Garden rooms are a great way to build a decent space for reading, working, storing utilities, or even for children to have a safe place to play. Here are some tips to consider when designing and organising your room.
Setting your budget
Before getting your hands dirty, it’s important to make sure you have the required funds to realise your vision. The more ambitious your room, the higher your budget will be. Take the time to reflect on whether the budget at hand is enough to create the right room for you. In some cases, it might be a good idea to save a little more before moving on. We do offer a bespoke service on ways to organise your finances, if you’d like to check it out.
Understand what each project can offer you
An incremented room does not necessarily mean it’ll be better than an affordable option. For example, if your goal is to create a quiet space to work, a minimalist design that features items such as a work desk, comfortable chair and a bookshelf, may be more than enough to achieve your objective. A larger room also doesn’t necessarily need to have many items and avoid acquiring clutter from the start! The living space needs to be big enough for you to feel comfortable. Remember that you can start off sparsely when it comes to belongings and then add as you need them.
Before you start
Next, you’ll get to explore different design ideas for garden rooms. But you may want to take some precautions first. Always make sure that your project does not exceed the boundaries of your property to avoid potential problems with neighbours. Rest assured that your plans comply with environmental regulations. The last thing any project needs is demanding changes in your hard work.
If you do not have enough experience with garden room designs, it is a good idea to consult a specialized professional to ask for advice on the subject. If you feel you’re not ready to move on without assistance, it might be a good idea to wait a little longer until you have the budget to hire extra help. You can also learn about DIY projects through platforms like YouTube or specific manuals on this subject.
Structure
A high-quality structure made of built-to-last materials is essential when designing a garden room. In addition to offering a safe space for you, the structure can be customized to bring out the personality of your space without necessarily spending extra on customization. This can always be added in the final phase of the project. Hiring a team to install a decent structure can be a great way to kickstart your room, in case you’re not yet sure where to begin.
Tips on Sustainability
It is important to make sure that you’ll have enough time to build your room before the rainy season starts. Therefore, prioritize the construction of your roof to avoid the effects of water infiltration. To achieve this, it is imperative to have a quality roofing membrane to ensure the integrity of your garden room, since natural or unforeseen events can considerably postpone its completion.
At first, it may not be necessary to install the electrical components in your garden room. Study and work-focused rooms can be efficient with lamplights for lighting and good windows to facilitate air circulation. It’s important to build your room in a way that facilitates the installation of the electrical utilities, in case they’re necessary for the future.
Tips on Space Optimisation
Choose storage wisely when you’re planning the space. You may choose to keep the floor as clear as possible and use the walls of the room. So consider closed or open wall mounted units or open shelving. Cubby holes and hooks can also make use of wall space and can be in keeping with your style. Finally, if you’re choosing furniture for the room such as tables or chairs, you may need items that have build in drawers or storage. This way, you can tidy away items into them when not in use.
Children’s room
Before building a garden room for your children, it’s a good idea to consult them about their needs. Children tend to develop different personalities reflected by their surroundings. Some may prefer to spend more time playing outdoors with friends or pets, while others may prefer to spend time with their toys, books or video games. If your child prefers to play outdoors, perhaps creating an extra garden room is not the best option. In this situation, search for outdoor entertainment options, such as installing toys or exercise equipment for children and consider creating a different space.
Gazebo
In certain situations, a gazebo may be enough to meet the requirements of a comfortable room for reading and practicing light exercises. It’s a cheap and elegant option, ideal for quiet neighbourhoods and gardens with little movement. Gazebos require a strong structure in case of rain or strong winds, as well as an adequate floor for certain furniture, if applicable.
Game room
A garden room may be the right option to create the game room you’ve always dreamed of. Depending on your needs, it may be interesting to design a larger room to accommodate a pool table, foosball table, and some arcade machines. If you are a fan of video games, prioritize the electrical installation, since it’s important to have a good number of available and well-distributed outlets to avoid the wires tangling all over the place.
Gym room
Creating an exercise room in the garden can be a great way to make exercising accessible and save money from gym memberships. First, look at whether it’s more efficient to work outdoors or under a gazebo, if you feel that the temperature and privacy are ideal, this may be the best option. If you live in an excessively hot place, perhaps the best approach is to design a garden room with air conditioning and fan support.
Make sure your room has enough space to handle all your exercise equipment safely. If you need more space for cardio exercises, analyse whether you can jump rope or even race around the neighbourhood instead of installing an exercise bike or treadmill, which usually takes up a lot of space.
Conclusion
A garden room can adapt in a variety of ways depending on your needs. They can be a way to facilitate entertainment, studies, work, and improve your lifestyle. Precautions must be taken in order to ensure the safety and integrity of your project, such as investing in a good structure and high-quality roofing membrane during the early stages of the design. Such steps allow you to move forward with your idea at your own pace to have the best possible results.
If you would like more organising tips, you may in interested in our previous post:
How installing log garden rooms can help you organise your space