Faced with an overgrown area of the garden that was unused and unloved, these homeowners set to work transforming the space with a stylish new summerhouse and an outdoor seating area where they could sit and take in the view.
‘When we moved into the house the garden was incredibly bland,’ says the homeowner. ‘We had these large vegetable beds that were completely overgrown and when we didn’t keep on top of them the weeds would get out of control. It didn’t take us long to decide that we wanted to get rid of them – but rather than just laying new beds or lawn, we thought we’d install a summerhouse instead.’
‘It was something I’d always wanted and it made sense to put it on this area of the garden – close enough to the house that I could come in and out easily, but that was to the side of the garden so we could enjoy the views out.’
Work in progress
‘Shopping for the summerhouse was exciting and we looked at lots of different designs, before we found this one from Garden Buildings Direct. It was the perfect size, was within our budget and has large doors and windows to keep it nice and light. Before we could use it though, we had to get the vegetable beds dug out. We laid a new base and then put down some sturdy slabs, and finally the summerhouse was installed.’
‘We went for an exterior paint in a shade of black and attached the guttering, but inside it felt quite utilitarian – more like a tool shed. I started thinking about décor so I could turn it into a more attractive setting I’d want to spend time in.’
Floral feature wallpaper
‘The interior of the summerhouse was plain wooden panelling, so painting those was going to be key in adding some colour. I knew I wanted the inside to feel light and tranquil, but I’m also a fan of a patterned wallpaper, so the starting point was this amazing wallpaper from Next.’
‘I love that the floral design echoes the garden when it’s in bloom. Instead of papering the long main wall, I decided to wallpaper both ends of the summerhouse and create two zones – one for my desk area, and the other as a seating space.’
Sunny yellow paintwork
‘We already had a small sofa bed that we were going to sell, but I realised it would go perfectly in this room and give me a spot to sit if I wanted to read or just enjoy a drink away from my desk. Plus, if we have anyone to visit we can still use it as a sofa bed.’
‘For the main walls I chose a lovely yellow paint from Little Greene – it’s a pale citrus shade and is similar to the yellow in the wallpaper.'
Practical laminate flooring
‘As a contrast to the light walls, we went for a darker wood laminate flooring from Quick-Step, which is water resistant and a practical choice for a summerhouse – we thought the dark shade would be good as it wouldn’t show up too many marks if we’re coming in and out from the garden.’
‘I also chose a fab scalloped rug from Dunelm, and again, the peach detail in it matched accents in the wallpaper, so it all tied in together well. As soon as the walls were painted, the flooring was laid and the wallpaper went up, the room really started coming together.’
Light-filtering curtain and blind
‘As nice as it is working in such a bright room, the sun can create a glare at times, so we bought blinds and curtains from Blinds2Go to help filter it when needed. I love the soft green stripes of the fabric, and they work really well with the floral wallpaper.'
'When the sun has gone in and I need extra lighting, I’ve got some wall lights and lamps, so I can work in here all year round, whether it’s bright out or dreary.’
Stylish work space
'As it's only a small home office area, I didn’t want a desk that looked too office-like, so I went for a slim console table from Wayfair instead, along with a coffee table from La Redoute for plants and books – I love the woven rattan top. Some wall shelves, a mirror and a heap of cushions from Dunelm completed the look.’
Shelves for display
‘The yellow paint makes this room feel sunny even when the sun isn’t actually shining. I paired it with Flint from Little Greene on the ceiling and beams, which is a warm white.’
‘We put up some shelving from Wickes, so I could display knick-knacks. I think having candles and plants in here makes the space feel really soothing and homely.’
Finishing touches
‘The rug wasn’t the only place I went for scallop-shaped edges… these wall lights from La Redoute are really sweet and it’s touches like these that make the summerhouse feel more like a room and less like an outdoor structure.’
‘I like mixing different patterns so I chose a striped design for the blinds and curtains, which works well with the larger floral wallpaper on the other walls. I’m so happy with how everything looks.’
Bijoux seating area
‘The last thing on my list to do is to fit some vents to keep it cool in the summer, but I love how it looks. The summerhouse feels so bright and summery and even in the winter it’s nice and cosy.’
‘Being able to enjoy our garden while I work is something I’ll never get tired of and updating the summerhouse is definitely one of the best decisions we made. It’s in the sunniest spot in the garden, so it’s a great place to chill on a sunny day.’
How to paint a summerhouse
- Get prepared by making sure there are no snags in the panels and giving the wood a wipe with a stiff brush. Fill in any holes and if it’s an existing shed or summerhouse, repair any broken panels.
- Sand down the wood, following the grain, and wipe off any excess dust. Give the exterior a clean using an all-purpose cleaner, then leave to dry.
- Cover any furniture or plants nearby with a dust sheet and mask off windowsills or any parts of the summerhouse you don’t want paint on.
- Using an exterior paint or stain (to ensure it’s protected and weatherproof), apply using two or three coats for maximum protection.
