consider a property if the land size was big enough to accommodate one, so making the most of your outside space could benefit your lifestyle and possibly increase the selling price of your home. Read on for some simple ideas for your garden room.
1. Make your outdoor garden room a multi-purpose space…
Cooking
Garden rooms are meant to be versatile spaces for varied purposes. Consider it as a blank canvas that allows you to paint your art. For example, you can have a roofed outdoor kitchen (but with no doors) and it will be a great place to have a barbecue on a rainy day.
Seating:
Another idea is to convert the space into a lounging area or another family playroom. Regardless of what your creation is, solid wood flooring will complement your garden room. With planks made from a sustainably-sourced single solid hardwood, you are assured of a warm and natural look that will last for years.
Check Permissions
If you’re going all out when creating your garden room, you should know that different rules apply depending on where you are in the UK. For instance, you will not need permission to erect an outbuilding with eaves no greater than a height of 2.5metres. Additionally, a dual pitched roof with a height of four meters is allowed. On the contrary, you will require a listed-building approval if your home is already listed. Before you begin, make it a point to consult your local planning office first.
2. Invest in a living wall which doesn’t take away your garden room’s appeal…
Living walls are catching on in many homes and gardens because they infuse character into any space, you can grow herbs for cooking and fragrant plants to create an aromatic experience. This vertical greenery wall is an excellent way to add a more natural look to a typical urban environment. With this method, the good news is that you can create several square metres of greenery with just a little space.
A vertical garden (another name for a living wall) works well regardless of your house style. Traditional, contemporary, or rustic themed homes with a garden room can incorporate this type of greenery without taking away the home’s appeal.
3. Invest in a living wall which doesn’t take away your garden room’s appeal…
Living walls are catching on in many homes and gardens because they infuse character into any space, you can grow herbs for cooking and fragrant plants to create an aromatic experience. This vertical greenery wall is an excellent way to add a more natural look to a typical urban environment. With this method, the good news is that you can create several square metres of greenery with just a little space.
A vertical garden (another name for a living wall) works well regardless of your house style. Traditional, contemporary, or rustic themed homes with a garden room can incorporate this type of greenery without taking away the home’s appeal.
4. Get savvy with storage space…
For most homeowners, storage is a crucial part of the home, and it’s no different with garden rooms or sheds. Putting stuff away in a tidy and easy to retrieve format requires some creative skills. Outdoor garden rooms and sheds tend to be cold, damp, and sometimes cause damage to stored items.
This is why insulation is critical. When you cordon off an area of the garden room to serve storage purposes, ensure adequate insulation in the floors, walls, and roof. Avoid sub-standard log-cabin designs that have no wall insulation at all. Moreover, excellent insulating materials have a U-value not greater than zero. Therefore, the lower the U-value, the better insulation it offers.
Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influence of the earth.
– Henry David Thoreau
While planning your garden room ideas, you must consider the local regulations, health, and safety requirements. This part of the home will become a permanent feature of your living arrangement; therefore, the better it’s built, the longer it will serve its purpose in your household.
