Small Gallery of Customer Summer Houses We’ve Built
Explore our gallery of summer houses supplied and installed for customers across the UK. From peaceful garden retreats and hobby rooms to stylish spaces for relaxing and entertaining, discover how the right summer house can transform your garden.
Customers Summerhouses Supplied
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Contemporary Summerhouse Design and Choosing a Model
What Makes a Summer House Contemporary?
A contemporary summer house is usually defined more by its styling than by one particular method of construction. Clean lines, larger areas of glazing, modern door arrangements, simple roof profiles and understated colour finishes all help create a more modern appearance.
Pent roofs are particularly popular because their single slope produces a simple architectural shape, although an apex building can look equally contemporary when combined with modern glazing and clean detailing.
When I look at a modern summerhouse, however, I still start with the construction. Attractive glazing and fashionable colours matter only when the timber, framing, floor, roof, and doors underneath are good enough. If you are still comparing the different styles and specifications available, our summerhouse buying guide covers the main points to consider before you choose.
Choosing a Modern Summerhouse
The first question I would ask is what you intend to do inside the building. A contemporary summer house used mainly for relaxing in good weather has different requirements from one intended as a garden office, studio or hobby room.
Think about furniture placement, natural light, privacy and the view from inside as well as the appearance from your house. Large areas of glass can make a summerhouse feel bright and spacious, but the position of those windows is just as important as their size.
Mark the proposed footprint out in your garden before ordering. I’ve given this advice to customers for many years because a building can feel surprisingly different once you mark its actual dimensions on the ground. You can also compare our summer houses by size to see the available footprints.
Pent and Apex Roofs, Glazing and Layout
Pent or Apex Contemporary Summer House?
Contemporary Pent Summer Houses
A pent roof slopes in one direction and is the style most strongly associated with a modern summerhouse. The clean roofline works particularly well with wide glazed doors and windows and sits neatly alongside modern houses, patios, and landscaped gardens.
Pent designs can also be useful where you want the highest part of the building facing a particular direction or where the summerhouse is positioned close to a boundary. However, you should always check the individual building dimensions and planning requirements. Our summerhouse planning permission guide explains the main considerations.
Contemporary Apex Summer Houses
An apex roof does not have to look traditional. Combine it with large contemporary glazing, simpler doors and a modern paint finish and the result can be a very different building from a conventional Georgian-style summerhouse.
An apex design also provides additional height towards the centre of the room, which some customers prefer for larger summerhouses or rooms used for hobbies and entertaining.
Why Glazing Matters on a Contemporary Summerhouse
Generous glazing is one of the features that gives many contemporary summer houses their distinctive appearance. Large windows and glazed doors let in plenty of natural light and can create a much stronger connection between the summerhouse and the garden.
I would still consider the position of the glass carefully. More glazing isn’t automatically better if it leaves you with nowhere sensible to put a desk, sofa, or storage unit. Think about how you’ll actually furnish the room before settling on the final door and window arrangement.
On suitable bespoke models, changing window and door positions can be worthwhile if it improves the view or makes the internal space more practical.
Painted and Insulated Contemporary Summer Houses
Can a Contemporary Summer House Be Painted?
Yes. Many of our contemporary summer houses come with factory-applied colour finishes that can make a considerable difference to the finished appearance.
Greys and other neutral shades are particularly popular with modern designs because they work well with paving, decking and contemporary homes. However, the right colour ultimately depends on the surroundings.
If colour is especially important to you, you can also compare our dedicated painted summer houses. That page covers the wider choice of coloured summerhouses.
Can a Modern Summerhouse Be Insulated?
Yes. Insulation is available on selected contemporary models, and some higher-specification summerhouses are supplied fully insulated. This is worth considering if you expect to use the room regularly as an office, studio or hobby space during colder parts of the year.
Insulation should not be considered in isolation. Look at the walls, roof, floor, glazing, ventilation and suitable heating as a complete package if regular colder-weather use matters to you.
If insulation is one of your main requirements, compare our insulated summer houses as well.
Bespoke Options and Summerhouse Bases
Bespoke Contemporary Summer Houses
One of the advantages of selected Diamond and Platinum buildings is the opportunity to tailor the layout rather than being limited to a small number of fixed designs.
Depending on the model, bespoke choices can include different dimensions, door positions, window layouts, glazing styles and other features. This can be particularly useful with a contemporary summer house because a clean appearance and balanced proportions are often part of the reason for choosing the style in the first place.
If you already know where your furniture will go or which direction has the best garden view, tell us before ordering. It is far easier to plan the doors and windows around the intended use than to compromise afterwards.
Don’t Forget the Summer House Base
Whichever contemporary design you choose, it needs a suitable firm, flat and level foundation. A correctly prepared base supports the building properly and helps the doors and windows operate as intended.
Check the precise base dimensions and requirements for the individual summerhouse before starting work rather than relying only on its nominal size. Our summer house base guide explains the main foundation options and points to consider before installation.
Garden Building Experience and Construction Quality
Why My Experience Matters When Choosing a Summerhouse
I’m Robin Antill, founder of 1st Choice Leisure Buildings. I left school at 15 and eventually entered the garden building industry, starting my own business under the Marina Sheds name in 1979.
Working directly with timber garden buildings taught me to judge them by much more than their appearance. The quality of the cladding, framing, floor, roof, doors and windows all matter, whether the design is traditional or contemporary.
I sold Marina Sheds in 1990, although unfortunately I did not receive all the money that was due to me from the sale. I stayed in the garden building industry, and in 1992 we expanded into summerhouses, garages, garden rooms, and log cabins.
That broader direction meant the Marina Sheds name no longer properly described what we were doing, so the business became Titan Garden Buildings.
My son Craig joined in 1992 after studying carpentry at Guildford College from 1990. His carpentry training complemented the manufacturing and business experience I had accumulated, and we continued developing Titan Garden Buildings until selling the company in 1998.
In 2000 Craig and I formed 1st Choice Leisure Buildings. Rather than being tied to products made by one factory, we decided to retail quality garden buildings from selected manufacturers so customers could choose based on specification, design, and value.
Craig now runs the day-to-day business, and I support him as needed. You can read more about me, Robin Antill, and my experience with garden buildings.
Summerhouse vs Garden Room and Viewing Before Buying
Contemporary Summer House or Garden Room?
The terms can overlap. A contemporary summer house is generally still based around the idea of a garden leisure building. In contrast, the term garden room often refers to a higher-specification room intended for more regular occupation.
A fully insulated modern summerhouse with good glazing can therefore have a great deal in common with a garden room. I recommend comparing the actual construction and specification rather than assuming the product name tells you everything.
If your priority is frequent home working or extensive use throughout the year, it is worth comparing our garden rooms and garden offices as well as the contemporary summerhouses on this page.
See a Contemporary Summer House Before You Buy
There is still no substitute for seeing a garden building in person. Photographs can show the style, but they don’t fully convey how substantial the floor feels, how the doors operate, how much light comes through the glazing, or how large the room feels when you stand inside it.
You can visit our Surrey garden building display site near Guildford and Woking to view representative buildings. If you are travelling to see a particular contemporary model, check with us beforehand, as we cannot display every design and size.
Contemporary Summer House FAQs
What is a contemporary summer house?
A contemporary summer house is a timber garden room styled with modern features such as clean lines, generous glazing, simple roof profiles and modern doors or colour finishes. The term describes the design style rather than one fixed construction specification.
What is the difference between a modern and traditional summerhouse?
A modern summerhouse usually uses simpler lines, larger areas of glass and more contemporary door, window and roof designs. Traditional summerhouses are more likely to feature Georgian glazing, decorative details and classic apex shapes. Judge the underlying quality separately from the style.
Are pent roofs more contemporary?
Pent roofs are particularly associated with modern summerhouses because the single roof slope creates a simple, clean outline. However, an apex summer house can also look contemporary with modern glazing, doors, and finishes.
Can I use a contemporary summer house as an office?
Yes. A suitable contemporary summer house can work very well as a garden office. If you plan to use it regularly, consider insulation, glazing, heating, ventilation, electrics, internet connectivity and desk position alongside the external appearance. If regular home working is your priority, compare our garden rooms and garden offices as well.
Can I change the doors and windows?
On selected bespoke models, door and window positions and glazing styles can be altered. Available options vary by building, so discuss your preferred layout before ordering.
Can contemporary summer houses be painted grey?
Yes. Grey and other modern colour finishes are available on selected ranges. Exact shades vary by manufacturer and model, and where the precise colour matters, I recommend checking an actual colour sample rather than relying entirely on a screen.
Do I need planning permission for a contemporary summer house?
Many domestic summerhouses can fall within Permitted Development rights when the building, position, dimensions, use and property meet the relevant requirements. Restrictions can apply, so read our summerhouse planning permission guide and check your individual circumstances if you are unsure.
Finding the Right Modern Summerhouse
Find the Right Modern Summerhouse
The right contemporary summer house should do more than look attractive. Start with how you intend to use the room, then consider its size, construction, glazing, layout, insulation and finish.
Browse the contemporary summerhouses above or compare our wider summer house range if you are still deciding between contemporary, traditional, corner or insulated designs.
After working with garden buildings since 1979, my advice is simple: choose a modern summerhouse because the design works for your garden and the specification works for you, not simply because it looks fashionable in a photograph.
Robin Antill
Founder, 1st Choice Leisure Buildings
From £3589