*Pictured garden room is The Moonlight by Into The Garden RoomIt’s undeniable that the last 18 months have seen many of us spending a significantly greater time at home than ever before. Many people found themselves suddenly working from home and educating their children at home as well; suddenly, dining rooms and living spaces became offices or schoolhouses. Even for those keyworkers who continued to attend a workplace or office every day, social lives were still wholly stunted. Garden rooms became the perfect solution, but how do you find your ideal garden room? Let's take a look.UK based Google searches for garden rooms increased by 271% in the year following the first lockdown, and more and more UK homeowners were thinking of creative ways to use the space around them. With so much choice in the garden room market, how do you choose the best for your needs?
Consider The Main Purpose
A garden room is a great way to enhance your lifestyle in a variety of ways. Think about what you will use the space for. The primary use of the room will steer the design choices that you make. A home gym will have very different requirements to a playroom or garden office. You won’t be able to work from home in a garden building with no mains power. If you run a business from your garden rooms, you will want to consider how your clients feel when they arrive at your location. Size does matter, but bigger isn’t always better, especially when it comes to cleaning or planning permission!
Budget
Money matters all the time, and that’s still true of a garden room. Building a garden office to grow a business may well be the perfect investment, but you will still need to consider a reasonable budget and
how you will finance your new garden building. Some vendors will
offer finance for their products allowing you to build the extra space now and pay for it later.
Where Will It Live
You will need to consider how much space you have in your garden and how much of that space you are willing or able to sacrifice. A giant garden room might be the ultimate dream; however, it will be overpowering and obtrusive in a small garden. Consider the other uses of your garden, such as family gatherings or children’s play areas. You don’t want rogue footballs smashing into your garden room window.Speaking of windows and doors, you’ll want to consider the placement of the room to the sun. You will likely find it impossible to work or work out if the sun is perpetually beaming in turning the space into a sweatbox.
Think About Your Desired Final Look
You will need to consider whether you want a room that blends in with the surroundings or a statement garden building. Take time to look at all your cladding and paint options. There are many cladding options, from softwood or cedar to composite wood or even metal. Some will require staining or painting, whilst others will come ready to go.
How Much Maintenance Time Do You Want To Invest
Build quality and design are not the only things you need to consider when choosing your perfect garden room. Built to last and utilising many of the same materials in house building, garden rooms still require varying levels of maintenance. Cedar cladding is often considered the lowest maintenance – which is true unless you want to maintain that purchase colour. If so, you’ll need to at least oil the cedar every few years. You can read more about
garden room maintenance and what to expect. Choosing the ideal garden room is a very personal decision and not to be taken lightly, but we hope that these tips will help you make the best choice for your needs!
