Are you dreaming of the perfect place to relax in your garden?
Painted summer houses are one of the best investments you can make for your home and lifestyle. Beautiful garden buildings like summer houses and log cabins are now accounting for 22% of the garden buildings market in the UK, and for a good reason too!
In fact, the most important part about a summer house is that it doesn’t just give you a place to chill out in, but it can change the way you work, relax, and enjoy your garden.
What you’ll learn:
- Why Painted Summer Houses Are The Best Option
- Painting Colors For A Relaxing Feel
- Designing Your Summer House For Year-Round Use
- Key Design Elements For Comfort
Why Painted Summer Houses?
Hold on…did you know that there’s a really good reason a painted finish on your summer house is such a great idea? It’s not just about aesthetics! Choosing painted summer houses for your garden building means that you’re also buying a structure that’s more protected against the elements and will need less maintenance over its lifetime. A good paint finish helps your summer house to be more durable against rain, UV rays, and other environmental factors because it creates a barrier around the material.
Another thing is that painted finishes let you choose exactly how you want your summer house to look. Whether you want to match your home exterior, create a feature focal point in your garden, or add a building that’s seamlessly connected with your garden, you can do it with a painted finish.
Relaxation Benefits
Summer houses have become so popular because people are really making an effort to look after their wellbeing at home. We all learned during the pandemic just how important our mental and physical health is.
A summer house can be just that space for you. Walk through the door and leave the chaos of everyday life behind.
Design For Comfort
One of the things people get wrong when they design their summer house, is that they don’t create a space that actually feels comfortable. Your summer house shouldn’t be a glorified shed. If you want it to be a relaxation space, there are certain key design elements that you need to use to create the perfect relaxing vibe.
Light and Air
A summer house needs to be open and airy. Lots of natural light from big windows is great because it connects you with nature and really makes your space feel much larger than it is. You can position windows where you’ll get the most morning light if you plan on using your space in the early hours, or capture more of an evening sun if you’re using your summer house as a spot to relax at the end of the day.
Ventilation is also a key design element. You want to make sure that you have options to open windows and get a good airflow through your summer house when it’s warmer so that it doesn’t get stuffy.
Year-Round Comfort
This is the point at which most summer house owners go wrong…if you want to be able to use your space all year round then you need to have insulation. Modern garden buildings with better insulation features are becoming the norm. They make your garden building more comfortable to use in all seasons.
Insulated walls, roof, and floorboards all help to keep the temperature more consistent. Add a small heater for the winter and you’ve got the ultimate relaxation space even in colder months.
Painting Colors That Relax
Paint colors have a big effect on the atmosphere in a summer house. The color you choose for the exterior will have a big impact on the relaxing feel of the space.
Soft, muted tones are the best for creating a calming feel. Sage greens, soft greys, warm creams, and soft blues are proven to help lower stress levels. In particular, sage green has become really popular because it still feels like nature but has a more mature feel.
You can go bolder with colors if you prefer. Darker blues, charcoal, or even a black exterior will create a more cozy, dramatic atmosphere in your garden, especially when you offset it with lighter interior walls.
Interior Paint Schemes
The paint colors on the interior of your summer house are just as important as the outside. Warm, earthy tones will help create a cozy, relaxing atmosphere in your space.
You can also keep some of the wood natural to keep an organic element in the room. Natural wood and painted surfaces together will give you a good balance of visual interest without it being too busy.
Functionality For Relaxing
A relaxing space needs to be functional and meet your needs. If you’re creating a summer house for reading, you want good lighting, comfortable seating, and a place to put books. If you’re planning on doing yoga in your summer house, you’ll need space for mats and props, and enough room to move.
Furniture and Decor
You want to make sure that furniture in your space is to scale with the size of the summer house. Oversized furniture in a small summer house can quickly make the space feel cramped, and tiny furniture will feel lost in a bigger space. The most important thing is that you choose furniture that’s comfortable.
Decorating is also important. Add personal touches to your space using:
- Throw pillows and blankets for cozy seating
- Plants for natural decoration
- Soft lighting with lamps or fairy lights
- Artwork that you love
- Decor in natural materials, wood or rattan
These touches will help you to make your summer house feel like a relaxing space that’s also personal to you.
Planning Permission & Regulations
Before you go too far with painting swatches and décor, it’s a good idea to think about the practicalities of having a summer house. Garden buildings are in most cases covered by permitted development, which means you won’t have to apply for planning permission. However, you can’t put your summer house in front of your main wall of the house, your summer house can’t be too tall, and it can’t take up more than 50% of your garden.
Always check with your local authority before beginning a project.
Foundations
Foundations are one of the most important parts of a summer house build. Without a solid, level base your summer house can have problems with settling, moisture issues, and other structural problems. Most summer houses will be built on a concrete pad, or some sort of paving slabs.
Never skip this step. Having a good foundation protects your investment and keeps your relaxation space nice and dry.
Finishing Details
There are some really key things that make the difference between a so-so summer house, and a show-stopping summer house…details. Small design touches can make your summer house the most relaxing spot in your garden. You might want to add a covered porch area outside your summer house for an area to sit that’s still sheltered from the rain.
Outdoor lighting will turn your summer house into an evening haven. Solar-powered lights on the path are good for guiding you to the door, and lights on the exterior can make your summer house a real focal point of your garden after dark.
Wrapping Up
Designing your perfect painted summer house for relaxation is really all about making smart design choices that enhance comfort, functionality, and style. From the paint colors and insulation, to lighting and layout, each choice should support your goal of creating a peaceful oasis.
With the number of garden rooms installed in the UK increasing by 22% in recent years, it’s clear that homeowners are beginning to understand the value that these spaces can have for our lifestyles. Whether you use your summer house as a reading nook, meditation space, or even just a place to sit with a cup of coffee in the morning, a well-designed painted summer house is one of the most used and loved parts of your property.