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As a parent, you want to provide your teenager with the best opportunities in life. One of the ways you can do this is by giving them their own space in the garden – a place where they can relax and feel safe. At Garden Rooms 365, we build custom garden rooms that are perfect for teenagers. In this blog post, we will explore the different reasons why teenagers may want their own garden room, teenage garden den ideas and discuss some of the best options for each need. We will also look at the best materials for warmth and comfort as well as electrical considerations.
Benefits of Giving Your Teenager their Own Space
Most of us can remember being a teenager; it’s often a difficult and confusing period of life where sometimes the thing you crave most is simply a quiet place to yourself. It’s also a formative time for developing hobbies, interests and skills. A working home can sometimes feel restrictive to the curious teenager and they’ll thank you for allowing them to have a dedicated space to invest in their passions.
Building a garden room for your teenager brings them, and the family as a whole, a host of benefits:
They will gain some independence
It seems children rapidly go from relying on you for the simplest of things to yearning for their own emancipation and personal autonomy. By allowing them to have a space that is exclusively theirs, separate from the main home, it shows them that you trust them and also gives them valuable foresight into what adult independent living will feel like.
They get a place to relax with friends
It’s no secret that teenagers seem to only find kindred spirits in their peers. Try as you might, most teenagers will reject the idea of spending time with you and will instead just want to be with their friends. Whilst you may not want a horde of teenagers crammed into a bedroom of your home, you’d probably be more open to the idea of them being in a purpose-built, fully-equipped self-contained space in the garden.
Everyone enjoys a happier home environment
At the risk of peddling a cliche stereotype, teenagers can be surly, full of angst and difficult to engage. That’s not a criticism (we were there once too) it is, however, trying and can put pressure on the family dynamic. When your teenager has their own space outside, everyone wins; they don’t feel like you’re imposing on them all the time and the rest of the family don’t have to feel like they’re treading on eggshells. A unified family’s strength is built on healthy amounts of time apart, time that allows each member to recharge and enjoy simply being themselves without the pressures of family life.
7 Teenage Garden Den Ideas
1. Movie Night Den
For the ultimate in cosy, you can create a garden room that serves as a home cinema. Set up some mood lighting, add some comfy furniture and you’ve got yourself a private space to enjoy all your favourite films and snacks. The great thing about a cinema garden room is that it can be designed to be as simple or as luxurious as your budget allows. For those wanting a fully immersive experience, you can incorporate surround sound, a projector and black-out blinds, however, a TV and bean bags work just as well.
2. Gaming Den
If your teenager is an avid gamer, then a gaming garden room is going to take escapism to the next level. Kitting out a garden room to be a gaming haven is the dream of many teenagers and, like a cinema garden room, you can design it exactly how you like. Current gen, retro, arcade, streaming studio — whatever your teen enjoys, the garden room can be built to create the perfect gaming zone.
3. Art Studio
Creative pursuits often require solitude, a peaceful environment and a dedicated space that inspires focus and imagination. Whether a writer, painter, photographer or something else entirely, any teenager wanting to express their creativity will relish the opportunity to do so in a bespoke, independent space.
4. Music Room
Our teenage years are crucial in forming our tastes in music and sometimes even our desire to create our own. As adults, it can be hard to have the same level of enthusiasm for learning how to play the guitar when it means losing sleep or not being able to focus on the many errands and tasks that have to be tended to. The same can be said for the music of your teen’s favourite band; they may have no problem playing the same track 20 times, but you probably won’t enjoy it.
That’s why a music garden room is a perfect solution. You can soundproof it and make it suitable for band practise or equip it with a state of the art speaker system if your teenager just wants somewhere to chill and listen to their music in peace. Whatever they get up to, it won’t disturb you or the neighbours.
5. Reading Nook
One of the many joys of reading is setting up a welcoming and relaxing space to curl up with a book and get lost in its pages. A reading garden room will be one of the more simple to create with a focus on creating hygge. Hygge is a Danish word which can be interpreted to mean: an environment that is cosy and comfortable and a lifestyle that encourages pursuit and enjoyment of the same. To achieve this in your garden room, all you need is blankets, throws, cushions, bean bags, candles, reed diffusers, mood lightning and a really really comfy sofa. When you envision all of that, it’s hard to picture any place you would rather be than a reading garden room. Of course, you’ll also need some books and somewhere to keep them!
6. Study room
For teenagers preparing for exams, a study room in the garden can be an invaluable asset. It provides a place to focus and concentrate away from the distractions of home life; plus, it’s a lot more comfortable than sitting at a desk all day! When kitting out your teenager’s study room, make sure to include plenty of storage for books and materials, a comfortable chair and desk, good lighting and, of course, some motivating posters!
Different garden rooms will suit different teenagers depending on their interests, but all will provide a valuable space for them to escape to.
7. Home gym
A home gym is a great way for your teenager to stay active, even when the weather isn’t suitable for outdoor activities. It’s also a great space for them to let off some steam after a long day at school! When designing a home gym for your teenager, make sure to include plenty of storage for their equipment, mirrors (so they can check their form), a comfortable floor (for doing exercises like sit-ups and press-ups or yoga) and good ventilation (to avoid the build-up of sweat and odours).
Garden rooms provide endless possibilities for teenagers — it’s up to you to decide which one is right for yours! If you need any help or advice, Garden Rooms 365 is always on hand to help. Contact us today to discuss your plans!
Things to Consider When Building a Teenage Garden Den
– What is the purpose of the garden room?
– How many people will be using it and for what activities?
– How big does it need to be?
– What kind of furniture and fittings do you need?
– How much natural light does it need?
– What kind of flooring is best?
– What is the budget?
You’ll also have to give some additional thought to crucial elements such as:
Electric, gas, water and Wi-Fi
Doubtless, your garden room will need these, definitely the Wi-Fi! Before getting started you’ll want to decide which of these services you’ll need and then how you will get them to the garden room. Gas supply is probably unnecessary unless you want to include cooking appliances and a more robust heating solution, but electricity will be a must. It’s normally not too difficult to get power to an external annexe but you’d be best seeking advice from a qualified electrician, or better yet, professional garden room designers and builders like Garden Rooms 365!
Soundproofing
If you’re planning on using the space for music or study, you’ll need to make sure it’s well insulated from external noise.
Windows and doors
What kind of windows and doors will you need? Will they be double or triple glazed? What style should they be in keeping with the overall look of the garden room?
Heating and cooling
What kind of heating and cooling system will you need? Will a simple electric heater be sufficient or do you need something more powerful, like an air conditioner?
Layout
How will you arrange the furniture in the garden room? Will you need any additional storage space? Where will the TV go?
All of these considerations can feel a bit overwhelming, however, Garden Rooms 365 can help you with all of this and more – contact us today to discuss your plans.
Do I need Planning Permission for my Garden Rooms?
This is a common question we get asked, and unfortunately, there isn’t a simple answer. The short answer is that it depends on a number of factors such as the size and height of your garden room, its intended use, where it will be located in your garden and whether or not you live in a conservation area.
Generally speaking, the answer is no, but the best way to find out if you need planning permission is to contact your local authority and speak to them about your specific plans. They will be able to advise you on whether or not you need planning permission and, if so, what the next steps are.
