Summer house interior ideas: How to decorate a summer house

The garden shed can be an easy space to neglect, especially when it’s filled to the brim with furniture, kids’ toys and all the other bits and bobs you don’t want strewn across your lawn. But, with this structure having so much potential to make a great additional space, it might be time to consider transforming this into a garden summer house. There are plenty of ways you can do this, and many different styles you can incorporate into your newfound space. In this article, we will be sharing plenty of stylish summer house interior ideas. We’ll cover:

WHAT IS A SUMMER HOUSE USED FOR?

A summer house can be used for a multitude of purposes, especially when the weather is warmer, and you plan to spend more time outdoors. Not only can a summer house add an interesting feature to your garden, but it can also give you a personalised place to sit back and relax in. So, whether you want to use yours for reading, or as a place to entertain while you shelter from the sun, you should put some thought into how to decorate your summer house. A well-kept, beautifully decorated summer house will also add a pop of colour and act as a focal point in your garden.

If you’re wondering what to put in a summer house, you’ll be pleased to know that the possibilities are endless. If there are small bits around your garden that need to be tidied up, you could potentially use some of the space in your summer house to store these in an organised way. This will ensure your garden always looks neat and tidy for when you begin hosting summer garden events. Alternatively, decking it out with your favourite books and some comfy furniture will make it the perfect cosy retreat.

POPULAR SUMMER INTERIOR TRENDS

Of all the seasons, summer is undoubtedly the one which encourages the most experimentation with colours, textures and prints. This means that there is plenty of opportunity for you to make your summer house décor unique— this is particularly useful if you want to try out trends before you add them into your home.

There are many themes that appear between summer interior trends, from bold and bright to muted and pastel. But, when you’re decorating inside your summer house, it’s a good idea to pick timeless summer house décor to keep your space on-trend. You will want to ensure that these are cosy colours too, though.

Go bold

Summer is the brightest season of the year, so it’s no surprise that bold colours regularly make an appearance in summer interior trends. Opting for statement shades that mimic the sunny weather for your summer house décor will ensure you’re on the right track: think vibrant yellows, rich oranges and stunning poppy reds for a classic summer palette that won’t date.

If you’re feeling a bright, eye-catching theme, you might prefer to opt for a bold trend colour. The 2019 Pantone Colour of the Year is Living Coral, described as a warm coral hue with luxury gold undertones to energise any space. So, why not wake up your summer house by coating the walls in this lively colour? If you’re shying away from the idea of painting all of it in a bold colour, having one feature wall can draw focus into specific elements, while ensuring you can still add bursts of seasonal colour into your summer house.

Choose pastels

In contrast to the bold colour palette that summer welcomes, pastels can transform your summer house and create a soft, inviting and calming interior. These muted tones are discreet enough to create a timeless interior look while still adding subtle hints of fun colour to your space. Pastel favourites seem to be pinks, yellows, greens and blues, so try incorporating one of these sugary shades into your summer house for a lovely look.

Again, if you are open to incorporating a trend colour, we recommend going for soft sages, or eye-catching violet hues. These will strike just the right balance between muted and statement tones, so your summer house interiors can benefit from the best of both worlds.

Prioritise white

The most timeless colour of them all is white. This fresh tone creates a blank canvas and can even create the illusion of more space if you’ve got a small summer house, especially if you have plenty of windows for the light to stream in through. You can also paint floorboards the same clean shade to maximise the impact your white walls have. A plain backdrop can also open up the opportunity to incorporate plenty of furniture, soft furnishings and accessories in a range of other statement summer shades.

We recommend going with a pristine white, but if you want to add some depth to your walls, you could also consider equally versatile cream, eggshell and ivory tones. A mellow vanilla could also subtly warm up your walls while ensuring you’ve still got a fresh, crisp background to work with.

Keep it rustic

If you have a wooden summer house, why not leave the boards bare? This can give your summer house an attractive rustic look that can fit in with many garden types. If you love this type of aesthetic, you can maximise the effect by centring your colour palette around the earthy tones you can find in your garden. Rich and healthy soil browns and luscious grass greens will closely imitate your thriving summer garden, so don’t shy from incorporating these into your summer house colour scheme, too.

IDEAS FOR SUMMER HOUSE INTERIORS

There are plenty of things to consider when planning your summer house interiors, from the colour scheme to the furniture you want and can fit in the space. But, no matter what your style, or the size of your summer house, you can transform it into your perfect recreational area.

Summer house walls

Your walls can have a significant impact on the aesthetic you achieve inside your summer house so it’s necessary to give it more thought than just the colour of paint you’ll use. While it’ll be important to pick a beautiful shade to cover your walls with (as discussed in our popular summer interior trends section), you can also add more detail with beautiful wall art.

Adding posters to the walls can be the perfect way to show off what the space is about, whether it’s posters of your favourite books or films, or of some stunning portraits. If you want to transform your garden shed into your own space to sit back and relax in, try filling the walls by hanging frames of your favourite photos. If you’re particularly creative, you can add an extra special touch by painting your own decorative elements or murals onto the walls.

Another great way to perfect your summer house décor is to hang a rug on the walls. These can be mounted onto your walls simply and make a great accent piece against clean walls — check out our guide to hanging rugs for tips and inspiration on how and where to hang yours. They can also add some extra warmth during cooler evenings and can slightly soundproof your space, so you don’t disturb the neighbours. We stock an extensive range of rugs from modern and traditional to plain and funky, so you’re bound to find one to suit your tastes.

Summer house flooring

Many summer houses are made from wood as it complements gardens of any kind, as well as being a durable material that is cost-effective. But, if you’re wanting to transform it into a cosy area, you might need to add a little something extra to your bare floors to create this atmosphere.

A rug can transform simple floorboards, whether you choose a plain rug or a patterned one, as well as ensuring your feet are kept warm and cosy during cooler days and nights. There are so many options you can pick depending on the rest of your interior, no matter if it’s modern or traditional. If your walls and furniture are minimalist, we recommend adding one of our geometric, Moroccan or floral rugs to add a burst of colour and excitement to the space — our guide to making a statement with a rug is packed with tips to help you do this in an stylish way.

Alternatively, if the rest of your décor is busy, you could pick out one colour from it and match a block-coloured rug to this — we have plenty of plain rugs in an array of shades so you’re bound to find one to complement the rest of your summer house interiors. If you need help finding a rug that will fit your summer house, check out our rug size guide and tips for measuring for a rug to ensure the one you pick will seamlessly slot into your space. We stock these in many different sizes, from extra small to extra-large, so you’re bound to find the idyllic size for your summer house.

If you’re planning to use your summer house for the winter or need the flooring to be soft for your little ones, a wool rug can withstand wear and tear and will add warmth to the space. We have a great selection of wool rugs for you to browse, and with so many options, you’ll be spoilt for choice! If you want the space to have a luxurious and sophisticated element, we suggest placing a natural fibre or shaggy rug in the middle of your summer house floor.

No matter what sort of rug you decide to complete your summer house décor with, remember to use some anti-slip underlay to keep your rugs in place. This will prevent any trips over bunched up or curled carpet corners, so you can enjoy your space stress-free.

Summer house furniture

You can’t create a cosy, relaxing space without some comfy furniture to sink into, and there are plenty of ways to incorporate these into your summer house décor. If you have a small summer house, a sofa can easily make it feel cramped. To save space, try having portable seating or comfortable beanbags. However, if you have a large summer house, getting a small- to mid-sized sofa will give your summer house an inviting and cosy feel.

If you’re hoping to use your summer house as a place you can go to work or concentrate on your hobby, you’ll need a desk and chair. The size of these will completely depend on how much space you have to work with and how much you’re willing to dedicate to these things. Prioritising what your summer house will primarily be used for will help you to establish what furniture to choose and where it can go.

Other optional elements you might choose could include footstools and armchairs, as well as a small cupboard to store things away in. A summer house can also give you a great opportunity to get creative and upcycle some of your old furniture to create entirely unique pieces to add character to your space. Pinterest has many fabulous upcycled furniture ideas that you can incorporate into your summer house.

Summer house furnishings and accessories

Incorporating soft furnishings is the perfect way of adding sporadic pops of colour and detail to your summer house interiors so you should give these plenty of thought. As well as using rugs, as we discussed in the summer house flooring section, there are many other ways you can furnish your summer house. For example, decorative pillows and cosy throws can be used to tie all your interior elements together or used as accent pieces.

We also recommend getting some curtains or blinds fitted to your summer house windows to allow for privacy, and stop any glare from the sun shining in. If you choose to add these in, we suggest opting for thin and floaty curtains that will let light in and allow cool air to circulate in your shelter, rather than thicker ones you would have in your home.

When it comes to accessorising your summer house, sticking to one theme will prevent your décor from looking disjointed and chaotic. For example, don’t be tempted to combine metallics with wooden accessories as these might appear to be mixing modern and traditional influences. To accessorise your summer house, think about adding elements such as photo frames, ornaments and trinkets. These will ensure your summer house is personal to you

Your furniture should be framed by your carpet to add definition to the seating zone — we have a guide to choosing and placing area rugs that will help you perfect this.

Summer house lighting

The summer sun is sure to be enough to light up your interiors during the day, but as the evening draws closer, you might find that you need some additional summer house lighting installed. If you plan to spend many nights cosied up in your summer house, we recommend incorporating some LED battery-powered lights onto your wall. These will illuminate the space and don’t require any electric work to be carried out.

Fairy lights will also look great both inside and outside of your summer house and can easily be hung up to light up awkward corners and spaces, as well as generally along the walls. You can even place these around the borders of your flooring to light up any steps to the entrance of your summer house. For a particularly creative way of incorporating your summer house lighting, you could even wrap your fairy lights around any potted plants you have.

Try incorporating a few of these summer house décor ideas, and you’ll soon have transformed your old garden shed into a relaxing, multi-purpose space for you to relax in all summer long. There are so many different elements to consider, including what furnishings to put in your summer house to what colour you’ll paint your summer house walls, so make sure you give it plenty of thought.

Here at Rugs Direct, we stock an extensive selection of rugs that will complete any summer house décor, no matter how big or small. We have everything from modern rugs to traditional rugs in many different shapes and sizes, so you’re sure to find something to suit your summer house interiors. We are so confident in our great prices that we offer a price promise to refund you the difference if you find the same rug sold online for less. We also have free standard delivery on all orders to the UK mainland so you can have your summer house ready in no time.

For more tips on choosing a rug and inspiration for placing them, be sure to check out our help and advice centre. If you have any specific questions about our rugs, don’t hesitate to get in touch on 0330 113 4909 or send us an email at customerservice@rugsdirect.co.uk.