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Garden bars are booming in the UK as more people turn their sheds and outdoor spaces into personal pubs. If you’re giving this some thought, take inspiration from these ideas and see how our customers have set theirs up. Every layout below is built around a real customer photo of a finished BillyOh build, so every idea you see is genuinely achievable in your garden. Ready?
Traditional Pub-Style Interior
You can never go wrong with a traditional interior. It’s simple and, in a way, timeless, as many still lean towards this concept. Dark timber stain, a matching timber counter, and wall-mounted shelves to display a variety of drinks. That’s exactly how Rebecca, one of our customers, did hers.
The classic, moody atmosphere was achieved thanks to the dark wood stain on the internal walls. Positioning the counter in the corner maximised the floor space. Although the barrel stools are just painted decorations, why not add real ones to yours?
They also installed wall-mounted spirit dispensers and floating shelves for bottles on the counter surface. Despite the traditional look, they integrated electricity for a wall-mounted TV and overhead lighting. A must for watching sports or hosting evening get-togethers.
Can you see how this could look in your garden bar? Finish it with personal touches to make it uniquely yours.
Modern and Compact Bar Shed
Where there’s a traditional style, there’s also a modern one. This setup shifts away from the rustic look toward a ‘straightforward’ aesthetic. Neutral colour palettes (e.g., greys, blues, or whites), sleek furniture and appliances, and most importantly, technology find a place here.
In this shared photo, Clark used a bold navy blue accent wall with vertical slat panelling. This visually separates the bar zone from the rest of the garden room.
The highlight is the fridge with a glass door fitted into the bar counter. If you’re thinking of doing the same thing, leave a small ventilation gap at the rear and sides. Refrigerators kick out heat; without airflow, the compressor can overheat.
On the left, you’ll also see a wood-burning stove. It’s worth adding, as it makes the bar usable in colder months like October and winter. Set it up the right way using this guide on installing a wood burner in a shed.
Pair it with a heavy door curtain or draught excluder for October evenings, when the temperature drops fast once the sun goes down. The stove holds heat far longer when the cold air can’t sneak under the door.
A note on size, if you’re building a bar like Clark’s but want room to actually sit and relax behind it: a fitted bar counter takes around 60-100cm of depth, and you’ll want roughly another metre behind it for the bartender to move around and for stools to sit at. That’s already 1.6m gone before any sofa space.
For a counter plus a small lounge area, we’d point most customers at the BillyOh Fraya Pent Log Cabin at 5.0m x 3.0m or larger, or the BillyOh Winchester Log Cabin in the same footprint. That depth gives you the bar zone plus another ~1.4m for an armchair or two-seater along the opposite wall.
Bar and Outdoor Games Combo
This is one of our favourite customer photos – an extended bar that doubles the social space without needing a larger building. It’s a clever workaround we see a lot: rather than buy a bigger cabin to fit a pool table indoors, this customer used the cabin as the bar and pushed the games zone outside onto the deck.
To achieve something like this, timber decking helps. Set up the garden bar on it and place the pool table on the other side.
You’ll also want to add a covered zone, such as this overhanging roof, to keep the games going even in a drizzle. It adds a sheltered spot, even when that area is literally outdoors.
Make some space for extra seating, such as armchairs, for guests not playing pool. Then add a slim, space-saving counter as a secondary bar, paired with simple stools. Keep everything minimal so the room stays open.
Tip: Start with a small garden room on an extended timber deck.
Match-Day Man Cave Pub
The sports lounge, or match-day man cave, as we call it, is for you if you want a room for sports but don’t want to lose floor space to a bar-only setup.
Take a look at how our customer, Ian Miller, has traded a permanent bar for a more flexible high-top table and sofa combo.
By using a large L-shaped sofa and a separate high-top table with stools, the room can comfortably seat six or seven people. You can also see a small drinks fridge tucked into the corner. It doesn’t take up much room but ensures that cold drinks are available.
The large TV in the middle is mounted high enough on the wall so everyone can watch the game. The framed football jerseys along the back wall are just one of the ways to bring this sports bar setup together.
We have more inspiration for you to check out:
The “After Hours” Bar Cabin
Treat yourself to a private late-night lounge, or even a mid-day lounge, whenever you wish. For this theme, use a high-contrast white and dark grey colour palette. White for the walls and something dark for the furniture. Neon accents are also fun to add to create an exclusive, high-end vibe at night.
There’s no need to clutter the floor with extra stools or bulky furniture, either. But we recommend seasonal decorations for a bit of flair, depending on your mood.
For instance, hang colourful bunting, just like our customer did, with a matching skull accessory on the wall shelf. It’s a setup we’ve seen customers redress two or three times a year. Once they’ve nailed the white-and-dark base, refreshing the look is just a matter of swapping the textiles. Just as this setup works for a summer fiesta, swap the bunting for warm autumn garlands or festive greenery in winter.
Corner Summer House Pub
Got a small garden? Corner summer houses are some of the best options for space saving, partly because of the sheared-off corner design. Not only does this enable you to place this in the corner (but not too snugly – it needs airflow around all sides), but they have windows on 2 sides to give you a great multi-angled view of the garden while you’re enjoying your drinks.
The counter works as a standing desk, a serving hatch, and a viewing platform all in one. Due to the limited space inside, this customer extended the floor area with a small front deck — a move we see often with the Picton, since the diagonal entrance pairs well with a low platform out front. Here, the dartboard is mounted on the external fence. The LED strips also create a fishbowl effect that looks impressive from the house and looks cool at night.
How to Get More Out of Your Garden Bar Year-Round
Insulation is part of it, but not in a heavy construction sense. Even a basic setup can make the space stay in use longer into the year.
For instance, line the internal walls with foil-backed foam boards or rockwool and finish with plywood or tongue-and-groove cladding. Here’s a guide on how to insulate a log cabin to get started.
The same goes for heating. A plug-in heater or infrared panel is enough, depending on how you’re using the space and how much time you spend in it. Check out these garden room heating ideas to find which suits your needs best.
Electric underfloor heating is also worth considering. Say, you’re installing a laminate floor, lay thin heating mats underneath. But if you aren’t ready to insulate, a thick, heavy-duty rug makes a massive difference in heat retention through the floor.
Investing in an insulated garden room saves you the trouble of fitting insulation yourself. But you can still add extra heating as needed to make your stay comfortable.
Keeping It Useable in October (and Beyond)
October is the month most garden bars start gathering dust. The evenings get dark by 6pm, the nights drop close to freezing, and the bar suddenly feels less inviting than the kitchen. Customers who actually use their bars through autumn tend to do a few small things rather than one big one:
Switch to warm lighting. Replace cool-white bulbs with 2700K warm white, run festoon lights along the eaves, and add a couple of candles or storm lanterns. Cold blue light makes a 14°C bar feel colder than it is.
Block the draughts. A heavy curtain across the door, foam strips around the frame, and a draught excluder along the threshold will hold heat far longer than any heater can pump it in.
Add a 2kW plug-in heater on a timer. Set it to come on 30 minutes before guests arrive. An oil-filled radiator or a far-infrared panel both work well in a 28mm cabin; a wood burner is the upgrade if you’re using the bar most weekends.
Layer the floor. A thick rug over the laminate is the cheapest insulation upgrade in the building. Cold floors are what people actually feel.
Switch the menu. A small kettle on the back counter for hot toddies, mulled cider or Irish coffees gives people a reason to linger. Throws over the seating helps too.
Stack two or three of these, and a 28mm log cabin will hold a comfortable temperature on a 10°C October evening with no other changes to the building itself.
FAQ
What size shed do I need for a garden bar?
At least 8×6 feet is a good rule of thumb for a minimum size if the bar is the only thing in the room. For a fitted bar counter with stools out front, working clearance behind, and a sofa or armchair area to actually sit and relax in, look at 5.0m x 3.0m or larger.
The BillyOh Fraya and BillyOh Winchester both come in this footprint and give you roughly 2m for the bar zone with another 1.5m+ for relaxing. Of course, it depends on how else you want to use the space. We’ve explored the possibilities of more options here: What size of shed or cabin for a garden pub?
How do I make a pub shed weatherproof?
Keep the wood in good condition. Pressure-treated timber helps and is the lower-maintenance option. You don’t need to paint or stain it annually, but a re-stain or wood-oil coat every two to three years keeps the colour and weather-seal sharp.
Don’t put the shed right against a wall or fence. Otherwise, it stops airflow and lets moisture build up, which makes maintenance harder.
Do I need planning permission for a garden bar?
In most cases, no. Garden bars fall under permitted development rights as long as the building meets all of the following:
- It’s single-storey
- The eaves are no higher than 2.5m
- The overall height is no more than 4m for a dual-pitched roof or 3m for a flat or pent roof
- If it’s within 2 metres of any boundary, the entire structure stays under 2.5m in height
- It’s not built forward of the principal elevation (the wall of the house facing the road)
- All outbuildings combined don’t cover more than 50% of the land around the original house
If your design pushes any of these limits, or if you’re in a conservation area, listed building, or under an Article 4 direction, check with your local planning authority before ordering.
We have more details in this guide to garden room planning permission.
