Garden Room Ideas to Bring the Outdoors In

One of the best things about summer is being able to spend time outdoors enjoying the nice weather. But what if you could bring the outdoors inside your home? With a garden room, you can have the best of both worlds—a beautiful space to relax in that still feels like part of nature. Here are some garden room ideas to help you get started.

Growing in popularity are solid-roofed garden rooms and orangeries, which combine components of glass, stone, or brickwork with a lantern roof. Both types of structures can be more seamlessly integrated into the design of your home than a glass conservatory since you can coordinate materials like roof tiles and brickwork. Because orangeries and garden rooms are less vulnerable to weather extremes than a room made entirely of glass, it is simpler to control the temperature in these spaces.

Turn it Into a Garden Office

A garden office will also give you the opportunity to get some Fresh air and Vitamin D during the day – something that can be hard to come by when you’re stuck indoors all day. And if you have a green thumb, you can use your garden office as an opportunity to start your own indoor garden!

Lastly, working from a garden office can be great for your mental health. Studies have shown that being in nature can lower stress levels and promote feelings of calmness and wellbeing. So if you’ve been feeling stressed out lately, a garden office may be exactly what the doctor ordered.

Firstly, it’s important to make sure that your garden office is well-insulated so that you can stay comfortable even when the weather is less than perfect. Secondly, consider investing in some good quality outdoor furniture so that you can really make the most of your new space. And lastly, don’t forget to personalize your space with plants, artwork, and any other items that make you happy!

Create a Cosy Seating Area

One great way to use your garden room is as a cosy seating area where you can read, nap, or entertain guests. To create this type of space, start by selecting comfortable furniture that you can imagine spending hours in. Then, add some personal touches like blankets, throws, and pillows to make it feel like your own. Finally, don’t forget about lighting— ambient lighting will help create a relaxing atmosphere while task lighting will be ideal for reading or working on your laptop.

Turn it Into a Greenhouse

If you love plants and gardening, why not turn your garden room into a greenhouse? This way, you can have a space to grow your own fruits, vegetables, and flowers year-round. To turn your garden room into a greenhouse, start by adding shelves or racks for all of your plants. Then, install grow lights so that your plants can get the light they need to thrive. Finally, remember to ventilate the space to prevent too much humidity from building up.

Make it an At-Home Spa

For a truly relaxing experience, transform your garden room into an at-home spa complete with a massage table, sauna, or hot tub. You can even add a small fridge stocked with healthy snacks and drinks to keep you fuelled during your relaxing daycation. Just make sure that you soundproof the space so that you can fully unwind without any distractions.

With a little bit of creativity, your garden room can be anything you want it to be—a cosy reading nook, an at-home spa retreat, or even a miniature greenhouse. No matter how you choose to use it, just remember to personalize the space so that it feels like YOUR perfect oasis away from the hustle and bustle of daily life.

What is a garden room and why should I purchase one?

A garden room is a building in your garden that is entirely separate from your house. It can be used as an office, gym, studio, and everything in between, including as simply another room in which you can relax, away from the hustle and bustle of family life.

Garden rooms have always been popular, but they have become even more so over recent years. You could even argue that garden rooms are becoming a necessity for various reasons. There has been a significant increase in people working from home, people are spending more time at home due to the cost-of-living crisis, families might not be able to afford to move up into larger homes in the way that they may previously have been able to, and children are now living at home for longer. In short, many families in the UK are desperate for the extra space that a garden room can offer.
 
Garden rooms are a great option in comparison to a traditional extension, loft conversion or conservatory as they rarely require planning permission to be granted. They can be installed in just a few days as opposed to an extension which could take months to be completed. This is welcome news for families who require the extra space as soon as possible with minimal disruption and upheaval to the house and garden. Garden rooms are also a more cost-effective alternative to an extension, for example.

What are the benefits of an insulated garden room as opposed to a non-insulated garden room?

When you’re looking for a garden room extension to your living space, it is really important to make sure that you choose one that is well insulated.

Apart from an air filtration unit fitted as standard, a steel framework, and ethically sourced materials, our garden rooms here at DB Space Garden Rooms have excellent thermal efficiency. We add 100mm of rock wool in between the steel framework, which means that you will be comfortable in your garden room during the winter months. We wrap the structure in aluminium foil, which reflects heat from the sun away from the building to stop the room from becoming too hot during the summer months.

We also include an electric heater as standard, which can be controlled via an application on your phone. If you can believe it, we also fit a specialised heat recovery unit which is able to provide solutions relating to damp, humidity, and condensation. This can also be controlled via an application on your phone.

We want it to feel as though it is an extension of your home instead of a room in the garden that no one wants to use because it’s either too cold or too hot. Think of it as a garden room extension!

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you would like more information on one of the best-insulated garden rooms on the market.

Great Work-Life Balance with a Garden Office!

As one of the many consequences of the pandemic, working from home has become more and more popular over the last few years, with a variety of employers now allowing their employees to work from home on a regular basis. Perhaps you have been working from home before it became normal to do so, or maybe you have only just started working from home. Either way, it is likely that you are working from your lounge, bedroom, or other room inside the house. If this is the case, and you plan to work from home for the foreseeable future, it is still very important to have a work-life balance.

Working from home doesn’t necessarily guarantee a good work-life balance. In fact, many people fall into the trap of working into the time in which they would have been commuting to and from the office. Having a good work-life balance is crucial to our general well-being and can improve feelings of happiness, reduce feelings of stress, increase productivity, and even help us to feel valued by our employers.

If you have a garden, small or large, installing a garden office to work from could enable you to achieve a better work-life balance.

The benefits of a garden office

If you have a garden, then you probably enjoy working from it when the weather is nice enough to do so. It feels great to sit outside amongst nature and get some natural light on your skin, even if you are working! Unfortunately, we have something called the ‘Great British Weather’ to contend with. This can change with no notice at all and mean that you are forced to retreat to your lounge, bedroom, or other room inside the house. How amazing would it be to retreat into your insulated garden office instead?

One of the garden office benefits is that you will now be able to separate work from home life. If you work from a room in your house, it can start to feel as though your place of work is the same as your place of rest, which may result in you never truly switching off from work. Clearly, this is not good for your work-life balance.

Another one of the garden office benefits is that you can really make the space your own and spread out in it. You can set out the desk and computer in the position that is best for you and take control of the lighting (which can be an issue when working indoors). You can wander outside into your garden more often for some fresh air as well.

Our insulated garden office buildings can be used all year round as they are fitted with optimised insulation so that they do not get too hot in the summer or too cold in the winter months. They are also the most energy-efficient garden rooms available on the market.

Choose Designbuildspace Garden Rooms to manufacture and install your garden room. Choose us for our air filtration units which are fitted as standard, for our steel framework which is designed to stand the test of time, for our thermal efficiency and for our ethically sourced materials.

Whether you’re looking to add a garden room to your outdoor space for some peace and quiet, to add an outdoor bar or cinema room, or to create a home office that isn’t 100% inside your home, a garden room undoubtedly adds value. In a time when everyone is trying to add value to their homes, you may be asking yourself which improvement would offer the best returns on your investment. In considering that, you might think a garden room is more of a fun addition rather than something that will add value. Think again! So, is a garden room a good investment? Below are a few of the reasons why we think it’s a resounding yes.

1.      Add floor space at a lower cost

Increasing floor space by adding an extension can be expensive and generally requires planning permission. In comparison, a garden room usually does not require planning permission (unless the size exceeds 30sq m or it takes up more than 50% of your garden). It’s also a significantly more affordable option. In many cases, it can also save you a great deal of time versus a traditional extension, making it a great alternative if you can’t wait. Of course, a traditional loft conversion or extension may add more value to your home than a garden room, but it also costs more, so weighing up the options is a good idea.

2.      Garden rooms can be stunning

Modern garden rooms have nothing to do with the sheds of yore. They’re stunning modern miniature houses with contemporary windows and doors, beautiful cladding, heating, and more. Adding a garden room can be the ideal addition to your home if you’re a little tired of your abode but can’t afford to fully refurbish the whole house. They can give you a bit of respite, an external home office that isn’t (exactly) in your home, an incredible games room or outdoor bar. The options are endless.

3.      Attract home office or small business owners

Garden rooms make the perfect home offices, as they are not truly in your home, offering a dedicated work area away from your living space. Home office workers and small business owners will be especially attracted to the prospect of working in their own dedicated space. Attracting additional buyers drives up the value of your home, making this a win-win. Particularly post-covid buyers will be interested in finding a space that offers a dedicated work area on their property.

4.      Garden rooms add value

Whether you are looking to sell your home and attract more potential buyers in the form of hobbyists, artists or small business owners, or just increase its prospective value by adding something unique, adding a garden room is a great investment. Garden rooms are estimated to add between 5% and 15% of value to your property – an estimated 1.5 times the value of their cost, according to Ideal Home [1] and other analysts, depending on their build quality and the overall quality of your home. They’re a wonderful way of improving your lifestyle and creating value.

Adding a garden room to your outdoor space can be a wonderful way of increasing the value of your home. Garden rooms can be used to just relax and see the day out with a good book and a cup of coffee or they can provide a useful additional space for working in peace and quiet. Whether you are an artist seeking to set up a small studio outside or you wish to add a home office that isn’t entirely in your home, a garden room can be a great way to do this. Adding WiFi can become vital if you choose to use your garden room as an office space with a computer. So, how to get WiFi in a garden room? Below are a few methods:

1.      WiFi extenders for garden rooms

The simplest way to get WiFi in your garden room will be to install WiFi extenders in your property. WiFi extenders do exactly what they say on the tin – they extend the Wifi from your home’s router so it can reach further. If your garden room isn’t further than 30m away from your house, a WiFi extender will likely be the easiest and most cost-effective solution to get internet in your garden room. The advantage of this method is that it causes minimal fuss and can be done without any electrical knowledge or outside help. Argos offer a simple WiFi extender for £15.99 [1] that gets positive reviews.

2.      Powerline adapters for your garden space

Another relatively simple way to connect your garden room to your home’s WiFi network is via the existing electrical connection from your home to the garden room. You need simply attach two powerline adapters – one plugged in inside your home, one inside your garden room. Connect your home adapter to your router using an ethernet cable, and connect the adapter in the garden room to your device using another ethernet cable – done! The advantage of this method is that your signal doesn’t run the risk of dropping, since everything is hardwired. TP-Link offer a great powerline starter kit, which is available via both Screwfix [2] and Argos for £29.99.

3.      Ethernet cables for your garden office

The most robust option for use with home offices by far is extending your ethernet cables directly from your home’s router to your garden room. This method means you’ll get a strong signal and no issues with your WiFi once it’s been set up (beyond anything normal such as your provider having downtime to do work). However, you may need an engineer to install the ethernet cable for you and they will require an armoured cable underground to do so. Doing so will cost approximately £100-200 for the work and materials, however, it’s a more permanent solution and you won’t have any additional devices to maintain.

4.      WiFi point-to-point for hard-to-reach garden rooms

A similar solution to the WiFi extender method, point-to-point (PTP) is more complicated to install but will get you a better signal. If your garden room is more than 30m away from your home and you’re set on not installing any cables underground, this may be the way to go. An engineer will charge on average between £150-£200 to set up one PTP unit on the outside of your house and one on the outside of your garden room, effectively giving your router the ability to extend to your garden office. It’s probably the most complex method and almost certainly the priciest, but a good option for those who just can’t run cables underground for whatever reason.

Do you want to create more space for you and your family without the upheaval of a traditional house extension? A garden room could be just the solution, even if you are not blessed with the largest of outdoor spaces. A small garden room, with a more compact and space-saving design, could give you the extra space you need without taking up too much precious outdoor space.

What exactly is a small garden room?

Garden rooms are an increasingly popular home improvement, creating a new outbuilding which is entirely separate from your house. Small garden rooms, as the name suggests, are more compact versions which can be designed specifically to fit into smaller gardens or engineered to utilise tight spaces or forgotten corners.

What can garden rooms be used for?

Bright, airy and comfortable, garden rooms are hugely versatile and can serve many different purposes. The rise in homeworking has led many to opt for a home office garden room in order to better separate home and work life. But a garden room could also be used as a home gym, yoga room, library, storage room, hobby space or simply somewhere to relax.

Why choose a small garden room?

In many towns, cities and new builds, garden space is a premium. A small garden room is perfect for adding extra living space when you have a smaller outdoor space. But they do not have to be reserved for smaller gardens. Small garden rooms can also be ideal in a larger garden if you are looking for a discrete and unobtrusive space which does not take up too much green space. They could also be the perfect solution if you have a particular use in mind, such as a single-person office or a home gym.

What are the benefits of a garden room?

It may be smaller in size but a small garden room still offers big benefits.

.       Extra space – small garden rooms bring extra space which can be invaluable, especially to larger families or those who work from home.
.       Convenience – Located in the garden, your new room is just a short walk from your home and home comforts yet remains a distinct space where you can enjoy privacy or peace and quiet.
.       Flexible – Your garden room can be used for whatever purpose you like. Its high-quality, insulated finish means it can be used all year round too.
.       Adds value to your home – A garden room is a desirable feature which can make your home more appealing to buyers, especially as homeworking rates continue to rise.
.       Makes the most of your garden – Designed intelligently, a small garden room can actually help to maximise your outdoor space, bringing unused or difficult corners back to life or making the most of tight spaces.
.       You may not need to acquire planning permission – In many cases, planning permission will not be needed. There are, however, some specific building regulations that need to be observed when installing a garden room.
.       Aesthetically pleasing – Garden rooms can be an extremely attractive addition to your home. There is a vast array of stylish and modern choices available. For example, you can opt for contemporary bi-fold or slider doors and select composite panel cladding in a wide range of colours. This allows you to find the perfect small garden room to complement your home.

One of the most common queries when it comes to building a garden room or garden office is, how do you heat it? Older style garden rooms used to be notoriously cold in the later months, making them difficult to use or hard to heat. Today, with the quality of garden room builds vastly improving and technology advancing, heating your garden office is simple and affordable. It all just depends on the style of your garden room, its size, what you are planning to use it for, and your overall budget. But don’t worry, below are a few options to help keep your garden office warm and cosy:

1.      Roof insulation

The first thing to consider when thinking about how to keep your garden office warm is roof insulation. A well-insulated building of any kind will benefit from high-quality insulation material and a garden office is no exception. The added benefits here are that you’ll save on costs when it comes to additional heating, which is a huge bonus, especially given current energy prices.

2.      Electric heaters

Convection heaters are particularly effective, as they can be mounted onto garden office walls or be left free-standing (and stored away in the summer months). They’re an affordable option that do not require a separate power supply and can generally be installed without the help of an electrician.

3.      Oil-filled radiators

Electric heaters filled with oil are another good option. These are usually free-standing, meaning they offer flexibility when it comes to where you choose to place them. The main advantage of oil heaters is that they are fairly cheap and can be purchased almost anywhere – and there is no installation required, representing further savings.

4.      Wood burners

Wood-burning stoves are an undeniably stylish choice. Their retro vibe and gorgeous smell just scream wintry cosiness. They heat up relatively fast and have the added benefit of being carbon neutral, provided that you choose a sustainable fuel source. The disadvantage here is that they can be relatively expensive to install, as installation by a certified HETAS engineer is vital to make sure you stay safe.

5.      Underfloor heating

A wonderful choice if floor space is sparse is underfloor heating, which keeps your walls completely free from any radiators or stoves, all while keeping your feet nice and warm. These are not generally suitable for DIY installation, meaning you’d need to find an engineer to lay down the mesh elements. You would also benefit if your top layer of flooring was concrete or tiling, as these materials are better for heat retention (but can be pricier!)

Heating your garden office is easy

As you can see, heating a garden office doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive. Choosing the right type of heating for your garden room is key. Depending on the size and style of your garden office, there are plenty of options available that are sure to keep you cosy. You may choose to use more than one approach in combination. Good insulation is always important as it will keep your heating bills to a minimum.

Garden rooms are the perfect way to add extra space to your home and with more of us than ever working from home, they are proving to be a popular home office space. But with everyone trying to do their bit to help the environment, it is important to ensure your garden room is as eco-friendly as can be. At DB Space, we aim to make the best choices for the planet at every step of the way in the creation of your dream garden room.

What materials are used for your eco-friendly garden room or garden office?

.       Built in steel. While some create garden rooms from timber, we choose to use steel frames for our garden rooms. Not only are these strong and durable, but they are long-lasting too. Another key benefit is that steel offers a low carbon footprint and is one of the UK’s most recycled materials. It can be repeatedly recycled without losing its strength over time. Using steel also allows for better insulation to be installed, which helps to make your new garden office room as energy efficient as possible.
.       Composite cladding. We use composite cladding on our garden rooms instead of timber. The cladding we use is made from 95% recycled materials. A huge benefit to the customer is that it has the look of wood but requires no repainting, staining or sealing and so reduces the need for solvents and chemicals to be released into the atmosphere during these processes.

What steps are taken to make eco-friendly garden rooms energy efficient?

Making sure our eco friendly garden rooms are as thermally efficient as possible enables us to reduce their overall impact on the environment. An aluminium foil blanket is wrapped around the entire building using a unique technique. This allows heat to be reflected away from the building during the summer months and prevents heat from escaping during the colder winter months. This increases energy efficiency as well as creating a space which can be comfortably used all year round.

Our eco garden rooms also feature two key installations which help to complement our insulation techniques and ensure maximum energy efficiency. A low-energy consumption electric heater is fitted in our garden rooms as standard. This smart device can be controlled from an app on your phone, allowing you to heat the eco garden room or office in advance. Alongside this is a Blauberg Vento Mini Air Decentralised Heat Recovery Unit, which can stop heat from being wasted. This clever installation can help to achieve the perfect levels of ventilation in your room and recover up to 93% of heat which might otherwise be wasted using a traditional extractor fan. Again, this can be controlled on an app on your phone and can ensure your garden room has clean and purified air at all times.

Ultimately, every care is taken to ensure the materials used are strong, sustainable and where possible, our garden rooms are made from recycled and recyclable materials. This is true of the steel used in the foundations and the composite materials used in the attractive cladding. We also use science backed techniques to make sure your garden room is well insulated so it is thermally efficient, creating a space which can be used whatever the weather.

Generally, garden buildings in the UK do not require planning permission. There are, however, a few exceptions to this, so it’s useful to know these depending on the intended size, placement, and purpose of your garden room.

Garden Rooms for general home use

Garden rooms are classed as outbuildings in UK planning law and, as such, fall under permitted development rights the majority of the time, and therefore, do not require planning permission. This is an advantage over other options for extending your living space as the process is quick and simple.

However, if you live in a flat or maisonette, or in a listed building, you will not have permitted development rights and will need to obtain garden room planning permission. This is also the case if you live in a conservation area, National Park, World Heritage site or area of outstanding natural beauty. If your property has been converted into a house previously, or has undergone a change or use, then it may not have the permitted development rights and would require full planning permission.

Provided that none of the above restrictions apply to your property type or location, you can usually go ahead without planning permission if your proposed garden room falls within the following criteria:

1. It will not contain any sleeping facilities and is not intended to be used as self-contained living accommodation.
2. It is single storey and less than 3m high (or 4m if it has a dual-pitched roof).
3. It doesn’t have a veranda, balcony or raised platform.
4. The eaves are no more than 2.5m above the ground.

The location and size of the garden room will also need to be taken into consideration. Garden rooms cannot be placed in the front of your home, and the total area of all building on your property, including any other sheds, conservatories, garages, extensions, and other outbuildings must not cover more than 50% of the total area of your property. Please visit the Which website for more information.

Garden Rooms used for Work and Business Purposes

Garden buildings are often used as garden offices to allow for privacy and a professional separation from home life. Most of the time, planning permission is not required as this would likely come under permitted use of an outbuilding, provided that it doesn’t change the main use of your home. However, if you are using it for more than working alone on a computer and the phone, for example holding face-to-face client meetings, or an exercise class, then you may need to ask your council for planning permission due to the potential impact on your surrounding neighbours.

Should you wish to add plumbing facilities to your garden room, you will need to check with your local council as to whether they would require you to have planning permission for this. Adding a power supply generally doesn’t require planning permission, provided that all electrical work complies with Building Regulations, specifically Part P. If these electrical works are extensive then you will have to notify your local authority building control to ensure they meet all safety regulations.

If you have any questions relating to garden rooms and garden offices, then please get in touch with the friendly team at Design Build Space today. Or, visit our useful frequently asked question page.

There has been a huge rise in the popularity of garden rooms in the UK over the last few years. They offer a way to extend your living space in a cost-effective and simple way with quick installation and using sustainable materials. They can also add value to your property and can provide a functional private space for almost any purpose you choose.

What are Garden Rooms used for?

Work and business

How you use your garden room is, of course, entirely up to you. With the rise in people working from home, some have found a garden room especially useful as a standalone office. Not only do garden offices provide a practical, private space to work productively, but many value the idea of being able to physically separate their work and home life, where you can finish the day, close the door on work and relax at home.

Garden rooms have also become popular for small businesses as they reduce overheads and add a personal touch to their service. Hair salons, personal trainers and yoga instructors are just a few examples of sectors that can run from garden workspaces, allowing you to work from home at a reduced running cost and still keep a professional separation from your home life.

Entertaining

Whilst there are many products on the market that are designed to help you make the most of your outside space for those long summer barbeques with friends, none have quite managed to solve the issue of the unpredictable British weather! Even the best-equipped garden space with patio heaters, gazebos, and a stunning patio or decking area can still be defeated when the wind gets up or it starts to rain.

We offer insulated garden rooms where you can bring the party inside, while still being outside. Some people like to install a fully stocked bar, a sound system (with the option of additional soundproofing so as not to disturb the neighbours), and plush comfortable seating to create a warm, inviting space to entertain, whatever the weather.

Relaxing

Sometimes you just need a sanctuary that’s away from the chaos of the house. A place where you can relax, surrounded by nature. Whether this space would be for you to just read a book, watch TV, pursue a hobby, or perhaps it might even be used as a den for your teenagers where they can kick back and relax with their friends.

Contact Design Build Space Today for a Quote

These garden room ideas are just the tip of the iceberg; the possibilities are endless. There really is nothing else that has the level of versatility and comfort combined with ease of installation and cost-effective purchase.

Conservatories were a popular option in years gone by, but they can often be impractical, and even unusable at certain times of the year, either becoming stifling greenhouses in summer or freezing cold in winter. Extensions are expensive and can be complicated with a long process and considerable disruption. A garden room is the perfect solution to add extra interior space to your home in a cost-effective, insulated, simple way.

So, if you want to see your garden room ideas brought to life, contact the experts at Design Build Space today and enjoy total privacy in the luxury of your own garden.