great british garden retreat

Our second case study focuses on David Quinn, the runner up in our 2014 Great British Garden Retreat Competition. David transformed our Valiant 470 Summerhouse into a bright and airy escape from the modern world. Here's how he created his perfect space.

Giving an unloved part of the garden a purpose

It was a friend's summerhouse which first planted the seed in David's mind, to purchase his own from Dunster House. "Some friends had a summerhouse they had built themselves, as part of their garden and they used it all the time," David explained, "It inspired us to get one".

However, another motivation for the renovation was to give a neglected corner of the garden a new lease of life. "We had a small unused hard standing from an old greenhouse and… it seemed an ideal use for an unloved part of the garden."

Choosing a Dunster House garden building

We liked the size and design of the Dunster House Valiant range, and it was good value for money", said David about his decision to choose the Valiant 470 Summerhouse. But for David, the friendly and helpful customer service offered by our team was just as important to his overall experience of the process.

"The delivery driver was excellent. He helped unload it to the back of the house and gave some tips on how to handle the different sections. Customer Service was also helpful when a pane of glass got broken, whilst it was still stacked up. They gave me the correct sizes to order, so it was ready when we assembled it."

A speedy transformation

David and his wife Susan assembled the summerhouse together, with assembly, painting and furnishing all taking place in a matter of weeks. The initial build took three days, with two people for two days on assembly and then David working for one day on shingling the roof.

In total, the entire project took only three weeks, with the three coats of paint inside and out taking up the most time. David's confidence in his choices undoubtedly increased the speed of the process. "I had a design in mind, particularly for the interior. I even knew what sofa was going in it!" The finished product shows a real flair for design, with strong flashes of colour on a neutral background, giving the space real impact.

Getting back to nature

The three weeks of work have certainly been worth it, creating a retreat that David and Susan love. In particular, the summerhouse is a space which allows them to feel closer to nature and escape from everyday life.

"We like how it fits into the garden, far enough away from the house that you feel like you could be anywhere," said David, speaking about his favourite aspect of the finished project. They've even been lucky enough to see some garden wildlife that they might otherwise have missed, and which has helped form one of David's fondest memories of the retreat so far.

"We sat in the summerhouse at night and a family of hedgehogs appeared and spent ages wandering around outside while we watched".

A resounding success

The stylish space, which transforms into a cosy hideaway when night falls, has been a resounding success. "Everyone that sees it loves it. One friend said ‘This isn't a summerhouse, it's a second home!’"

In the future, David and Susan plan to continue improving their summerhouse, making the view from its French windows even more picturesque than it already is. "We plan to install a path from the house down to the summerhouse and there is more landscaping and planting to do around it."

When asked if they would buy from Dunster again, David replied: "Definitely. The product is good and it was great value!"

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Our next case study tells the story of Matt Hogben, who came third in our 2014 Great British Garden Retreat Competition. A lover of all things fun, Matt transformed our Lantera 450 Grande into a hangout for family and friends, complete with boy's toys including a pool table, TV, dart board and bar. Here's how he created this enviable space.

A home for a pool table

The idea to buy a log cabin first arose thanks to a disagreement about where to put a rather large 'bargain' purchase of Matt’s.

"The honest truth (behind) the cabin purchase was my 'bargain' £300 pool table from eBay! My partner Jane then exclaimed that we had nowhere to put it, as she likes to use the dining room for eating in – a ridiculous idea, personally!"

While refurbishing their home, Matt and Jane had cleared the garden of many skip's-worth of weeds, roots and stumps. What emerged was a conveniently log cabin sized shape – a perfect solution to the pool table problem.

Choosing a Dunster House garden building

"We came to view a cabin in summer last year at your Bedford site, as we were nearing the completion of our refurbished house and our thoughts turned to the garden," said Matt about the first steps to choosing the Lantera 450 Grande.

"We were pleasantly surprised at the quality, and after being reassured that we could put a deposit down and pay the rest later, when we had time to erect it ourselves, the deal was done."

The essential pool table and bar were an important consideration when it came to choosing the perfect log cabin. "The size of the pool table and the added requirement of the bar (naturally) meant we needed quite a big cabin and with plenty of natural light," said Matt.

Achieving the dream

For Matt and Jane, achieving their dream of the perfect space happened remarkable quickly, with the entire project being completed in a matter of weeks.

"The assembly to being watertight took roughly 2 weeks, with a bit of help from the brother in law. Then it was roughly another slower paced week and a half, painting several coats outside and inside, getting electricians in, carpeting and finishing touches... plus another week to make the seats from a written-off Audi A6 from eBay!"

Matt's experience of dealing with the Dunster House team also made the process more enjoyable. "The sales team were fantastic, really helpful allowing us the time to ensure we could afford it – no pressure whatsoever."

A space for everyone to enjoy

A lover of football, pool and relaxing in the garden, it was important to Matt that the log cabin was a fun space for everyone – from dogs Winnie and Pete, to family and friends.

"Everyone absolutely loves it – there is something for everyone."

Having never built anything more than IKEA furniture in the past, Matt was initially apprehensive about taking on such a big project. However, the log cabin has been a resounding success. "The satisfaction we get when we're in there is amazing, we are so proud of it and everyone who pops in is amazed with the whole project."

"My favourite aspect is the bar; it looks just like an 'Olde Worlde' pub that just makes you relaxed and really brings everyone together for a good party!"

What does the future hold?

Aside from a pump to use water at the end of the garden, Matt's future plans for the log cabin involve having even more fun. So, what are the most important things left to get? "An aerial for the TV to watch the World Cup and some more spirits for the shelf!"

When asked if he would buy from Dunster House again, Matt replied: "Hell yeah, in a heartbeat – though hopefully we won't move for a long time – why would we with that at the bottom of our garden!?"

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