Summer House to Winter House

Summer is the time when the summer house (it’s all in the name really!) reigns supreme with neighbours comparing their furniture sets and rushing off to The Garden Furniture Centre Limited to get the latest trend in Rattan day beds. Fast forward a couple of measly months and the summer house parties are long forgotten in a summer haze, overtaken by falling leaves and dropping temperatures.

However, if you have gone to all of the trouble of building a summer house and installing decent furniture which, in essence, creates an extra room to your house, it seems a shame to lose it because of a change in the season.  So is it possible to make your summer house the envy of the Jones’s in December as well as August?

First the practicalities need some attention. Heating your summer house in winter is one of the biggest challenges but with the right sort of insulation and heating appliances, you can quickly resolve any cold problems in a weekend. Remember to check for chilly draughts around doors, windows and skylights and consider under floor heating as an efficient way to keep you and your summer house warm from top to toe.

Next then are the aesthetics. Pale rattan sofas with lime green cushions may look amazing in summer but come the winter months they simply look a bit nauseating, reminders of a time when you were warm and the sun was shining. So a total overhaul is necessary for the winter months, something that feels warm and wintery. Focus on Christmas as your inspiration and if in doubt think warmth and light.

Pick a warm and richly festive colour scheme and stick to it throughout. Perhaps plums and deep scarlets? Chose an appropriately luxurious fabric like velvet and make replacement covers for your sofa cushions. Match this up with a table runner and/or cloth in the same colour palette and finish with a centre piece of festively flavoured cinnamon and orange pot pouri in a wooden bowl.

For extra light chose warm white fairy lights; the more traditional yellow-y ones as opposed to the ice white LED modern sets. String these back and forth across the ceiling and add cream pillar candles around your window sills. For extra decadence hang slices of dried oranges and cinnamon sticks from windows and above radiators.

Now you have a summer house worthy of winter and ready to invite over friends and family for a mince pie and sherry. Oh and you can show off to the Jones’s some more too!