An outdoor room can be the perfect way to extend your living and entertaining space, without building an extension. With three simple steps, you could have a new outdoor room this weekend.

A well-planned outdoor room will create an outdoor escape for relaxing or entertaining. Take your garden design as seriously as your interior design to create a beautiful space. Here are some ideas to get started. 

An outdoor room is a big trend in garden design. These spaces are sheltered outdoor living spaces, with indoor inspired design. They basically function as a step between a summer house and a pergola.

Choose A Position for Your Outdoor Room

Before you start designing, look at where an outdoor room could fit. If you already have a patio or decking from Decking Newcastle attached to your house, this could be an ideal space. An outdoor room will function as a transition space between the indoors and the outdoors. 

Think about what you want to use the room for. Do you want a space for a morning coffee or an evening glass of wine? Look at which areas of the garden get the sun at which times of day. Position the outdoor room to get the most sun, or shade, when you want to use it most. 

Think about what existing features you want to include, like walls or fences. A landscaping design company will be able to advise you on the best position and create a beautiful design for you to enjoy. 

What Shelter Do You Want?

An outdoor room doesn’t need to have a solid structure, but the idea is to offer some kind of shelter. You could leave the room open to the sky, but offer some shelter with the walls. Alternatively, add shelter above too, so the room can be used in all weathers. 

It’s possible to build an open-fronted summer house or a gazebo, or cover your decking or patio with a pergola. Then create walls out of fencing, trellis pieces or hedges. 

The shelter can offer some protection from the elements, like wind and rain, or can be used to give you some privacy if your garden is overlooked by your neighbours. 

Design The Space

What are you going to use your outdoor room for? If it leads off the kitchen, build an outdoor dining space with a barbecue and a table with comfortable chairs. Make a space to relax with loungers and an outdoor rug. If you plan to entertain, put in a garden bar and some comfortable seating. 

Add some lighting and a way to keep the space warm. Heat lamps give off both cosy light and warmth if you’re outside in cooler evenings. If you have enough room, you could add a firepit. String lights look gorgeous strung through a pergola or through plants on the trellis. Just make sure that any electrics you use are safe for outdoor use and have been wired in correctly. 

If you decide to put a hot tub in your outdoor room, make sure you put down some kind of non-slip floor surface, like anti-slip decking or some rubber matting around the tub to avoid falls. For other areas, lay outdoor rugs, or artificial turf for a stylish look.