THE ARCHITECT’S 5 TIPS FOR A GOOD SUMMERHOUSE

1. BREAK DOWN the outer boundaries by giving the outer walls a function. In my summerhouse, I have removed one of the outer walls and replaced it with glass and built a fireplace with a chimney. This turns the chimney into a sculpture at the centre of the room and not some partition between the outside and the inside. You can achieve the same result with a shelf unit, for example. 2. ACTIVATE THE OUTDOOR space as you would the indoor space. Outdoor life is large part of living in a summerhouse. Make sure to tie the indoors and the outdoors together. I plan to expand the house with a sauna and install an outdoor shower. Something that is really worth considering! A cold shower under the open sky gives you an incredible, sensuous feeling on the skin. 3. A BONFIRE PLACE captivates children and adults alike. If you are a family with children, a bonfire place or simply a fire bowl can lead to many wonderful moments baking twists of bread or roasting marshmallows on a stick. 4. BUILD A GREENHOUSE or a small vegetable garden. New potatoes are best fresh from the ground. And the taste and smell of home-grown fruit and vegetables is a wonderful sensory experience. 5. LET YOUR GRASS GROW wild to create an uncultivated site with flowers and lots of insects. It eases the mind not to have to think about mowing the lawn and tending the garden while you are supposed to be relaxing at your summerhouse. You should therefore also choose low-maintenance materials.