Houses are restrictive and most people who live their lives within four walls hanker for more space. This extra space could be for leisure or work, you have a huge choice of sizes and styles, and both types of garden building are remarkably versatile, able to accommodate an enormous number of varied uses many of which would not be suitable for your home.

Although possibly only a short distance away from your living room, and far cheaper than building an extension, they enable you to leave the confines of your house and start to make the most of your outside space.

A fully furnished, open summerhouse with a small patio area

Summerhouses

One of the most important aspects of a summerhouse is that it's not only for summer, they are great to spend time in whatever the season or weather, on your own or in the company of family or friends. A great place to pursue a hobby or use as a gym or workspace.

Summerhouses are bright structures with plenty of glazing allowing through lots of light that will illuminate a large number of activities. Although offering less floor space than a log cabin, they are a natural choice if you only have a compact outside area.

Most have double doors that open wide and this increases the feeling of space at the same time as increasing the ventilation offered by any opening windows, the perfect ambience to get away from the stresses of everyday life and, if used as a garden office, undisturbed by domestic distractions.

A modern looking yet traditionally built log cabin

Log Cabins

Increasingly recognized as much cheaper and an attractive alternative to building an extension on your house, multi-room log cabins are substantial buildings, with many having sheltered porches and verandahs on which chairs, tables and other outdoor furniture can be placed.

These are practical structures that provide an impressive amount of living, working and storage space. With scope for much longer occupancy than a summerhouse, they are perfect for running a business, offer a comfortable place where friends can stay, or can be a sanctuary for teenagers you want out of the house.

Able to be used throughout the year especially when insulated and fitted out with access to facilities such as mains electricity, your log cabin can become a long term base for exercise and enterprise and will offer nearly as many amenities and as much comfort as your own home.

Great Investments

Summerhouses and log cabins are superb investments, there's such a large range that you'll certainly be able to find one that suits your budget, and when in place they will add both value and valuable space to your property in much the same way as extending your house.

These are long term acquisitions that are aesthetically pleasing with designs that enhance your garden, they are built to a very high standard with materials and architectural features that are just the same quality as those used in building your house.

So whether it is a summerhouse that's used purely for tea and cakes on a sunny afternoon or a log cabin where your hobby will have enough space to evolve into a business, then the decision as to buy one or not seems to be a foregone conclusion.