How to Create a Functional Garden Room: Top Tips
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Transforming your outdoor space with a dedicated garden room is an increasingly popular way to add valuable living space to your property. In addition, it also adds to your property’s appeal and provides you with a personal sanctuary just steps away from your main home.
A garden room is far more than just a shed. It offers a versatile space, from a quiet home office or a vibrant creative studio to a bustling family games room or a serene reading nook. While the idea of a garden room may seem daunting, with careful planning and attention to detail, you can make the process much smoother and more rewarding.
This guide by property and construction expert Natalie Mitchell at HomeHow.co.uk will walk you through all of the essential considerations that you’ll need to take, from the initial design choices and structural foundations to the exciting possibilities of how you can transform this adaptable space to perfectly suit your needs.
Tips on Creating Your Own Functional Garden Room
Building a functional garden room is not a quick or easy job. There are a lot of things that you will need to consider when planning a build of this type. Below is a list of the things that you’ll need to consider when planning this type of work:
Deciding on the Location
The location of your garden room is important. You’ll want to really consider this as it will be almost impossible to move the garden room once it’s been built. You should think about aspects such as the weather – do you want the sun shining into the garden room? You’ll need to think about the best position for your particular garden. The space where your garden room goes should also be as level as possible.
Thinking About the Foundations
It is also very important to consider the location in terms of the foundations. You will need to choose a patch of ground that is quite level or that can be easily levelled out. Consider the conditions of the gorund as well – will it be easy to create the appropriate foundations needed on this particular patch of land? Keep this in mind when considering the foundations.
Choosing the Right Materials
While most garden rooms are built with wood and timber, you can build other types of garden room such as a plastic garden room or metal garden room. The materials you use can depend on your budget, the type of aesthetic you are going for, and what your garden room is intended to be used for.
What’s Involved With Building a Garden Room?
Below is a step-by-step guide on how to build a garden room. If you are buying a pre-fabricated garden room, you may find that it comes with a set of instructions similar to these which should help you complete a solid and reliable build.
Step One
The first step you need to complete before starting to build your own garden room is to lay the foundations upon which your garden room will sit. If you choose a concrete base, this will offer maximum durability. On the other hand, if you are looking for flexibility, a slab base is much easier to move around. This is handy if you feel like you’ll want to move your garden room to another area of the garden in the future.
You need to ensure that your foundation is flat, level, and even on all sides so that your garden room has an even, flat surface in which to sit on.
Step Two
Create a building plan. You should create a plan on paper for how you want your garden room to look so that you have a basic outline of which to work. Include in your plan how many doors and windows your garden room is going to have. The more specific you can be in your planning, the better. You then need to use pre-cuts to build the skeleton of your garden room.
Step Three
When it comes to the roof, you have a few options. If you have a small budget, a tin roof may be the best and cheapest option for you. On the other hand, if you are looking to spend a bit more and get a bit more, a shingled roof will give your garden room a more sophisticated look. Add your roof onto the skeleton. You’ll now have a good idea of what your finished garden room is going to look like.
Step Four
Once your skeleton and roof are complete, you need to add the flooring and polishes. You should sand down your flooring so that it provides a smooth surface in which to step on. Polish and paint your flooring as desired and wait for it to dry before moving onto the next step.
Step Five
The final step is to add in the walls, windows, and doors. Begin by inputting the walls, remembering to leave room for the windows and doors to be installed. If you are building the walls from wood, you want to make sure they are sanded down nicely so there are no sharp edges. This also makes a smoother surface in case you want to paint your walls once it is complete. When inserting the windows, it’s always a good idea to have someone help you by holding them up for you as you fit them. It can be tricky to install windows without a second set of hands to help.
Does a Garden Room Add Value to a House?
Garden rooms can add 10-15% to the value of your house. They provide extra living space that can be adapted to a variety of functions, which is an appealing selling point. With many people working from home or in hybrid jobs, a garden room is the perfect home office, away from the noise and distractions of the house. However, it can also be used for a variety of other purposes, as we have seen, adding to the property’s desirability and marketability.
Be aware that every area has a price ceiling for certain types of property and a garden room alone will not push your house price beyond that level.
Garden Room Ideas
A garden room is brilliant as it provides you with additional living space, and it can be used for a multitude of different things. Below is a list of some great garden room ideas to help get you inspired:
Multi-Purpose Garden Room
By its nature, a garden room can be used for a variety of purposes and is pretty much a blank canvas. So how you use it is up to you. But why restrict its use to one function rather than making the most of the space and exploiting its versatility?
You can put a sofa bed in there so it can be a quiet retreat or guest accommodation. Or combine a game room with a casual dining space. Depending on your family’s needs, furnish the garden room to make it accessible and useful to everyone.
Games Hangout
If you have gamers in your household, then you are familiar with the equipment and enthusiasm that goes with this hobby. Allow them to enjoy their gaming by getting them to furnish and decorate the garden room according to their taste and turn it into a games room for them and their friends.
Turning your garden room into a gaming hangout gives the gamer a bespoke place to enjoy their pastime while not allowing it to disrupt the rest of the household. Plus, it frees up space in their bedroom, potentially making it tidier. What’s not to love about that?
Home Gym
People who love to work out but prefer to do it at home are always on the lookout for a space to exercise in. A garden room is the perfect place for a home gym, with views of the garden and plenty of fresh air. Having a bespoke space keeps all the equipment in one place and gives you the freedom to design the perfect workout room.
With a home gym at the bottom of the garden, it may encourage other family members to get active and have a go. It’s also cheaper than paying membership fees.
Reading Nook
If you love to read but never have the tranquillity in a busy home to enjoy your pastime, a garden room is the ideal solution. You can create a cosy reading nook with a comfortable armchair and surround yourself with all your books.
Install floor-to-ceiling bookshelves to house all your favourite volumes and personalize the room to make it a real haven. To make it a year-round retreat, you can even have a wood-burning stove installed to create the perfect atmosphere for relaxing with the latest bestseller.
Music Room
For those with budding musicians in the house, a practice space at the bottom of the garden is probably on your wish list. While you want to encourage creativity, it can be disruptive to other members of the family, so turn your garden room into a music room. It can be a great way to allow you or a loved one to practice an instrument freely without feeling self-conscious or being distracted.
You can also put a music system in there so everyone can enjoy listening to their music in a comfortable and relaxing space.
Writing Hut
Some of the most famous authors have quiet places in their gardens to go and be creative. If you or a family member would love to write, a garden room dedicated to this pursuit would be a welcome addition. Being surrounded by nature is also a wonderful inspiration for writers.
Decorate your writing hut with things that you love and include some bookshelves lined with all your favourite authors as motivation. Make sure the room is insulated and warm so that you are comfortable and able to concentrate on producing your best work.
Simple Summer House
Perhaps all you want from your garden room is a place to enjoy your garden, like a simple summer house. This can be a quiet retreat where you can enjoy a coffee in the morning while listening to the birds singing or relax after a long day with a glass of wine.
It can be tempting to think that your garden room has to have a specific function, but it’s fine for its purpose; it’s just to be somewhere for you to sit and do nothing except enjoy the space.
Storage Space
We never have enough storage space in our homes and when we do we tend to immediately fill it. While a garden room doesn’t have to turn into a dumping ground it can serve a useful function as a storage area.
Buy some attractive boxes or crates to hide things like your Christmas decorations or the sun lounger cushions while they’re not in use. If you are going to use a garden room for storage, make sure there is enough ventilation and heat to prevent mould and mildew from growing on your belongings.
Homework Hub
A homework hub is a great idea to let kids concentrate and allows you to give them your undivided attention without the distractions of the household. Let your kids help you decorate the room so that they feel that this is their space and not a home classroom.
Make sure the garden room is well insulated for warmth so that they are comfortable and for noise so that there are as few distractions as possible. This can also be a peaceful haven for your children when they are preparing for exams.
Escape Room
No, not a panic room but an emotional escape room. A tranquil setting filled with comfortable furniture, cosy throws and essential oil diffusers or whatever makes you calm. Being close to nature helps a lot of people to discard the stresses of everyday life and having a space to decompress after a tough day at work can be a lifesaver.
Turn your garden room into your ideal haven of tranquillity and peace so you always have somewhere to go when you are feeling overwhelmed.
Final Thoughts
Building your own functional garden room is a significant project that, when approached with careful planning and execution, yields substantial benefits. From selecting the ideal location and laying a solid foundation to choosing the right materials and adding the finishing touches, each step contributes to a durable and versatile extension of your home.
Beyond the practicalities of construction, a well-designed garden room can dramatically enhance your lifestyle, offering a dedicated space for work, hobbies, relaxation, or entertainment, all while immersing you in the tranquillity of your surrounding garden. Not only does is provide invaluable extra living space, but it can also boost your property’s value and desirability.
With a clear vision and these top tips, you can embark on the rewarding journey of creating a bespoke garden room that perfectly complements your home and enriches your daily life.
NATALIE MITCHELL: “NatalieMitchellhas worked as a property and construction expert for HomeHow for five years and has worked in the construction industry for over twenty years.Natalie continues to work on building projects while also providing expert construction and property advice to industry professionals and DIY enthusiasts.”
