Aesthetics, Functionality or Both?

When designing our garden rooms, our architect set out to achieve a harmonious blend of aesthetical elegance and practical functionality, with a healthy overlay of environmental friendliness. From the very first consultation, one of the Garden Escape team will assist you in designing a space that fulfils all your utilitarian needs before advising you on where best to position the building. 

They will ensure that the location maximises the availability of natural light; makes the most of your favourite view and preserves the privacy of you and your neighbours, whilst simultaneously ensuring the building will fit perfectly in your chosen surroundings.

The main structure of all of our Garden Escapes are made with red Cedar wood, which (as is the case with all the timber we use) is sourced only from sustainable forests. These forests are managed to meet the needs of the present without compromising the needs of future generations, via an environmentally-aware land stewardship ethic. The wood itself has a natural beauty, imbued with crisp yet rich tonal qualities that also age gracefully, with a minimum of maintenance and without the need for toxic treatments. It is also incredibly durable.

The natural oils in Cedar wood not only smell great, but also naturally repel both water and destructive wood feeding insects such as woodworm larvae or wood-boring beetles. The natural preservative qualities reduce the likelihood of shrinkage and warping and the incidence of rot and decay, which is why we are happy to provide our customers with a 10 year warranty.

Finally, our choice of wood is partly driven by our desire to create buildings with inherently high insulation values. The wood has a low density, which means that it contains a high proportion of cell cavities that fill with air providing a high thermal insulating capacity….it keeps the warmth in.

You may be forgiven for thinking I have banged on about the beauty of our wood for too long, and I promise that I have no more to add on the subject. But before I sign off, I must just let you know about the option many of our customers choose to finish off with. Sections of copper cladding or guttering can be added to lend an extra dimension and depth of beauty. Copper is widely accepted as one of the most attractive metals used in architecture, with a wholly natural quality that is gorgeous and a patina that makes it appear almost living. It also happens to be resistant to corrosion, durable and low maintenance…all fantastically functional and effortlessly elegant.