Waterside Garden Room Designed Around a Pond by Crusoe Garden Rooms
Published: 9 December 2025
Reading Time: 3 minutes
Crusoe Garden Rooms have created several waterside buildings over the years, and this recent project in Leicestershire beautifully demonstrates how their team design for challenging ground conditions. The building and deck sit beside a large pond, with the composite decking carefully shaped around the water’s edge. Integrated steps resolve the natural slope of the garden, creating a wonderfully usable space for enjoying this unique perspective of the garden throughout the year.
A Signature Crusoe Garden Rooms Design
The garden room follows Crusoe Garden Rooms’ signature contemporary style, featuring vertical Western Red Cedar tongue-and-groove cladding, Anthracite Grey doors and windows, and a roof that extends beyond the front wall to create a sheltered canopy fitted with exterior downlighting. Up/down lights placed between the doors and windows add further architectural interest in the evenings.
To the right of the main room sits a useful storeroom. The door has been finished in Western Red Cedar to match the cladding, and the photos show how Crusoe’s installation team have aligned the boards perfectly across the double doors and surrounding walls—one of those small but telling details that demonstrates careful craftsmanship.
Glazing With Rhythm and Purpose
The front elevation has a pleasing rhythm, with aluminium bi-fold doors positioned centrally and tall fixed windows arranged symmetrically on either side. The glazing wraps around the right-hand wall, where a wider full-height window with an opening top section provides natural ventilation—ideal for the gym area within.
The clients wanted a building that could serve multiple uses: a relaxing place to unwind beside the pond and a comfortable, well-specified gym for year-round use. As the building could be positioned more than two metres from the boundary, Crusoe Garden Rooms were able to work just under the 3m Permitted Development height limit, providing the generous internal height needed for running machines and other gym equipment.
Engineered for the Site
Inside, the room is finished to the high specification that Crusoe Garden Rooms are known for. The plastered and decorated walls and ceiling create a crisp interior, complemented by high-quality laminate flooring. Crusoe Garden Rooms tailor the electrical layout around how you plan to use the room, so sockets, USB points, and data cabling are positioned exactly where they are needed.
The lighting scheme includes dimmable spotlights and smart-controlled exterior lighting, which can be operated from multiple phones. Heating is managed by a thermostatically controlled unit that can also be operated via an app, while the internet connection is delivered through a TP-Link system. Together, these features ensure the room functions perfectly as both a relaxing retreat and a practical gym.
The attached storeroom is fully lined with ply boarding and includes internal lighting and a double socket, making it ideal for storing outdoor furniture, barbecues, and even the client’s ride-on mower.
Comfortable Interiors for Year-Round Use
Inside, the room is finished to the high specification that Crusoe Garden Rooms are known for. The plastered and decorated walls and ceiling create a crisp interior, complemented by high-quality laminate flooring. Crusoe Garden Rooms tailor the electrical layout around how you plan to use the room, so sockets, USB points, and data cabling are positioned exactly where they are needed.
The lighting scheme includes dimmable spotlights and smart-controlled exterior lighting, which can be operated from multiple phones. Heating is managed by a thermostatically controlled unit that can also be operated via an app, while the internet connection is delivered through a TP-Link system. Together, these features ensure the room functions perfectly as both a relaxing retreat and a practical gym.
The attached storeroom is fully lined with ply boarding and includes internal lighting and a double socket, making it ideal for storing outdoor furniture, barbecues, and even the client’s ride-on mower.
Learn More
Crusoe Garden Rooms design and build bespoke garden rooms across the UK, tailoring each project around the site conditions and how you plan to use your new space. To explore more examples of their work or discuss your own project, visit their website, call the team on 07977 035 254, or email info@crusoegardenrooms.co.uk.
