The garden summerhouse has undergone a bit of a revolution in recent years here in the UK. While they may have begun life as small, wooden outbuildings, summerhouses are now key additions to any modern home. It’s a great way to use extra space in the garden and can provide you with more square-footage without the need to move home -- what’s not to like! 
 
COVID-19 and the resulting pandemic have only accelerated Britain’s affinity with the summerhouse. Now, our garden buildings are becoming home office spaces, DIY home-schooling classrooms, and even alternate relaxing and wellbeing spaces with surround systems and the increasingly important comfy sofa. 
 
But deciding to build or buy a summerhouse is not a throwaway decision: it takes planning and precision to get any garden furniture or outbuilding just right. That’s why in this latest blog from The Plastic People, we are going to discuss the dos and don'ts of summerhouses. We will cover everything from DIY to readymade buildings and even provide some slick design tips you can complete on a budget. 
 
Whether you are a seasoned labourer or entirely new to the garden design game, we will have some great tips and tricks you can use. In last week’s blog, we thought about the top gardening trends of 2021 -- make sure to check it out if you haven’t already. You can read it by clicking here.
 
Planning and Building your Summerhouse
 
This is likely a line you’ve heard before -- and I’ve probably written in a previous blog -- but fail to prepare, and prepare to fail. Summerhouses are full-blown construction projects and not for the faint of heart. There are readymade options available from reliable sources such as B&Q, but even then, there are several moving parts to consider. 
 
The first step in this journey toward garden heaven is to think about what sort of style you would like for your summerhouse. Are you a traditionalist who would like to riff on a classic Wendy House? Perhaps you prefer a minimalist view and what a white-washed building? Or, maybe, you enjoy seeing exposed building material and what to show off the wooden panels?
 
Whatever your fancy, make sure you undertake extensive research. Put together a mood board (or, a more modern Pinterest board) with some design ideas. Shop around for the best deals if you are looking for a readymade building and remember to confirm the summerhouse plans (size, layout etc.) before handing over the cash. 
 
Naturally, you always need to be sure that the location is perfect. Is there a part of your garden that is neglected and could be easily filled with a summerhouse? Do you want your summerhouse in direct sunlight or under the shade of a tree? It’s a hard building to move so, be sure to put your summerhouse down in the right place! 

Other things to consider include:

Installing windows and doors can be a particularly expensive part of any newbuild. Double glazing, french doors, sliding glass -- it all adds up and is incredibly fragile. Here at The Plastic People, we have a range of cost-effective and indestructible plastic glass and glazing alternatives. We have helped thousands of customers replace broken glazing and/or add new windows with our acrylic and polycarbonate panels. All glazing products are made to your specific measurements. Find out more by visiting our website here.
 
Summerhouse Interior Design 
 
Once the construction process is well underway, you can begin to think about what’s actually going inside your summerhouse. We all know colour palettes and soft furnishings are key to making any house feel like a home -- and it’s no different for outbuildings and garden furniture. You want to create a space that fits in nicely with your existing home but is also a little different. 

There are a wide array of uses for summerhouses. Some people like to build a space to relax and get away from family life for short periods of times, some people want games rooms where they don’t have enough space in the house. And some people want a summerhouse to be able to create the perfect garden office. Whatever your reasoning for building a summerhouse, its sure to add interest and value to your home! Then there’s the matter of decorating, getting sofas, desks, and a rug sorted is just the start!
 
Now, the interior design specifics depend entirely on how you plan for your summerhouse to function. Indeed, summerhouses are the perfect buildings for home gyms, home office spaces, man caves, children’s playrooms and tonnes more. (We actually put together a blog recently on how to create the ideal work-from-home space. You can check that out by clicking here.) 
 
Whatever the purpose of your summerhouse is, some design tips and fundamentals remain the same. Typically, you might find a brighter colour palette in summerhouses than your usual home. Light blues and grassy greens really help you get the perfect mix of indoors and outdoors. Soft lighting is also key. 
 
To bring colour into your summerhouse, you could also add some pictures or artwork. We offer acrylic framing services on our website. Our plastic frames are ten times stronger than glass alternatives and cheaper! Find out more by clicking here.
 
If you have a particularly small garden or summerhouse, you can usually bring in extra light with the help of a mirror. This trick also helps any space feel bigger. We offer a range of garden and child-safe mirrors that can be cut to any size or shape, check out your options by clicking here.
 
Beanbags and window seats are great space-saving seating arrangements for any summerhouse that is on the smaller size, and you can even install nifty collapsable tables for alternative dining options. At the end of the day, you need to make this a space that you can call your own and are happy to spend a good amount of time when the weather improves. 
 
That brings us to the end of this quick-fire blog on summerhouses. We’ve covered everything from planning and building to your summerhouse, to making the right design choices which suit your needs. Our team thinks that the best thing about a summerhouse is that anyone can put their mark on one and that’s absolutely true! 
 
If you’ve been inspired to put together a summer house -- whether DIY or readymade -- we would love to the final product! Get in touch on social media or via email. Our Twitter and Instagram are @barkstonplastic and we can be emailed at service@theplasticpeople.co.uk.