Are you getting the most out of your garden room? With the weather about to turn as we head into Autumn, if you’ve got a garden room or summer house, you’ve lucked out. While the weather won’t be ideal for sitting out and sunbathing, garden room owners can still enjoy their gardens from their comfy, sheltered space.
As it’s separate from the home itself, when it comes to cleaning or re-decorating, garden rooms can often be neglected. With Autumn weather dampening the chances of spending quality time in our outdoor spaces, garden room experts at Lidget Compton have put together some top tips for maximising the use of your outdoor building. Whether a garden room or summer house, sprucing up your cosy outdoor space is one way to beat the British weather and get the most out of your garden this Autumn.
Deep Clean your Garden Room
To freshen up the space, make sure to open windows and doors to let some air in, and dust the floor, ceiling and under furniture if storing any inside your building.
During dry spells of weather, take any upholstery out to air in the garden, and if possible, wash cushions and covers in the washing machine to get everything looking and feeling fresh.
Don’t neglect the glass: if you’re going to be using your garden room during rainy days and still want to feel like you’re experiencing the outdoors, keeping your glass windows and doors clean is arguably most important. Make sure to buff the glass after washing (newspaper works well for this) to avoid streaks.
Get the right lighting
To truly create a cosy hub for a rainy day, getting the right lighting in your garden room is imperative. This is achievable regardless of whether your garden room or summer house is connected to mains electricity or not.
Firstly, what are you using your garden room for? If it’s for practical reasons such as working from home or a hobby like woodworking, you’d benefit from spot lighting or a bright lamp so you can see what you’re doing and create a space for optimum concentration. If you don’t have access to mains, putting a simple hook in the roof and getting a battery powered lamp with a handle can be a great solution.
If you’re setting up your garden room to be a reading nook or a movie night den, fairy lights can be a great, affordable alternative. With many battery powered options on the market, this is a versatile way to elevate your space and make it rainy-day cosy.
Bring the outside in
Aside from furniture and lighting, plants are another great way to make a garden room homely and cosy. They add an extra interior layer to the garden room and will also freshen up the air inside. This can help to feel like you’re spending time outdoors whilst staying warm and dry inside.
Choose your garden room plants based on the natural light levels as well as the temperature and humidity levels. If you only have a small window, low light plants such as peace lilies, cast iron plants and snake plants will thrive. If you have a lot of natural light coming in, make sure to get plants which can handle direct sunlight, such as aloe vera, areca palm, or jasmine.
Add rugs and soft furnishings
As well as plants, soft furnishing layers such as rugs and cushions are another great addition to spruce your garden room or summer house. Rain or shine, to truly get the most out of the space, you need to feel relaxed in it and feel like it’s somewhere you can unwind. By adding soft furnishings, the room will not only gain character and style but will also be more comfortable to spend time in.
If you’re worried about any of the furnishings getting wet or want items which could be versatile and can be used in the garden as well, there are plenty of weatherproof cushions and rugs on the market which could work for both purposes.