Rotating Summer Houses

A rotating summer house is fitted with a wheeled base that is installed at the point of construction. Stylish handles placed on the summer house walls enable you to gently turn the entire building on its axis around 360 degrees. The rotating base is hidden from view behind timber skirting, so nobody knows it is there but you. An ingenious mechanism invented by the Victorians, and favoured by 20^th century writers including George Bernard Shaw, summer houses have been revolving in our gardens for over 150 years.

You might decide to choose a garden building with a revolving base if you:

• have a large garden and want to be able to see every aspect of your planting at various times during the year.
• envisage using your summer house for hobbies which need bright daylight.
• are a sun worshipper who always wants to follow the light and get your fix of Vitamin D.
• yearn to watch wildlife from the comfort of your garden building.
• are keen to make the most of a great view from the top of your garden.
• see yourself using a summer house in the cooler months and want to be able to turn away from the oncoming wind.
• want to surprise and delight your visitors and guests with this ingenious unexpected feature.

One of the main benefits of choosing a rotating base for your summer house is to extend its usability all year round. The position of the sun and the direction of the wind changes according to the seasons. You can follow the light as it moves across your garden with a simple turn of the summer house handles. Choosing a rotating summer house opens up the possibilities for your garden building enjoyment because you can enjoy a fresh view every day.

In the spring and summer, you may wish to orientate your summer house towards your patio or decking when you’re entertaining friends or family. In the autumn and winter, you might prefer to change your perspective to take in a dramatic seascape or rugged country outlook. If you have a large garden, you don’t have to decide which segment will appear in your summer house windows until the flowers are in bloom.

Our rotating base mechanism is extremely sophisticated, and its nylon wheels ensure that it always runs smoothly. It is easy to turn the entire building with minimal effort using handles strategically placed on the outside of the garden building. The base is weighted to ensure that the summer house will not move on its own. In the Scotts range, the decorative handles are made in the same metal used for the window and door furniture on your chosen summer house model.

Summer houses and garden buildings of all sizes require a firm base constructed on a level surface to promote their stability and longevity. You will need to obtain the base plan for your choice of summer house from Scotts before the base is constructed to ensure that the size and dimensions are appropriate.

Alternatively, Scotts offer an innovative ad convenient ground screw base that will provide the perfect support your rotating summer house on an uneven surface. Find out more about our ground screw base here.

Your summer house can be installed anywhere in your garden. Below we look at some of the factors you should consider before making your decision. Think about whether you would like your summer house to be:

• Located to face the direction of the sun or placed in the shade
• Situated in the middle of your garden or in a space-saving corner
  All Scotts’ standard summer houses are over 2.5m in height so they must be installed at least 2m from your boundary to comply with planning regulations. Full details are available here.
• Facing the garden or your home
  The Scotts rotating base can be selected as an optional extra to allow you more flexibility. Turn your summer house to face the sun or change your vista as required. The rotating based can be fitted to the Balmoral, Baltimore or 2.4m Burghley summer house models.
• Fitted with a convenient power supply.

Our rotating base mechanism is extremely sophisticated, and its nylon wheels ensure that it always runs smoothly. It is easy to turn the entire building with minimal effort using handles strategically placed on the outside of the garden building. The base is weighted to ensure that the summer house will not move on its own. In the Scotts range, the decorative handles are made in the same metal used for the window and door furniture on your chosen summer house model.

Our luxury summer house range can be enhanced with a variety of optional accessories as required. You can personalise your rotating summer house with a range of:

• colour finishes
• fabric styles and seating
• roof materials.

In addition, you can select from a number of innovative features including:

• rotating base
• padded lounger insert
• shelf feature
• tongue and groove effect lining
• floor covering
• leaded glass
• underlining to roof
• double glazing and insulation
• solar lighting.

Technically any size of garden building could be fitted with a rotating base (just ask about our bespoke service and we will create a summer house to meet your precise specification). Scotts offers three standard rotating base models which range from 2m to 2.4m in size.

• The Balmoral – with a unique door and window shutter system that can be removed and stored on convenient brackets.
• The Baltimore – the rotating base is hidden behind painted timber skirting to hide the mechanism from view.
• The Burghley – the largest in our octagonal summer house range, this spacious garden building is ideal for entertaining.

Once your summer house has been installed, you will be free to add your own comfortable furniture or take advantage of the modular seating system specially designed by Scotts to fit the octagonal walls maximising the useable space. Seats are crafted in timber and painted the same shade as your garden building exterior. The sections fit together and can be moved around for your convenience. They also include handy storage under the lidded seats. To make your summer house even more inviting choose from a range of luxurious upholstery options in fabrics to complement your choice of décor.

We’ve been inspired by our rotating base to find useful revolving items for you to use inside. A simple online search will help you to find rotating organisers for small items you may wish to keep inside your summer house or a set of rounded shelves on wheels for easy access to everything you might need without returning to the house.

Serve up afternoon tea on a lazy Susan with a splendid revolving cake stand so that everyone can reach a slice with ease. Entertain your guests with a vinyl record turntable. Scotts offers a handy bay shelf feature where you can display your favourite objet d’art on a rotating platform.  If you would like to see a rotating summer house in action, please get in touch to find out about our showroom locations. We have partners and customers based all over the UK who will be only too happy to show you how the mechanism works and tell you why they are delighted with their rotating garden building.

For guidelines and advice on maintaining your building throughout its lifespan, take a look at the Scotts summer house maintenance manual we provide at the time of sale. If you require a replacement copy, please email a request to gazebos@scottsofthrapston.co.uk

To assist your decision-making, why not visit our stunning summer house show site at Thrapston which is open from Monday to Friday (9am to 5pm, excluding Bank Holidays)? We organise several open days at the show site throughout the year. In addition, our summer houses can be seen on display all year round at selected garden centres across the country. Find out where you can view a Scotts summer house here.

Not yet found what you were looking for? Contact our dedicated sales team on 01832 732366 or email gazebos@scottsofthrapston.co.uk and we will be in touch.