Choosing glass extensions is always a good idea for your home, but this is never more true than during the sunny summer months. A glass extension is a versatile way of extending your home, in a modern, new and attractive way, that is also lower cost and may not even require planning permission. There are so many benefits to be enjoyed from a glass extension, and more so than ever during the summer when there will be plenty of sun to enjoy.

That being said, even if there isn’t sunshine on any given day, a glass home extension still gives you the opportunity to enjoy feeling more at one with the great outdoors. Blending the indoors with the outdoors very cleverly, a glass extension will offer enough protection from adverse weather conditions, while still retaining that sense of being outside and surrounded by an outdoor environment. Few other structures can achieve this quite so well. A conservatory or an orangery has far more brickwork and does not offer the same expansive views. A simpler terrace or veranda will not offer the same levels of protection and will leave you more exposed to the elements, without the protection of glass to make sure you are not cold of exposed to the wind.

Can You Still Get a Glass Extension in Time for the Summer?

The simple answer is that yes, this will be perfectly possible. You can find a specialist company offering glass extensions and ask them to create the perfect glass extension for your home, with plenty of time to go until the weather really warms up. There is far less preparation required than there would be for an extension that involves bricklaying, foundations and planning permission. All that will need to be done is your extension will need to be designed, and then you can move straight onto the build.

It is certainly worth clarifying whether you need planning permission, however in general, this will not be needed. Speak to a glass room or glass extension builder who can advise you further based on your actual property and the circumstances surrounding your build. You will need to be confident that planning permission is not needed before deciding to go ahead. If it is deemed that you do need planning permission for a glass extension, this can be completed with a full planning application.

If you have a glass extension built soon, you can certainly have it complete for the summer. This is one of the most delightful times of the year to enjoy a glass room extension, with all of the natural light that will come flooding in, brightening up other parts of the home too. If you want to be able to open up the room to the outdoors to make it more of a versatile extension, you can do this too, by having sliding doors and other configurations. Your space will be your own to adapt and change as you would like. It will serve as part of your home, and part of your garden, all in one.

Sleepers are very versatile, highly useful and very valuable interior design and garden design tools, employed in a huge range of situations and circumstances. One of their great benefits is that they are strong and robust, as well as very beautiful, so they can withstand harsh weather conditions and can be used out of doors. They will also often be used for furniture or dining, so they need to be strong and load bearing – two capabilities that sleepers can definitely have. If you are thinking about using sleepers in a project but do not really understand their full scope and what you can get them to do, here is some valuable information about them.

Always bear in mind that sleepers come in many different types and varieties. One sleeper does not fit all purposes. It is essential you obtain sleepers from a good retailer, especially if you are going to use them in a structural sense. Make sure they have been milled to the correct length so you do not have to do this yourself (unless of course you want to). You also need to know their weight bearing capabilities if you are going to be using them in a custom project, so you should find all of this out from your suppliers. A timber merchant will usually be a good stop if you are on the hunt for quality railway sleepers.

The Different Types of Sleepers

If you are buying sleepers you will generally see two different descriptions: new, or reclaimed. All this means is that the sleepers have been custom milled and are brand new, or that they have been used previously and they have been recycled. Railway sleepers are very environmentally friendly for this reason; however many new sleepers are also environmentally friendly because they are made from wood that comes from sustainable sources. People also choose railway sleepers because they are seasoned and achieve a certain look, rather than being brand new in their appearance.

What Can Your Do with Sleepers?

Sleepers can be used in a multitude of ways around the house and garden. These are some of the ideas for using sleepers, both new and reclaimed:

• Raised flowerbeds. Sleepers can be used to create flowerbeds, delineating the edges and creating a raised area. This is one of the simplest and yet, most effective uses of sleepers.
• Garden furniture. You can use sleepers for making furniture items such as tables, chairs and even

So many of us have spent a lot longer in our homes than normal. This has been due to the restrictions put in place following the Covid outbreak where people have been forced in to lockdown, working from home and home schooling.

When asked, the general population said that the one thing they had really struggled with during these times was space. There simply wasn’t enough space for everyone to work in. It may be that you just need to rearrange your room or declutter so you can fit in an extra desk, but if you simply do not have the floor space then it may be time to consider if you want to move to a larger home or improve your current one.

Many estate agencies are seeing an increase in traffic to their website and enquiries. At the moment there is also a stamp duty holiday which is due to end at the end of March so people looking to buy a property are keen to get it sorted out prior to this date.

It may be that you decide that you actually really like your home and the location, in which case it is probably worth while looking in to if you can build an extension to give you the extra space needed rather than having to move home.

What are your key aims for the new year? Do you want to make your home a better place to live? Do you want to get more fresh air, get fitter and enjoy the great outdoors? These are some common ambitions for people when thinking to the future, and the good news is that garden canopies in the UK can really help with this. Making it easier to spend more time outside, whatever the weather, canopy systems can help you to live a happier, healthier life and to enjoy life in a more natural way.

How can a canopy really do this much to improve your life? Much of it comes from improving your state of mind, something that is proven to be helped by:

1. More natural light. This has many known benefits for mental health.
2. More fresh air. The very act of being out of doors is good for mental health and improving our general outlook on life.
3. A greater sense of freedom. If you feel that you can easily and enjoyably spend more time outside, then you’re more likely to do so on a regular basis. Making it easier for yourself to enjoy natural light and fresh air and, along with these two benefits, lovely views, trees, grass and greenery, you are more likely to be able to enjoy them often.

The simple installation of a canopy will allow you to go outside more, enjoy the peace of being out in your garden and as such, help stimulate you to be more active, refreshed, and motivated.

Canopies can also be retractable, something that is highly recommended if you are going to install one. This is because a canopy might not always be wanted – there will be times when you want to enjoy the sun, or you want to look up at the sky and savour how blue it looks. In these instances, being able to retract your canopy will be a big benefit. It will usually cost more to install a retractable garden canopy and it will have to be done by an electrician and well qualified person, but it will also make your life higher quality and is worth the investment. Similarly, if you do then want to fold your canopy out quickly due to some drizzle, or because the wind is getting up a little, then you will be able to do so at the click of a button.

Canopies will usually be attached to the side of a building for stability so think carefully about where you canopy is going to go. If you already have a patio or deck close to your home, this will be the logical position for it. There are many additional features you can consider too such as outdoor heaters, lighting, and windbreaks or protectors to go around the canopy and close it in, to make it more like a room. All in all, the canopy system is very high quality and has so much potential to improve your life, so it is a very good investment for your home.

If you have bought or rent a period property then you may wonder if you need to have everything themed around that. For example, when it comes to the kitchen, do you have to have one that is a more traditional shaker style or can you go for something ultra modern?

Ultra modern in period properties can work well if done correctly. You may wish to use a home interior design company who will be able to tell you what would work well. If the property still has some period features such as floor tiles or a fireplace that you want to keep, they will be able to tell you how to combine it into your design so you do not lose those features.

Often it is more practice to have a modern look as they any appliances you have such as coffee makers or microwaves will not look out of place. The same goes the other way round too. You can have a more traditional kitchen or bedroom on a more modern house. You need to think carefully about flooring, wall coverings and furniture. Do not forget the little fixtures and fittings that can make a huge difference like tapes and lights.