When it comes to choosing the right summerhouse colours, homeowners are fortunate enough to be spoiled for choice. There are so many options that it can be hard to know where to start! This is why we’ve created this helpful guide. We’ll talk about all the main considerations when it comes to choosing the colours of your summerhouse, the differences between paints and stains, warm and cold tones, and even discuss some colour combinations. 

In this blog you’ll see many examples from real summerhouses, all from Summerhouse24 customers, to inspire you in your search for the perfect colour scheme.

Picking summer house colours: Where to start?

There are several ways to approach choosing the right colours. Here are some helpful questions that can help you figure out the right colours for your summerhouse.

1. How much direct sunlight does your summerhouse get?

Dark colours fade faster in strong sun and also absorb more heat. This could make the interior uncomfortably warm on very sunny days.

2. What’s the primary purpose of your summerhouse?
   • Home office: Consider calming, focused hues of blues and greens.
   • Creative studio: Might benefit from energising or inspiring colours.
   • Relaxation space: Soft, natural tones are best. You can add a touch of vibrancy by using colourful accessories, furniture, fabrics or by using accent colours on wooden details.
   • Entertainment area: Could handle bolder colours, depending on the style you are going for.
     
3. What’s the architectural style?
   • Traditional log cabin: Very well suited for natural wood stains and natural hues. Stains are available in different opacities, ranging from solid to semi-transparent and transparent.
   • Modern design: Can work well with contemporary greys or blacks and more subdued colours.
     
4. What colours can be seen in your garden throughout the year?
   • Consider seasonal changes in surrounding foliage and flowering plants. Haven’t done the landscaping yet or planning for a change? This could be the perfect opportunity to create your dream colour scheme that harmonises the entire garden, including the summerhouse.
   • Take into account existing garden features such as paving, fencing, and any garden furniture.

6. Where is the summerhouse visible from?
   • Your main house?
   • Neighbours’ properties?
   • Main seating areas in your garden?
     
7. Are you looking to complement or contrast with the main house?
   
8. What atmosphere do you want to create?
   • Calm and serene: Soft blues, greens, or neutrals.
   • Warm and cozy: Rich earth tones or warm whites.
   • Fun and playful: Bright or pastel colours.
   • Modern and minimal: Monochromatic schemes or stark contrasts.

8. How much maintenance do you want to do?
   • Light colours show dirt more easily but fade less.
   • Dark colours hide dirt better but may need more frequent repainting.
   • Natural stains typically need to be reapplied every 2-5 years.
     
9. Which approach do you prefer?
   • Timeless colours that won’t date?
   • On-trend colours that you’ll update periodically?
   • Bold statement colours reflecting your personality?
     
10. Long-term vs short-term considerations
    • Are you painting your summerhouse as a quick fix or are you choosing a colour scheme for long term? 
    • Are there any plans to sell your property in the near future? Make sure to choose colours that elevate the appearance of the summerhouse and the property.
      
11. Budget considerations

Some colours or stains may need more coats or need to be refreshed more frequently. Consider premium brands, that offer sufficient protection. For example, Summerhouse24 recommends and sells a combination of Protek Wood Preserver ++ and Protek Royal Exterior Finish stains.

Once you’ve ordered your colour or stain samples, make sure to test them in different lights and view them at different times of the day. Consider their appearance in both sun and shade: the photos below perfectly illustrate the different appearances colours can have, depending on the light.

When picking your colours keep in mind that they’ll appear more intense on large surfaces. Don’t be afraid to take a professional’s advice when it comes to choosing the right shade.

Paint vs stain

Paint creates an opaque protective film over the wood surface, completely hiding the grain. It’s ideal for achieving specific colours or when you want to cover imperfections in the wood. Paint comes in different options, and selecting the right system is important for long-term protection.

Most exterior wood paints are part of a multi-coat system, each with its own purpose:

1. Wood primer or preservative primer: prevents rot and fungal growth, provides adhesion. If you are using wood primer that does not contain wood preservative, you need to apply a coat of wood preservative first. Make sure to choose the correct preservative (ie. water-based primer for water-based paint).
2. Undercoat: covers and builds depth.
3. Topcoat: provides colour and weather protection.

Paint advantages:

• Offers maximum colour choice and control
• Provides excellent coverage for imperfections
• Creates a more formal, finished look
• Better at hiding wood grain variations and defects

Paint disadvantages:

• Can peel and chip over time
• Requires more preparation work
• More difficult to change once applied
• May trap moisture in wood if not properly prepared
• More expensive initially

Stain is a tinted and translucent liquid that generally allows the wood grain to show through. This is the perfect solution if your summerhouse has attractive wood grain or you want a more natural look. Stain is available in different levels of transparency, depending on how much of the wood grain you want to have show through. Solid stains have the most pigmentation, resembling paint the most.

One important note is that many wood preservative products in DIY stores are actually designed as part of a system, just like paints. They should be applied using a base coat and top coat. Many people tend to get this wrong and apply one or the other. This would leave your building incorrectly treated, leading to issues with leaks and movement.

Another important thing to highlight is that summerhouses made of spruce should never be treated with a clear stain. This is because the UV rays burn damage spruce wood and they develop dark or black patches. Cedar or larch on the other hand will evenly gray and can be covered with a clear stain as the top coat.

Stain advantages:

• Enhances natural wood beauty
• Less likely to peel or chip
• Easier to apply and maintain
• Better at allowing wood to “breathe”
• Can be more cost-effective
• Easier to reapply without extensive preparation

Stain disadvantages:

• Limited colour options compared to paint
• Less effective at hiding imperfections
• May need more frequent reapplication if using a cheaper brand
• Darker stains may fade more quickly in sunlight

Differences in tones

Warm Tones

Warm colours invite relaxation and create an inviting atmosphere that works brilliantly in the British garden setting. Warm hues particularly shine during our cooler months, bringing a hint of warmth back into our gardens and counterbalancing grey skies.

Popular warm tone options:

• Honey cedar (natural wood stain)
• Terracotta
• Sage green
• Warm grey
• Buttermilk
• Rustic red

Pros:

• Creates an inviting atmosphere
• Complements traditional gardens
• Looks stunning in both summer and winter
• Particularly effective in shaded gardens

Cons:

• Darker warm tones might make the structure appear smaller
• Some warm tones may fade more quickly in direct sunlight

Cool Tones

Cool-toned summerhouses offer a calm, contemporary feel that can make your garden feel more spacious and serene.

Popular cool tone options:

• Slate blue
• Sea green
• Duck egg blue
• Pale grey
• Mint
• Nordic blue

Pros:

• Creates a sense of space
• Modern and sophisticated appearance
• Excellent heat reflection properties
• Coordinates well with most garden plantings

Cons:

• May appear cold in winter months
• Lighter cool tones show dirt more easily

Neutral Tones 

Timeless Elegance Neutral colours offer versatility and timeless appeal, making them a safe yet stylish choice for any garden setting.

Popular neutral options:

• Natural wood
• Warm white
• Greige (grey-beige)
• Taupe
• Stone
• Soft cream

Using the colour wheel to find your perfect summerhouse colour scheme

Understanding colour relationships can help you create stunning summerhouse designs that feel both harmonious and intentional. For exteriors it can be helpful to think of the often used cold grays as blues or greens (depending on their undertone) and wood tones as yellows, oranges or even reds. And, instead of using your selected colours to paint your summerhouse, you can choose one complementary colour for the building itself and the other for decor. 

Classic Complementary Colours 

These are colours that sit opposite each other on the colour wheel, creating high-contrast, vibrant combinations:

• Red and green
• Purple and yellow
• Blue and orange

Here’s how you might use them to paint the exterior or interior of your summerhouse:

• Green exterior with burgundy red trim. If you’re opting for something like a classic Swedish red coloured summerhouse, reverse the colours and use green on the trim.
• Yellow exterior with purple details. If using purple paint seems too bold, you can use the colour in the plants surrounding the garden house. It’s also a great bold accent colour to use in decor.
• Teal with coral accents. Muted teal and coral hues make for a striking pair.

Blue makes a great accent colour to warm wood-tones and vice versa, as you can see on image on the left below. In this example, you’d think of the wood as the colour ‘orange’.

Analogous Colors 

These are colours that sit next to each other on the wheel, creating a harmonious, cohesive look. Here are a few colour combinations you may want to try:

• Light sage green with light cold gray accents with blue undertones
• Yellow-green with sage green accents
• Warm cream with butter yellow details

Monochromatic Scheme 

Using variations of one colour creates a sophisticated, cohesive look:

• Deep navy exterior with powder blue trim and pale blue accents
• Forest green with sage trim and mint details
• Charcoal exterior with light grey trim and silver accents

Monochrome colour schemes are fairly popular and can look stunning with little effort.

Here are a few practical tips for choosing your colour scheme:

• Use the 60-30-10 rule: 60% dominant colour, 30% secondary colour, 10% accent colour.
• Consider using your main colour for walls, secondary colour for trim, and accent for doors or decorative elements.

Picking out your summerhouse colours is a fun and rewarding experience. When ordering your log cabin, sauna or summerhouse from Summerhouse24, you can buy a wood preservative and stain system directly from us. We have a wide range of colours  available from vibrant flamingo pink to calm greens, blues and wood tones.