By tradition, gazebos are designed to provide a suitable place away from your home where you can sit, reflect, and enjoy the view.
In the Far East, these structures were mainly used before as Tea Houses or social areas where you could meet friends and/or family, whilst taking in the scenic vista.
Scout even points out that these were utilised, back in the day, as havens for meditation and other spiritual ceremonies. All things considered, we can think of gazebos as our introduction, a precursor to the great outdoors.
Here on Interior Desire, we’ve talked about a range of beautiful garden shed inspirations, its uses and where to ideally place them at home. Today, let’s take matters a step further and dive deep into the characteristics, uses, and advantages of gazebos.
These outdoor shelters are enjoying a surge of popularity around the world. In the past, to be a proud owner of a gazebo positioned you amongst the elite, underlining a status symbol exclusive for homeowners with lovely gardens. It also helps that, nowadays, it’s fairly simple to construct and even buy one.
Just like anything that involves interior design, there will never be a lack of ideas for garden gazebos. From the more customary octagonal form to the array of contemporary polygon options you can choose from, your choices are somewhat limitless.
Since gazebos “add a striking focal point to your garden”, according to Screwfix, you can either go big with unfamiliar designs such as a hexagonal or a pentagonal, or even a round or an oval shaped model.
On the flipside, you can always choose a safe route and opt for basic ones like the aforementioned octagon, as well as a square and a rectangle.
When it comes to sizes, smaller models with equal measurements range from a 6 x 6 to an 8 x 8 frame, whilst bigger designs can go as high 14 x 14 or even stretch out to 16 x 16.
The most common rectangular gazebos, on the other hand, measure at about 8 x 12, or 14 x 32, which are perfect if you have a large family and regularly host special events at home.
One important thing to remember before buying and/or building a garden gazebo is to check with your local building department about regulations and height restrictions in your area.
Now aside from being an ideal area to meditate, relax, and have an afternoon tea, garden gazebos – especially today – have many other uses. For one, you can use this as an al fresco dining area.
After a sumptuous home-cooked meal with friends and family, you don’t even have to move elsewhere, as you can easily transform it into a party place with drinks and music.
Other than hosting night outs, some incorporate hot tubs into their gazebos. In a way, there’s nothing quite like unwinding in a Jacuzzi, drink in hand, and feasting on the scenic outdoor view. Furthermore, for certain couples, gazebos even offer a picture-perfect setting for a garden wedding.
Altogether, more than being a status symbol and a hang out spot, gazebos suggest a home-away-from-home vibe without the hassles of planning and the feeling of longing. It’s a great way to introduce ourselves and our loved ones to the outdoors, utilising nature in one of the most calming and practical ways.