Our Garden Room, The Finishing Touches

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I have chatted a bit about some the individual elements of our garden room. However I feel they all need pulling together.

There are so many things I adore about this room. Especially the way the whole family congregates in it naturally, this never happens in the lounge! Also, how it feels like a haven when darkness is wrapped around the vast expanse of glass. But similarly how the daytime changes it to a haven of light, even on the darkest day.

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So yes, this room that took up almost a year of our life is a triumph. Despite the stress it caused along the way, it has now become a family space, garden room, cinema room, yoga studio and chill out room. I never in my wildest dreams believed this space would tick all of those boxes.

Beanbag Bazaar Fur Beanbags

Choosing The Right Furniture For The Garden Room

We spent a year looking for a sofa, why? Because we had no idea what we wanted. However I did have a loose vision of a blue velvet sofa. Yet I also knew I wanted a vintage look. Our home although spotlessly clean, definitely has a vintage feel over minimalism.

A huge consideration had to also be fade, you can’t put furniture in a glass box and not expect it to fade. And then I saw it, I can’t even think where now, it might have even been in a bar in Manchester. But there it was, a faded cracked Chesterfield and I instantly knew that was the look I wanted to achieve.

Map mural - and adding accessories to a garden room

Thus we started our search, we decided on this sofa from Sofa Workshop as soon as we saw it we knew, but went for a richer shade to allow for fade. The cracks? Well, i’l leave that to Toby and the boys, it won’t take them long!

The armchair was fate, getting the right email at the right time, it took me so long to decide on the colour of my Swyft Armchair. However I love the modern edge it has against the vintage furniture.

Building a Swyft Armchair

Additionally I had never considered a beanbag until we were figuring out how the room would work with visitors, and also when we are all piled in there. If you don’t have bean bags, get some! They are used every day, the boys love them, the footstool is in constant use and they just fit in.

Extra seating ideas with beanbags

Decorating And Deciding On Colours

Decorations were something we pondered over for a long time. That is until we got the idea of adding a mural. I had visions of a map of the world, which would have looked fabulous, however the boys did trump me with their slightly better idea.

Something I hadn’t considered, was a local map, it looks amazing and is a real talking point. Set against the white walls it keeps the balance in the room between modern and vintage perfectly. I love that no one else will ever have this exact same map, it is bespoke to us.

Map murals for the home

How To Keep A Glass Room Warm?

As the room is mainly glass the plan was to get a log burner. The reality of using insulation everywhere you can squeeze it in. Alongside choosing the most energy efficient glass possible, results in a room that is not excessively cold. But of course still needs keeping to temperature along with the rest of the house.

We chose a vintage radiator, purely because I can not abide standard radiators, they suck the style out of everything. We thought of every detail right down to the radiator valves, to keep the vintage vibe.

Modern radiator valves

However felt we needed something for those cold mornings, there is nothing I love more than getting up a 6am and having a little quiet time. Just Toby and I, oh and a steaming cup of coffee. But the upheaval and expense of fitting and log burner, coupled with the time and maintenance, didn’t feel worth it when the room isn’t excessively cold.

vonhaus contemporary-stove-heater perfect for adding a little heat to a garden room-2

I had never considered having an Electric fire until I saw this super compact contemporary VonHaus electric log burner. It’s perfect if you need just a little heat to take the edge off on cold winters mornings, or on blustery Sunday afternoons. The heat is instant, low maintenance and you can turn it off! This room heats up quickly and maintains the heat.

Von Haus electric fire, adding finishing touches to a garden room

Because it’s a fan heater you can style it with accessories and the unit doesn’t get physically hot, yet it adds enough heat to warm a room when it’s cold outside. This is perfect for what we needed! I also love that we can store it away in the summer months, it’s such a versatile little fire.

To Get A TV Or Not?

Now this was something I was dead against, I campaigned and fought tooth and nail and lost.

However! I was wrong, having a TV, (although I was adamant it had to be super thin and go on the wall.) is fabulous for transforming the room into a cinema room in the evenings. But also a yoga studio during the mornings, doing yoga with the sun on my face is just glorious.

Extra seating ideas with Beanbag Bazaar

Also there’s nothing better than snuggling up for a movie night when it’s dark outside, it really does feel like a little private cinema. Seriously, I can not believe i’m saying that, I cant tell you how against getting a TV I was?

Deciding On Lighting To Light Up A Garden Room.

This felt like another huge decision, but the lights had to be industrial looking. When we were planning the room everyone wanted to add pelmet lighting, but this was a million miles away from what I wanted.

Map murals for the home

You know when you have a vision but no one else is seeing it fully! I guess if you build conservatories and orangeries you have a certain way of doing things and then comes a customer that wants totally different you roll your eyes a little. However, i’m glad we stood our ground and achieved the look we wanted.

Contemporary lighting for garden rooms

Accessories To Add A Little Personality.

All the little extras such as plants, a little risky, but we have so far kept it alive for a month. This is a huge achievement! Also my horse, not the trotting variety! Which I am ever so slightly in love with with. A bit of an impulse buy, but it was just to pretty to walk away from.

Using plants to accessorise a room
Cool accessories for a garden room

It’s all about going with your instinct and being a little brave. For example my parrot cushion really doesn’t go with anything, but contrast is good.

It’s also the little things, we needed a doormat in the garden room and can pick them up quite cheaply. Yet sometimes you need to go with something a little different, and this star matt felt like it was made for the room. If there was ever a doormat to get excited about this is it!

Beanbags and chill areas for teens

So there we have it, one finished room that felt like it took forever, I cant wait to share more about the kitchen and how these rooms tie together so well. And am also looking forwards to welcoming friends and family this summer. It feels so long since we have entertained. But for now we are enjoying family time, movie nights and chilling.

Ad, some of the items in this post were gifted and this post contains affiliate links.

Using plant and accents to accessorise a vintage modern garden room -2

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