Hearing about such great times, friends sharing special days it got us thinking! For people looking to installing a cedar gazebo in their garden – the addition of a waterproof TV could add another dimension to home entertaining.  It would be easy to arrange celebrations around some of the great sporting events like the upcoming Wimbledon final and enjoy the event in beautiful outdoor surroundings.  There are a lot of opportunities to find a good excuse for inviting friends round to celebrate events throughout the year and it makes perfect sense to set you gazebo up for all the year round entertaining to watch such events as football finals, rugby cups and any other sporting event that a group of friends are interested in.  Particularly we are finding that new customers are starting to plan their gardens and selecting gazebos in readiness for next year’s Olympic games – after the fiasco with the tickets people are planning to watch events at home and are suggesting a gazebo design that will be functional for outdoor celebrations.

Actually next year there will be lots of opportunity to celebrate – not only is it an Olympic year but it also the Queen’s diamond jubilee – and we have all got an extra bank holiday, making it a good opportunity to get out the bunting and invite friends round for drinks and celebrations.  Obviously it would be lovely to hold all the celebrations in the gazebo, serving guests fine wines and good food and enjoying the celebrations outdoors and keeping up with the events of the day on a brilliant waterproof TV.    The waterproof TV comes complete with waterproof speakers and it is even a great idea if you want to enjoy the garden but do not want to miss your favourite show.  Creating an outdoor living space can change the way you live!

A fun aspect of having a wooden gazebo is designing the interior.  There are some fabulous garden furniture ranges available and many are now designed to be low maintenance and weather proof.  Designing the interior of a gazebo can include seating options but if the gazebo is to be used as an outdoor eating area there are also some fabulous dining tables too.  Some of the most superior ranges of outdoor, garden furniture are the Rio, Lucca, Corsica and Madrid dining ranges.  These beautiful ranges of gazebo dining furniture are available to seat either six or eight people.  Once a range of outdoor garden furniture has been selected, choosing the finishing touches can be fun and an opportunity to use creative imagination.

There are some wonderful scatter cushions, bean bags and other soft furnishing around – however some people are making their own accessories in terms of cushions and throws.  The old craft of patchwork has seen a huge resurgence recently and one of the nicest interior designs for a wooden gazebo is patchwork cushions.  They are quite simple and the craft can actually be carried out whilst enjoying the outdoors, sat in the shade of the gazebo, surrounded by the beautiful smell of wood and flowers – just perfect.  Interestingly as outdoor living becomes more popular and with people deciding to have a garden gazebo to extend their living area, more accessories are becoming available – you can end up spoilt for choice.

The garden revolution has continued to progress at a fast pace – many people are growing their own vegetables and herbs and with that are increasing entertaining at home providing ‘just picked’ produce for friends and family.  With the success of grow your own initiatives however many people are looking at ways to increase the luxuriousness of their garden space and ways to provide outdoor areas that can be used all year round.  When considering how to increase the opportunities to eat al-fresco, garden gazebos are remaining extremely popular.  Our ranges of garden gazebos are fantastic for creating a perfect space in the garden to entertain friends and family.  In the summer months a garden gazebo provides that wonderfully cool space and in winter they can be fitted with outdoor heating to allow the continuous use of the structure all year round.

In summer when it is difficult to entertain children the garden gazebo can provide an exciting area for games – even in the rain they can become a child’s den or for older children an area for enjoying summer friendships.  The idea of summer houses and garden gazebos is as old as the hills – they have through the centuries provided an area in a garden that has an air of innocence, friendship and fun.  As people begin to feel that nostalgic lure to bygone days as times get tougher, the garden gazebo is playing once again a very important part in that stay at home and home entertaining trend.  Taking time to plan a garden for all year round enjoyment is a fantastic project, from the design of the garden even if it is a revamp – to selecting a garden gazebo and which plants, veg or herbs to grow.

Having meals or snacks and drinks in the garden is the ideal way to enjoy sitting out in the fresh air. Serving salads or barbeque food al fresco, or arranging for friends to enjoy cocktails or warm drinks in the garden is ideal and adds another room to your house, effectively adding another dimension to your entertaining capabilities.

If you have an event coming up such as a party or gathering, why not arrange for a buffet and ddrinks to be served in the gazebo or summer house? Allow guests to enjoy the garden, and avoid all the tidying up indoors afterwards. A little music or lighting can be provided easily and it’s easy to decorate your summerhouse to fit in with a theme or colour scheme.

Are you wondering about ways to continue your enjoyment of your summer house into the winter months? Our solution is simple with our clever canvas panels which fit our summer houses perfectly, and can be removed or reattached with ease. This allows you to keep the chilly breeze out of unprotected areas, such as gazebos or summer houses which are open. By adding these panels you will be able to sit and enjoy the quiet autumn evenings, watching the earlier sunsets and the firework displays of November. Our Lighting and  Suspended Heaters are also perfect for the winter months, and are available readily from our team.

If you work from home or have students at home completing homework or projects, a summer house can be the ideal place for peace and quiet. Spread books or papers out, use a laptop and wireless internet to make the most of the least disturbed room of the house! Whether its warm summer or cool winter, concentrating is easier outside, without other people, noise from music, TV, pets or phone calls to distract you. Why not sit in the summer house in winter with a flask of hot chocolate and a good book or your latest files? Make the most of your tranquil spot.

Another ideal use for a summer house is for children, send them out to play in the garden, and allow them to pretend the summer house is a pirate ship or castle. They will love running around the new structure, and when they’ve worn off excess energy, you can sit them down at the table with a jigsaw or game. All this helps get them out in the open air and away from the television and computer games console.

If it’s hot and sunny, a gazebo provides shade and welcome respite for the  overheated. Even in poorer weather the well thatched roof creates a little haven at the bottom of the garden for sitting out and enjoying the garden.

With the right furniture, drinks or food can be served and a purpose built table allows board or card games, children’s homework or even projects and art work to be completed outdoors, in the fresh air. Getting families away from the couch and television is a real challenge and one that is made easier by a well appointed gazebo. Come out for lunch and who knows how long you will spend playing ball in the garden or chatting in the sunshine.

By adding another focal point to the garden, you can make the garden seem bigger, by careful design of flower beds, lawns, even water features or sculptures, you can show off another corner of the garden to its full potential. Every garden has an empty corner that goes unused and unnoticed, or a bare spot, which can make the garden seem smaller or divided, allowing people to assume that only part of the garden is usable.

Adding value to your property is another benefit of a good garden building. Add another room to your home, and increase the size of usable space, helping prospective buyers to see the potential of your property. Having usable outside space may give your home an edge over the competition, particularly if the rest of the garden is presented well and the gazebo is well furnished to showcase its ease of use.

With financial security at a low for most people, many are saving money this summer by cancelling the summer holiday, opting instead to spend the summer months in the UK. Why not use some of that saved money to make an investment in your lifestyle, and help your family to get out into the garden not only this year, but for years to come. Our garden buildings are built to last for decades, and fantastically priced for quality workmanship. Not only is a Crown Pavillions gazebo an investment in your home, garden and lifestyle, but is an investment in British workmanship as well.

We can’t wait for the gates to open on 24th May when, hopefully, the Hampton Pavilion will prove as popular as it did at the Badminton Horse Trials (where – incidentally – we are now the Official Sponsors of the Members’ Enclosure).

The RHS Chelsea Flower Show takes place from the 24th to the 28th May 2011. You can find Crown Pavilions on Stand Number WA5 where we are also planning some fantastic offers exclusive to the Show.

And, of course, our talented in-house landscape designers have done a sterling job of creating a stunning backdrop for the Hampton Pavilion.

All we need now is some amazing weather to match!

(Why not download the RHS’ new iPhone app, ‘The Insider’s Guide’ to the Chelsea Flower Show?)

Most people want their summer house to feel light, airy and welcoming, so light colours tend to be ideal, reflecting the summer sun and giving the garden a lasting splash of colour. Painting the interior is one option, specifically for any solid walls, boarded out rooms or ceilings in a log cabin or enclosed summer house.

Consider the practicalities of your colour scheme. For example painting interior walls plain white is not ideal if the new room is for children to play in or is next to a muddy area. Try beige or lighter shades of browns to hide any blemishes more easily.

Decorating the outside of your summerhouse can be achieved easily, with many different wood treatment products available from our team. Discuss your options with the team building your summerhouse, or speak to our bespoke team for ideas and a ready – made finish tailored to you.

Choosing furniture carefully is also important, and again considering the use of the summer house is important. How many people will need to be seated at one time? Would you prefer a glass table top or another material, like slate? Do you prefer benches or chairs? Would you prefer box cushions or pillow cushions? Have a look through our garden furniture page to decide.

Our staff can help you to choose the furniture designed for your summer house  contact us on 01491 612820begin_of_the_skype_highlighting or at enquiries@crownpavilions.comend_of_the_skype_highlighting

Alternatively, changes that are less permanent like adding soft furnishings, a vase of flowers, ornaments or sculptures, potted plants, or even a string of coloured or twinkling lights can transform the look of any summer house. Try choosing items all the same colour, for example purple cushions, flowers and lamp, can give an overall effect of a colour scheme, without actually altering the structure itself. The main advantage of this is that when you get bored, you can switch the accessories quickly and cheaply, and create a whole new look in an instant.

Some clients look for an enclosed summer house with solid walls, doors and windows, whilst others are expecting something more open. It all depends on your requirements. Some of the standard gazebos and pavilions offer a ready designed garden building that can be altered to suit any existing plans. The Crown ‘Henry’ Redwood Garden Building offers open air seating, a table and a great space to sit with friends or seek shade on a sunny day. Our enclosed garden offices and log cabins offer all year round heating and maintain a good temperature for use even in the winter months.

Our garden offices can very easily be converted into a summer house, and could serve as dual purpose, or be split into two rooms for added use. A veranda or open porch can be created for outside seating attached to a closed room, so that you can have the best of both warmer and cooler weather. Fitting electric sockets and lights into any garden room is a simple job for the right professional, and there is no reason why you can’t use a garden building for any purpose. Fitting doors and windows, and even French doors, are part of our design teams work, and we can even provide the blinds and matching accessories and furniture for your new summer house. Whatever concept you have, it is possible with Crown Pavilions.

If you are looking for a larger building, look for inspiration to our spa designs, which are larger and can be fitted with a hot tub for added use. Adding a solid wall or extra door or windows to these designs is possible, and our bespoke design team can match any challenge.

All of our summer houses are hand built by dedicated craftsmen in our Oxford workshop. We can create any design or alteration to the highest quality and detailed finish. We use Canadian Western Red Cedar, because it is resistant to bad weather and great to look at. European Redwood is the other wood used for summer houses due to its good looks and the propensity it has for being turned. Reed thatching or wood shingles are the ideal roofing materials for their thermal properties and to resist the British climate.

Peace and quiet is the main benefit of a purpose built garden office. By separating a workplace from noisy children, spouse, washing machines, TVs and pets, or just daily distracting events like the phone ringing or someone visiting.

A lot of home workers struggle to concentrate at home because they are too relaxed and easily distracted. Many describe sitting at the computer in their pyjamas with a glass of wine, playing Internet games whilst they put off starting work. This is described this as not being able to get into ‘work mode’. By having a place separate to the house, it is easier to imagine you are going into a place of work which is distinctly different from your home life. Even by taking a packed lunch, locking up the main house in the morning and dressing in work clothes, you can establish a feeling of going to work.

A self contained office, kitchen and toilet could provide you with the perfect working environment, and our bespoke garden building service allows you to create your own ideal workplace, and even entertain clients or colleagues, without stepping back into the house. The office can be decorated however you want it: in a formal style, with traditional office furniture to promote the idea of a work environment, or a relaxed space for clients to unwind or have treatments.

If you are looking for solitude, peace and tranquillity, a garden view is ideal and a garden office is the ideal space for concentration and inspiration. If you run any business where clients come to the house, it is ideal to have somewhere to take them other than in the home. Many therapists pay a lot of money to rent an office because they do not want to have their clients in their own homes. A garden office solves this problem and provides a beautiful, restful environment that will suit most people, whatever the profession.

Even if you are not a gardener, having your garden brought up to scratch with our bespoke garden landscaping team will be a lot cheaper than renting an office in a town or city. Colleagues and clients will be impressed by your beautiful surroundings and you will thrive in a peaceful environment close to nature.

We can tailor any garden building to your specifications, often at minimal cost with features such as extra doors or different roofing materials. All our garden rooms feature integral heating to keep you and your guests wonderfully warm all year round. The heating works in combination with the reed thatched or shingled thermal roof to keep the room cosy and warm, even in winter. The sturdy and long lasting cedar and redwood used to build this structure is of the finest quality and is chosen because of its ability to stand the British climate.

Decorate the room in any style you like, utilise our wide range of garden furniture, from the stylish 3 piece sofa sets to dining tables or deluxe gas barbeques. There are coffee tables, recliners and armchairs so you really can create any look you like. There is something for everyone and detachable and washable cushions make our furniture the practical choice for any garden room.

Candles and outdoor lighting can make the evening a special time in the garden, and stretches the long summer evenings into the small hours. Sit and chat, eat or play games at the table and simply close the doors and go to bed when you’re ready. During the day a garden room can offer the perfect shady spot for sitting outdoors and protect you from any weather whilst you enjoy your garden. Our bespoke landscaping team can transform your garden into your very own paradise, so you don’t even have to be a gardener to have the perfect outdoor space.

Our extensive range of summer houses and other garden buildings make a beautiful addition to any garden. Any garden would benefit from having some focal point which shows that it is inhabitable and friendly. Whether you use your garden for gardening or playing games, it is unlikely without a heated, safe space to shelter in, that you use your garden all year round. By investing in a garden room you will be in effect extending your living space to utilise the full potential of your garden.