We’ve all heard of the man cave, summer house or the garden shed and how they’ve become a popular way to escape the stresses of everyday life as well as put your garden tools. A private space where you have a drink with friends and family or engross yourself in your favourite pastime, without the fear of being interrupted by anyone else in the house. However, they now have competition thanks to the creation of the garden room. Get your garden inspiration from these shed upgrades that are sure to improve your outdoor space.
Garden rooms are becoming increasingly popular since they are multi-functional, and unlike traditional extensions, they add space to your garden without the hassle of going through planning permission and building regulations. However, many homeowners need to realise that they can be used for much more than just adding external storage space tofHowever, they now have competition their homes.
From garden offices and home gyms to spare rooms and games rooms, insulated garden rooms can be used for hundreds of different uses. So, if you’ve ever thought about investing in a garden building or already have one and would like to find out how to make the most of it, we outline several ways in our article below. Keep reading to find out more.
Playroom
We’re sure that all parents reading this can confirm how tiresome tidying up after children can be. It feels like one second, you’ve just finished tidying your child’s room, and the next minute it looks like a tornado has swept through it. You may have tried to keep this under control by following tips for keeping a child’s room tidy, but as time passed, it might not have proved as effective as you initially thought.
If this is the case, you could consider converting your garden room building into a children’s playroom, which will keep your house free of toys and books, since they’ll all be out of sight. Providing that you’re willing to spend a bit of extra money to keep your house looking presentable, you could even install heating and lighting so your children can use the playroom all year round.
Creating a playroom for your children is perfect, as it gives them a designated area to play so that they can make as much mess/noise as they want in a safe location. It also enables you to keep an eye on them while they do so (just minus the mess!).
Outdoor Office
With hybrid and remote working models becoming increasingly popular, many UK professionals have had to find alternate methods of working from home. Whether they’ve been cooped up out of sight in their spare bedroom or sandwiched between the fridge and the kitchen countertop – remote working has had its fair number of challenges to overcome.
Fortunately, due to its growing popularity, many new ways to successfully work from home have been created, from creating an ‘office nook’ somewhere in your house or converting your garden room into an outdoor office remote working space. Converting your garden building into an office has many benefits, from eliminating the work commute, balanced home/work life, increased property value, and less noise. Plus, garden offices are easy to create since they can be tailored to your specifications.
Everything can be customised for a garden office, whether you’d like a kitchenette or bathroom included, to avoid making trips back and forth to the house. Or the installation of a Wi-Fi booster so you can work more efficiently. Learn more about garden offices by visiting the websites of garden room specialists like 1st Choice Leisure Buildings. From insulated garden rooms to corner garden rooms, they specialise in the creation and erection of various garden buildings.
Lounge Space
Another way you can use your garden room is by converting it into another lounge or living space. Since garden rooms can be built with a range of heating, lighting, and plumbing options, you can quickly turn them into a cosy little nook for you and your partner to relax n after a long day at work. Complete with plush sofas, armchairs, and television, you can unwind by watching your favourite Netflix series while under the blanket of the night sky.
Depending on your budget and space, you can add anything to your garden room to make it cosier and more liveable. Whether you’re happy with some chairs and a T.V. or if you’d like to go all out and add an ensuite and kitchenette area, you can do many things to make it a more relaxing place for you and your family. So long as you have the space to accommodate it – your possibilities are endless!
Spare Guest Room
Especially when it approaches the holiday season, we all love to have our friends and family members over to celebrate with us, which is great if you’ve got the room. However, if your house is on the small side, you might struggle to find space for everybody. Let’s face it; we don’t want to see grandma sleeping on the couch, so you might consider investing in a garden room that doubles as an extra guest room.
You can do whatever you’d like, depending on how much money you want to spend (or how much space you want your in-laws to have). Whether you’d like to add an ensuite to save your guests from having to trek backwards and forwards to the house’s bathroom at all-night hours, or if you’d like to add a little kitchenette area for them to have a snack or hot beverage in the morning.
Doing so allows you to have family and friends stay without the feeling of being under everyone’s feet and means that you can all have the privacy you need. Plus, during those times when it’s vacant, you could always earn a little extra money on the side by renting it out on Booking.com, Airbnb and many more.
Depending on your climate you will need to ensure you install double glazed windows and a suitable wall thickness to be fully insulated. This will keep the heat in during the colder winter months and ensure year round use.
Hot Tub Shelter
Nothing quite says relaxation like having a hot tub in your garden; however, sometimes an open-air solution might not be the most feasible option with the unpredictable UK weather. If you’re sick of braving the UK’s cold climate, you could consider designing a garden room that provides shelter and warmth without taking away the beauty of the outdoors.
Sheltered by your garden room, you won’t have to worry about your investment getting damaged or going to waste, as when it’s enclosed within a structure, it won’t have to battle the elements, wildlife, or anything else that could cause dirt or damage.
Plus, you won’t have to worry about water damage to your garden room since it can be specially constructed out of weather-proof materials, so water or condensation from the hot tub won’t get absorbed. Also, you can install non-slip flooring so that you, your friends, and other family members are protected while getting in and out of the tub.
Suppose you’d like to go a step further. In that case, you could build off of your hot tub shelter and create further luxury in your garden by adding a garden bar or outdoor toilets that double as changing rooms. This way, you don’t have to keep making trips back and save the awkwardness of your neighbours seeing you in your swimwear.
There you have it, a selection of ways to maximise the use of your garden room and transform it into a usable space the whole household can enjoy.
