Transforming Your Summer House for the Winter Months
Summer houses make the perfect addition to your garden in the warmer months. They make great playhouses for small children, secluded hang-out areas for teenagers and a nice place to spend the evening when you have guests over. It’s a shame to let your summer house go unused during the winter, especially when just a few of these easy changes could adapt it to suit the colder months.
Make it Cosy and Comfortable
The first step is to switch out your summer furniture for something a little more comfortable. A cheap sofa picked up in the sale is perfect, as you’re more likely to spend more time in your summer house if you can lounge around comfortably. A large, plush rug will make the space feel cosier and warmer, whilst keeping a basket of soft blankets and slippers will make it a more inviting place to spend those crisp, cold winter evenings. Some heavy curtains will also make the space feel like a little living room, and they’ll have the added bonus of helping to keep out the cold.
Add a Fan Heater
Obviously adding a few homely touches just isn’t enough, and you’ll need to generate some heat in what is often thought of as a glorified shed. A fan heater will be sufficient to heat the whole room, and will be a simple addition as you’ll presumably already have an outdoor power supply to light up the summer house during the evenings.
Stock up on Entertainment
Housing a few of your favourite books in the summer house will encourage you to take a stroll down the garden to read, and consequently you’ll get more use out of your winter-adapted summer house. Put a cheap TV in there too and you’ll be more likely to spend time in there as a family. You could even have a scheduled movie night where the family heads out into the garden and cosies up in the summer house with snacks and a film. Obviously you’ll need to install some security, like a sturdy lock and an alarm system to protect any semi-valuable equipment you decide to house in there.
If you never got round to investing in a summer house during the warmer months, you might even be able to get a discounted one at this time of year from somewhere like Sheds and Things. How you’ve seen the potential for a winter-adapted summer house, there’s no excuse not to get started!