What are the Benefits of a Sheltered Outdoor Space?
During the colder months of the year, many of us don’t get out into our gardens a lot. Whether it’s lashing it down with rain or you don’t fancy the idea of sitting out in the cold and damp with a brew, with the weather that we get in the UK, it’s no surprise that many gardens are empty for most of the autumn and winter months. However, getting out in the garden all year round can be surprisingly good for you. And the good news is that there are lots of things that you can do to make your garden a more pleasant place to be even if it’s cold and wet outside. A sheltered garden area is a popular choice, and there are several ways to do this including a lean-to or a pergola where you can stay warm and dry, while still spending time outside. Here are some of the main benefits of creating a sheltered area in your garden.
Get Outside More
Whether you build a lean-to with plastic roof sheets, use a polycarbonate sheet to cover a pergola, or create a hot tub hut with a seating area using corrugated roofing sheets, one of the best things about creating your own sheltered area in your garden is that you can enjoy all the benefits of getting out more, without getting soaked in the rain. Visit the Clear Amber Shop for a range of roofing materials and how-to guides that you can use to get started with your project. Even in the winter, getting outside will help you soak up some vitamin D and getting some fresh air is sometimes all you need to feel better and more energised. Also, for the best roofing work for your outdoor space contact NWIR now.
Extend Your Home
A covered outdoor area such as a lean-to can be an extension of your home. When you use the right roofing materials to keep the area clean and dry, you can enjoy sitting out there just like you would any other room in your house. It can be as basic or as complex as you’d like. You might want to add some outdoor electrics, for example, so that you can have lighting, heaters, and even a TV out there. Or you can just keep it simple with some solar lights and a fire-pit.
Protect Your Garden Furniture
If, like many people over the last couple of years, you have been investing in your garden more and have bought expensive, high-quality garden furniture, then a covered outdoor area like a pergola or a lean-to with a roof can be an excellent way to protect it from the elements. Over time, even the most durable of wooden furniture items like teak garden furniture will show some signs of wear and tear after being exposed to the elements. And many woods used for making garden furniture will go rotten and unusable by the next year if they are left out all through winter – in some cases, even if they have been treated. To our Sydney audience, we suggest you browse the premium outdoor furniture in Alexandria. Somewhere that is sheltered in your garden not only means that you can continue using your garden furniture for longer, but it’ll also be protected from the wind, rain and snow.
Add Value to Your Home
The outdoor space has always been a big factor that lots of buyers will look at when they are looking for a new home to purchase. However, since the COVID19 pandemic, having a nice garden has become even more essential. With more and more of us having spent lockdown at home and in the garden, the importance of a nice outdoor space where we can go and relax has become even more apparent and is now one of the key things that many buyers will look for when they are house hunting. A covered area outdoors, especially if it is fully waterproof and you have had it kitted out with outdoor electrics and heating, can help you fetch more if you are planning to sell your home in the future, and will be a major selling point.
Great for Pets
If you have pets at home, then a space in your garden that is covered up and sheltered from the elements can be great for them too. Most pets including cats and dogs like going outside often but might not be too thrilled at the idea of going out when the weather is awful. Having somewhere in your garden that is sheltered from the elements, but not completely indoors, can be great for animals too and means that in the winter, you can let your pet out in the garden without feeling too guilty about it.
Great for Entertaining
If you often entertain guests or have family gatherings at your home, then a space outdoors that you can all spend time in, no matter the weather, can be a godsend. If you are tired of having everybody under each other’s feet in your home each time you want to throw a dinner party or get the family together, then a covered outdoor space with heaters and lights can be ideal. This is especially true if you have a lean-to or similar, as this can become an extension of your kitchen or dining room.
Eat Al Fresco
If you love barbecues and dining outdoors in the summer, then there’s no need to stop when the weather gets colder if you are able to use a sheltered outdoor space in your garden. Kitted out with lights and heaters, you can enjoy a meal no matter the weather and stay warm and comfortable too. It’s great for Halloween, Bonfire Night, and even Christmas parties, meals and get togethers.
Start the Day Right
Experts recommend getting outside first thing in the morning as a strategy that is great for your mental health and will help you sleep better at night. However, in the winter, going out for a morning walk might be the last thing that you want to do if you wake up to rain lashing down outside or frost on the windows. Instead, when you can go outdoors but sit under a shelter from the weather, you can make sure that you are getting some daylight and fresh air first thing in the morning. Sit with a book, eat your breakfast outside, or enjoy your morning coffee in the shelter and start your day right.
Save Money
Last but not least, with the current energy crisis, more and more of us are looking for new ways to save money on energy bills. Drying clothes is a big cost for many families, but it’s got to be done. During the summer, a washing line can make all the difference – but in the winter, hanging out clothes to dry won’t work. But, if you’ve got an area of your garden that is sheltered from the weather, then you can always put a washing line in there too and hang your clothes out to dry all year around so you don’t need to increase your energy bills using a tumble dryer, or risk damp in your home hanging them on radiators to dry.
If you are looking to make some upgrades to your garden this winter, then creating a covered, sheltered outdoor space is a great option to make your garden more useful all year round.
