Summer houses are now very popular among homeowners who want to add a functional space to their garden. They are no longer reserved for properties with large gardens either, especially now that there are a lot of building kits and even more options when it comes to design and layout.
The ideal summer house design depends on the needs and requirements of the property owner. One that is meant to be used as a garden office needs to have different features than one that is designed for leisure use. These design tips and tricks, however, will help you choose the perfect outdoor house for different purposes.
Understand the Requirements
Good design is essential. This is a principle that you need to keep in mind when designing or choosing a summer house. There are more options than ever when it comes to pre-made designs and layouts, which means finding one that meets your requirements isn’t as difficult as it used to be.
There are a few important things to understand about how the garden house will be used. You can start by working out how much space you need for it to serve its intended purpose.
Once this is nailed down, you can explore other details and requirements, starting with the best layout for the job, the amount of lighting needed, and how well-insulated the summer house needs to be.
Start with the Flow
Rather than starting with technical things such as layout and size, a good way to choose the right design for a summer house is by focusing on flow. Simulate how different areas are accessed – and how frequently they are accessed –until you come up with a good flow for the structure.
Well-made summer houses tend to be simple and straightforward. As you can see from 1st Choice’s extensive catalogue here: www.leisurebuildings.com/summer-houses, modern summer houses usually occupy a square space with double doors at the front and windows on ether side.
You can position the door and the windows differently, go with other layouts such as hexagonal or L-shaped and even customise the interior of the garden house to get the best flow for its purpose.
For example, a garden office needs to let in plenty of light around the work area, while keeping that area slightly away from the door for the best flow. You can also play with furniture and other elements to create different flows.
Keep It Simple
That brings us to our next tip: keep it simple. While garden houses can be very complex and sophisticated, the majority of them are actually simple and straightforward. When you have limited space to work with, the last thing you want to do is over complicate things.
Rather than trying to accomplish everything, limit the objectives you want to reach with the summer house and work from there. Instead of creating a dedicated garden office and a space for relaxing, for instance, look for the middle ground based on your specific needs.
Be careful with the furniture, colours, and other design elements you introduce to the space too. Just as when you are designing the interior of the main property, you want the house to have a consistent ambience and look. This means sticking to a theme and limiting the number of colours used.
Lights!
Lighting is an important design element when it comes to outdoor garden houses. The way the space is lit will greatly affect its ambience. It is too easy to turn a gorgeous summer house into a shed – due to it being uncomfortable – when the lighting is bad.
Natural light is your best friend, so make sure the structure has plenty of large windows. With some designs, it is also possible to add a sunroof to the building, although you want to be careful with where that sunroof is facing to avoid excessive heat during the day.
For added lighting and for when the space needs to stay functional during the night, use LED lights to your advantage. Avoid harsh lights wherever possible and stick with concealed options like LED strips and downlights.
Don’t Neglect the Details
Similar to designing a house, you also need to dig deep into the details when crafting the perfect summer house. The first one to focus on is insulation. How comfortable the space is during different seasons depends highly on how well it is insulated.
You also need to get the air circulation right. Similar to lighting, there are several options when it comes to creating, maintaining, and altering the flow of air inside the house. There are even garden buildings with their own air conditioning.
Get these elements right, and you will end up with the perfect summer house for its intended use. The design tips and tricks found in this article – along with inspiration you can draw from various sources – will help you create the ideal house for your garden.