Give the room a clear purpose
A workspace, a place to exercise and a room for spending time with friends each need different things. Start with the main use rather than a list of everything the room might occasionally become.
For a workspace, think about your desk, screen position, calls and storage. For exercise, list the equipment and the clear space you need around it. For entertaining, consider seating and how people will move between the room and the garden. If you want two uses, sketch how the furniture would change between them.
Plan the connection to your garden
The route to the room matters as much as the view from it. Think about the walk from the house, where the entrance would face and how a terrace or path could connect the spaces.
Observe the garden at different times of day. Note where light falls, which views you enjoy and where you would prefer more privacy. Bring those observations to the design conversation rather than choosing the position solely from a photograph of another project.
Describe how you want it to feel throughout the year
Tell Loui when you expect to use the room: an occasional summer afternoon is a different brief from a full working day throughout the year. Include your expectations for comfort, daylight, lighting, power and internet connectivity.
You do not need to select technical solutions in advance. A useful brief describes the activities the room needs to support and the questions you want the project team to resolve.
Consider the work around the room
Decide whether your idea includes the surrounding terrace, landscaping or fencing. Note the access route through or alongside the property and any parts of the garden you would like to retain. These details help explain the whole project rather than just the building at its centre.
Our garden-room portfolio includes photographs of site preparation, groundwork, the structure, terrace work and the finished space. Explore the sequence to see the different stages shown in this particular project.
Prepare a useful first email
- The main purpose of your garden room.
- Photographs of the proposed position and access route.
- Approximate dimensions, if you have them.
- Furniture or equipment the room needs to accommodate.
- Ideas for the surrounding garden, your timing and spending range.
Send your garden-room ideas to Loui. Modernize Homes is based in London and works nationwide across the UK.