Garden Renovation: Should You Include It in Your Home Makeover?

Most people forget one simple thing when renovating: the garden. If yours feels flat or forgotten, now’s the time to fix it. In our experience, one of the biggest missed opportunities in ground-floor extensions, (especially kitchens) is leaving the garden out of the plan.

Why You Should Include Your Garden in a Home Renovation

These newly renovated spaces are likely where you’ll spend the most time, given their fresh, new look and feel and looking out at a dull and uninspiring area can feel like a missed chance, and form a nagging regret each time you glance out.

For many of our clients, the garden becomes the artwork framed by their windows. They often invest in beautiful glazing, so we design with the garden view in mind, especially when the kitchen sits at the back of the house and the space is used for entertaining or relaxing.

Creating Flow Between Indoors and Outdoors

Additionally, bringing the garden indoors enhances the overall aesthetic, making a beautifully designed garden an essential consideration.

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How Lighting Helps You Enjoy Your Garden Year-Round

Whether you have a small patio or a larger garden, adding strategic outdoor lighting is one of the simplest and most cost-effective ways to transform your space. Smart lighting makes your garden safer to move around and highlights features like planters, trees or a pond or water feature. It also helps you enjoy the space during the darker winter months when daylight fades early.

When you invest in your home, you want to enjoy it all year round. But how much of the year does a typical worker in London enjoy the visual of their garden? If you are someone who leaves home at 8am and arrives back at 6pm then for a huge 40% of the year you’re arriving home after dark (we used ‘sun not above the horizon’ as the measure). If you are someone who leaves home at 8am and arrives back at 8pm then that increases to 65% of the year when you’re leaving and arriving home when it’s dark. Without considered lighting in your gardens, front and rear, you’re missing out on enjoying one of your best assets all year round.

Why Including Your Garden Is a Smart Investment

A well-designed garden isn’t just for summer. It’s a space that can lift your mood making your home feel more connected to nature, even when the weather keeps you indoors.

That’s why we always design with an inside-out perspective, so you can appreciate your garden from your kitchen or living area no matter the season.

So if you can reserve a bit of your budget for including gardens in your home transformation, it’s a smart investment. There’s little point in creating a beautiful space that only works for a few months of the year. You don’t have to complete your garden design straight away, but when you’re ready, it will add comfort, beauty, and long-term value to your home.

When you include your garden in your home renovation, you’re not just improving your indoor space, you’re creating a more enjoyable home year-round.

Garden Design for both pictures- Brachers Garden Design