Multi Coloured Beach Huts (Photo credit: data smog)
If you’re lucky enough to have a little bit of land near the beach, you’re probably intent on making the most of it. Owning a place near the water is a relaxing way to escape the hustle and bustle of life and treat yourself to an opulent holiday. But is your land nothing more right now than just land? If so, here are some tips and ideas for converting it from a camping spot into your very own beach hut holiday home!
Types of Beach Huts
- Classic Beach Hut – This is the beach hut you often see in postcard pictures, painted in pretty blues, yellows and whites. These are often made of timber and looks like a little shed.
- Island Style Beach Hut – Ever been on holidays in the tropics? If so, you’ll know what an island style hut is! These are usually constructed ‘Tiki’ style, with a thatched roof made of woods and leaves.
- Contemporary Beach Hut – Contemporary beach huts can be almost anything you want! You can simply build an ordinary holiday house or you can employ an architect to create something ultra sleek, like the innovative sand hut, where you can customise your structure by removing sand from inside the wall channels.
Beach Hut Size
First and foremost, you’ll need to decide how big you want your beach hut to be. Consider how much land you have and ask yourself how many people will be using your beach hut at any one time. Is it meant to be a family hut where you can take your three kids? Or is it more a couples’ retreat? Do you want lots of separate rooms or will it be more of an open-style plan? Once again, think about how big your family is – and how much time you’re going to be spending in your hut.
Beach Hut Materials
Depending on where your special spot is – and the associated weather conditions here – you will need to choose a beach hut that’s going to feel luxurious but that’s still going to withstand any adverse weather conditions. Remember, building a beach hut is like building any new home, so you’ll need to do your research and chat to a builder about what materials are going to work best (you’ll definitely need to choose something that withstands rust and corrosion) and whether you need to elevate your beach hut to escape any floods. Don’t forget to check out any council regulations, too.
Flat Packed Huts
If you’re intent on doing-it-yourself, flat packed beach huts are a great way to go. You simply order online and on your hut shows up in a box, ready to be assembled! This is great if you are keen on the ‘classic hut’ or the ‘island’ style hut. If you require plumbing and electricity, though, you’ll need to consult a builder as well.
If you prefer having more of larger, holiday house as your “beach hut” a kit home is a great idea. This is again a pre-packed home that you can either assemble yourself or hire a contractor to do for you (or a combination of both). The beauty of kit homes it that they can be bought as is or customised as much as you wish, meaning you can even design your home from scratch and personalise it completely to your needs.
Securing Your Beach Hut
Don’t forget that a beach hut – like any home – also needs to be 100% secure. If you’ve got kids, you will definitely want to secure your hut and keep your family safe. Things like security doors and windows can be essential and an alarm system might be useful too, particularly if your hut is going to be left unoccupied for long periods of time. Don’t forget that you can always build a fence around your hut, too, assuming you’ve got enough land!
Decorating Your Beach Hut
Of course, the overall look and design of your beach hut is important too! Do you want something that looks as if it belongs by the beach? Or do you want a more country style home, with the benefit of water views? Whatever you choose, decorate your beach hut to suit its style, with matching colours and themes. A classic hut, for instance, might have a nautical theme or a funky surf theme, whereas if you went for the island style, tropical themes with lots of flower decorations could work well. If you purchased a contemporary home or hut, keep it sleek with minimal, modern furniture and shining, silver appliances.
