Outdoor SunSpaces News

For many people in the UK, a sunroom and conservatory are the same things, often mistaken for one another. The names are used interchangeably, without ever realising that they are in fact two totally different structures that contain distinct differences.

One thing that the two do have in common, however, is the fact that they are both structures added onto a property, designed to soak up the sun whenever possible. Homeowners that have either of these attached to their property can look forward to a beautiful summer's day in peace and quiet.

So, what exactly makes a sunroom and conservatory different? Let's take a look!

Length of Use

Conservatories are well known for their seasonality, meaning the times of the year they are typically used. Conservatories tend to become incredibly cold during the winter months, which can make it difficult to relax! In the summer, on the other hand, a conservatory can become extremely hot due to high exposure levels to the sun.

Sunrooms, however, are suitable for use from March until early October.

Materials

Another difference between a sunroom and conservatory is the materials that are used when building them. A conservatory tends to be made of UVPC and glass windows, or a brick base and glass windows with a polycarbonate/glass roof, meaning you typically only benefit from the top half of the structure being made of glass.

A sunroom, on the other hand, is typically made entirely of glass – from the glass door panels all the way up to the glass roof. The roof of a sunroom is typically manufactured from glass and is solid, offering increased protection from the sun.

Consent & Speed of Assembly

The final difference between a sunroom and conservatory is the process that you need to follow in order for it to be built and attached to your home. If your sunroom or conservatory exceeds a certain size, it will require planning permission from your local council*.

Neither option is cheap either when built from the ground up. A great way that you can avoid the problems and drama of planning permission and building from scratch is purchasing a ready-built structure that you can attach straight onto your home.

These ready-made structures mostly* eliminate the need to gain planning ​permission (*in most circumstances – speak to a representative to ensure no planning permission is required) ) and your home turning into a building site for a couple of months – and you can get one right here!

But by far the biggest benefit of adding a sunroom over a conservatory is the speed of assembly. A typical veranda can be installed in 1-2 days, with a garden room typically being installed in 3-4 working days!

There you have it, the main differences between a sunroom and conservatory. If you're thinking about adding one of these structures onto your property, we hope this blog helps to inform your decision. But if you're asking us, a sunroom is definitely the way to go. The ability to use it year-round and add amazing customisable options makes it a no-brainer.

Don't just take our word for it...

One of our previous clients has moved from a home with a SunSpaces sunroom to a home with a conservatory, she got in touch and said:

"We had one of your sunrooms built onto our old house and it was fantastic. The best thing we ever purchased. We have a conservatory on our new house and we hate it. It's so old fashioned and dated. Would love to remove it but not an option at the moment. We can’t understand anyone purchasing a conservatory anymore when they could have an amazing sunroom design. Stunning!"

For more information on our range of sunrooms, be sure to get in touch with a member of the SunSpaces team today or request an instant, free quote!

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Garden rooms from SunSpaces are incredibly versatile structures, capable of housing a true myriad of unique and beautifully decorative interiors.

That being said, as the saying goes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder and, when it comes to garden room interiors, that saying certainly rings true.

Depending on your personal preferences, your choice of garden room design could differ dramatically from the one down the street, even if you both ordered the very same model.

That in itself is the beauty of the garden rooms we offer here at SunSpaces: freedom of design choice and customisation is entirely in your hands.

Garden Room Interior Design

Creating a garden room that’s tailor-made to fit your needs and personality is one of the biggest advantages of purchasing outdoor living products from SunSpaces – the sheer scope for personalisation is virtually endless.

That being said, with so many avenues to go down in terms of garden room interior design, settling on a single route that’s right for you can be a tough decision to make. To help get you started, here are a few creative garden room interior ideas to get your mental blueprint mapped out.

Home Away from Home

There’s no reason a garden room can’t become an external living room, especially if you have a free-standing garden room.

Offering a unique view from the inside out, creating a welcoming lounge ambience in your garden room can be a wonderful way to make the most of your new addition.

Incorporate your favourite living furnishings like a comfy sofa, armchairs and lamp lighting to truly bring the indoor comfort to your outdoor space.

Whether you’re looking to create a lightly-coloured summer room to soak up the sun or a warm and cosy winter cabin to curl up in when the temperature drops, a simple change in colour can make all the difference.

For summery escape, floral colours and coastal shades with wicker furniture can do just the trick, while wintry reds and autumnal browns can be the perfect complement to an inviting homely hideaway.

Stu-Stu-Studio

If you are looking to create an environment to nurture your artistic side, a garden room studio could well be the way to go.

Naturally, the specific equipment within your studio will depend largely on the artistic direction you are looking to take: be it painting, sculpting or even musical recording.

Similarly, constructing an environment that helps stimulate your creative side will very much depend on your personality. Some may prefer to shut off the outside to focus on the task at hand, while others may find the sight of nature outside to be a creative stimulant.

That being said, certain things will be universal. Comfortable seating is a must for creativity – the last thing you need to distract from the task at hand is discomfort – while visual stimulation can also enhance ideas generation.

Accessorising your room with decorative objects and awesome artwork either of or related to things that inspire you can really enhance the creative ambience and solidify the environment as a hub for originality.

Let’s Get Physical

Another popular interior design idea for a garden room is to transform the area into a workout room. After all, there’s no excuse for missing a session if the venue is quite literally a stone’s throw away.

Whether you’re looking to create a home gym or yoga studio, common themes for rooms that house such activities commonly include two typical designs: woods and whites.

Public gyms and hotel fitness suites are commonly decked out in brilliant white from wall to wall, creating a clean, sterile atmosphere. This minimalist décor is typically combined with glossy, wood flooring for fashionable functionality.

Accessorise with the relevant equipment, necessary mats and strategically placed mirrors where needed for a complete fitness studio ambience.

The Office

Another popular interior design choice for garden room owners is to turn your outdoor addition into a private office space.

Keep distractions to a minimum with a reserved approach to your interior design. Utilise light, neutral colours that are non-invasive and easy on the eyes to help maintain focus.

In addition to keeping your attention on the task at hand, the minimalist approach will also help you avoid cluttering up your workspace with unnecessary items and junk.

Maintain functionality by including all the necessary equipment for the job – be it a computer, a printer or a landline – and be sure to invest in a good quality desk and chair.

Comfortable working conditions can go a long way in enhancing output and improving productivity, so don’t be afraid to invest in yourself when it comes to office furniture.

Create Your Garden Room with SunSpaces

Any of the above interior ideas can be created in any one of our garden rooms, once again showcasing the true versatility of the garden room as a customisable property feature.

Once you settle on the specific type of interior you want to create, there’s an equally wide-ranging number of paths you can then take when it comes to specific décor: do you go light an airy with modern whites and creams or dark and homely with natural, woody browns?

The combinations and possibilities are truly only limited to your own imagination. Hopefully, we’ve helped you peel back the surface of that with this sneak peek into what could be. Now all that’s left to do is turn that possibility into a reality!

To make your outdoor living dreams come true or for more information on garden room interiors, why not get in touch today? Drop us a line now on 01727 845 788 or send us an email using the link below.

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If you’ve ever dreamed of having your own bar, the tail-end of that dream has probably been met with internal acceptance that it’s a hopeless fantasy, an unreachable goal and an impossible vision destined never to be realised.

Not so fast, my friend. Here at SunSpaces, we believe in making dreams a reality – specifically those involving home renovation and upscaling.

Jimmy McElroy said it best in Blades of Glory – if you can dream it, you can do it – so don’t put your dreams on ice. With the help of SunSpaces, an outdoor garden bar no longer needs to be a pipe dream.

DIY Garden Bar

While it is possible to go the whole hog and create your own DIY garden bar from scratch, it naturally comes with a lot of work attached. Sadly, this often requires a lot of time and a lot of skill to boot which, in today’s fast-paced world, rarely come in pairs.

From measuring up and sourcing materials to laying the foundation and the overall construction itself, creating an outdoor garden bar is no small feat. In fact, the project can quickly turn into a bit of a mammoth task – particularly if you want to get it done properly.

If you want to create the ultimate backyard bar, a glorified shed probably won’t impress your mates and a second-rate job just isn’t going to cut the mustard. Luckily, at SunSpaces, our mustard cutting skills are world class!

Cut out the middle man and give your outdoor bar the perfect finish without lifting a finger, courtesy of the installation aces at SunSpaces.

SunSpaces Outdoor Bar

Our collection covers a wide range of outdoor living products, including everything from canopies to extensions and everything in between.

As such, we’ve seen it all when it comes to outdoor designs and there’s no hard and fast rule of how you have to use your SunSpace. In fact, it’s your space – how you utilise it is up to you!

Over the years, we’ve helped hundreds of customers achieve their dream outdoor living space. Many of these were purpose-built for a key purpose or function, be it a garden art studio or even a meditation garden room.

Bottom line: if you want to turn your SunSpace into a watering hole, we can make it so. To help get your cogs turning, here are two fantastic ways to create an outdoor garden bar within the comfort of your outdoor space.

Verandas for Cervezas in the Sun

Ideal for summertime socials, adding a veranda to your outdoor space can make for the perfect setting for an outdoor garden bar.

Any one of our stunning verandas can be easily transformed into a DIY garden bar, simply by the addition of an L-shaped stand and a few all-weather bar stools. Throw in a few ice buckets and you have yourself the perfect patio pop-up bar.

If a permanent bar isn’t quite going to pass your partner’s approval test, you could reach a steady compromise by opting for a fold-away Murphy Bar. That way, you economise on space and cost, while still providing you with a perfectly usable drop-down bar when needed.

What’s more, the open plan nature of the veranda also allows for ample airflow, should you want to really make the most of those summer days and spark up the barbeque. After all, any self-respecting garden bar should offer pub food, right?

Our veranda options also allow you to truly embrace the summertime weather by accessorising. Whether you wanted to incorporate a garden pool set in the surrounding area or add sun-loungers to soak up the sun.

Throw in a sound system and the resulting atmosphere can leave you feeling like you’re propping up a poolside bar in a foreign country, particularly when you get the weather to match.

Garden Rooms for Grey Sky Sanctuary

If you’re looking for a more permanent outdoor establishment for year-round enjoyment, there’s really no substitute for the weather-proof enclosed SunSpaces garden room.

Built essentially as an extension on to the house itself, the garden room option provides a number of additional bar-friendly benefits, most notably insulated comfort. That being said, perhaps the most complete solution to the outdoor bar conundrum is to opt for the always awesome free-standing variation.

A unique alternative to a traditional garden room, the independent option provides you with everything you could want from an outdoor garden bar. Offering the privacy of a detached structure with all the functionality of a fully-enclosed room, a free-standing garden room offers all-season use in a purpose-built standalone structure.

Separated from the house for additional peace for all parties, creating distance also helps enhance the pub-like ambience of your outdoor bar. By establishing separation between the home and the outdoor garden bar, you are effectively creating the illusion of going out, despite not leaving your premises.

SunSpaces also has a variety of heating options available to keep your personal outdoor bar warm and welcoming, whatever the weather. This even includes a Bluetooth speaker/heater combo, allowing you to truly bring the bar ambience to life in heated comfort.

For more information on our variety of verandas and garden rooms available – or for more ideas on how to transform your outdoor space – call now on 0800 085 8110. Alternatively, drop us an email using the button below.

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When it comes to meditation in garden surroundings, it’s not always easy to switch off from the hustle and bustle of the daily grind.

While it’s easy to simply grab a towel and head into the back garden to zone out, the open-air doesn’t always lend itself well to serenity. Distractions come in many forms, from noisy kids and neighbourhood barbeques to barking dogs and police sirens.

The primary purpose of a meditation garden is off-loading stress, finding inner peace and generally unwinding in an environment that promotes relaxation. This blog aims to help you do just that.

Leave the demands of the day at the backdoor and enter your very own zen den by creating your own purpose-built meditation garden, right there in the comfort of your own home.

Meditation in Garden Room Settings

Throughout history, people all over the world have long sought their own space or sanctuary in order to zone out and de-stress through meditation.

With all the stresses of 21st-century life, a lot can be learned from this ancient art but it can be difficult to know where to start. If this sounds like a familiar predicament, why not take a tip from the past by creating a dedicated space for your own peace of mind, body and soul?

A detached garden room or free-standing veranda can make for the perfect place for garden meditation, providing a natural environment within an outdoor setting that still protects from the elements and provides a barrier to the outside world.

Meditation Garden Ideas

Open space, minimalist design and natural light are three key features of Asian design, as are deep browns of natural wood colours. As the art of meditation does have deep roots in Asian culture, this could be an avenue of design you may want to explore for your meditation garden design.

While the layout can depend on your needs, tastes and personality, the Prestige model does make for a particularly good setting for the purpose of a meditation garden. Providing ample light and minimalist design, it also features an understated flat roof, while also providing seclusion to avoid external distractions.

Meanwhile, the Vogue model features an optional sliding roof, should you want to bring natural sounds, light and airflow into your private meditation area. Similarly, the Dynamic design offers the same benefits, with the added bonus of a louvred roof system that’s remotely adjustable depending on the weather.

Features of a Meditation Garden

Like any space dedicated to a sole purpose or activity, you may wish to accessorise your garden room in order to make it fit for purpose and personal to you.

Admittedly, while the very essence of a garden meditation room lends itself well towards a minimalistic approach, there are a few additions you can still add to your sanctuary setting to enhance the spiritual ambience.

For example, burning incense, candles and plants are common features of many meditation rooms, as are ornamental items, such as Buddha statues. Meanwhile, if there are certain sounds that help you switch off and relax, you may want to equip your space with an appropriate sound system for that exact purpose.

SunSpaces has a heating/sound system combo that’s equipped with built-in Bluetooth speakers, allowing you to incorporate the soothing sounds of your choice directly into your outdoor space. Whether you want the sounds of the sea or the wind whistling through the trees, this feature can accommodate just that.

Meanwhile, you may want to use your meditation garden room as multi-purpose setting, e.g. doubling up as a yoga pad for similar purposes of holistic mindfulness. If so, be sure to keep your supplies to hand; however, clutter can be a stress-inducer so try to keep any accessories out of sight when not in use.

If you would like to create your own garden meditation room or a simply looking for a few meditation garden ideas, why not get in touch today? Call now on 0800 085 8110 or drop us an email using the link below.

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