Large Garden Family Room with Sauna & Store
Published: 20 June 2025
Reading Time: 4 minutes
Garden Spaces has shared a recent multi-purpose garden room project that highlights both their design expertise and their ability to collaborate closely with other specialists. Measuring 6.5m x 5.17m, the building has been designed around a family’s vision for a flexible space — with a large main room to enjoy time together, a designated area for a sauna, and a separate storage room with its own entrance.
The project was completed under the Permitted Development rules, and thanks to Garden Spaces’ in-depth experience with structural design, they were able to deliver a deeper-than-average garden room while maintaining a 2.5m external height and a generous 2.1m floor-to-ceiling height inside — a sleek solution to a technically challenging brief.
Designed Around Family Life and Future Plans
From the start, this was a multifaceted design brief. The client wanted a large, flexible space that would grow with the family’s needs — from a relaxing hangout to a mini gym area for a bike and running machine.
They also planned to install an electric sauna, fitted by a specialist company after Garden Spaces completed the main build. The garden was due for full landscaping following the build, with a hot tub to be installed as part of the outdoor transformation. Garden Spaces made sure the electrical specification supported all of this, coordinating with both the sauna supplier and garden renovation company throughout.
A Custom Layout to Serve the Design Brief
The width of the plot was limited, so Garden Spaces achieved the required space by increasing the building’s depth. Working within the 2.5m height limit imposed by Permitted Development, they engineered a roof structure that could span the extended depth without compromising internal headroom.
It’s especially impressive that they achieved this without a visible supporting beam across the ceiling — something we’ve seen other companies use when working with similar spans. This is a testament to Garden Spaces’ experience with Structural Insulated Panel (SIP) construction and their ability to deliver complex garden room designs.
The final layout places a 1.5m x 3.05m store at the front of the building with its own discreet entrance. Directly behind this is a bespoke sauna space, accessible from the main room. The result is a clear, open-plan area that flows well and can be used in many ways — from family downtime to fitness sessions.
Well-Specified Finishes
Inside, the main room is finished to a high standard, with plastered and decorated walls and ceiling, complemented by the customer’s choice of flooring. Garden Spaces plan the electrical layout — lighting, sockets, switches — during the design phase so it can be tailored precisely to how the space will be used.
Despite the building’s depth, the interior is wonderfully light. Glazing plays a big part here — the front elevation is almost entirely glazed, with a 2.5m wide aluminium sliding doorset paired with a 900mm full-height fixed window. A further 600mm wide tall window on the side elevation creates a corner of glazing, allowing more natural light to enter and offering varied views of the garden.
The store is accessed from the front via a ‘secret’ door that’s been carefully detailed into the vertical Western Red Cedar cladding, making it invisible unless you know it’s there. Inside, the OSB core of the SIP panels is left exposed — a smart and durable finish for a garden storage room.
A Smart Use of Mixed Materials
Externally, two materials have been used to great effect. The front wall — with its deep canopy detail and composite deck veranda — is clad in vertical Western Red Cedar, oiled to preserve and enhance its natural reddish tones. The rich colour of the cedar contrasts beautifully with the dark grey aluminium windows and trims.
The other elevations are finished in cement particle board, colour-matched with the doors and windows. This low-maintenance option not only ties in aesthetically but supports Building Regulation compliance — a requirement for buildings of this size — and can be a more cost-effective alternative to full cedar cladding. The transition between the natural timber and composite board has been neatly handled, showing Garden Spaces’ attention to material junctions and long-term performance.
Collaborative and Considered Throughout
This project is a clear example of Garden Spaces’ collaborative mindset — not only with their clients but with other trades involved in the wider garden transformation. Multiple design iterations, technical coordination, and on-site adjustments were all managed smoothly and within budget.
The building sits on a screw pile foundation system, with some screws inserted through areas of existing concrete — a method that ensured both strength and minimal disruption. Garden Spaces also handled the electrical and internet connections from the main house, carefully specifying cable size to accommodate the demands of both the sauna and future hot tub.
The result is a tailored, multi-functional space that meets the needs of the whole family — now and into the future. Whether it’s relaxing together, working out, or winding down in the warmth of the sauna and hot tub, this Garden Spaces build is ready to support every season of life.
Learn More
To learn more about creating a bespoke garden room, contact Garden Spaces on 0845 387 9 387 or email info@gardenspaces.co.uk. You can also explore more of their work at www.gardenspaces.co.uk.
