Those of who follow our website and Facebook page may have guessed by now that we have a fondness for Gazebos. We keep featuring them and never get tired of them. While some people may find this strange, I have always felt that this is the one feature that is cheap to build and maintain and adds tremendous value to homes. As such, I felt we should do an article on why a Gazebo or Thai style Sala is a great addition to any vacation home as well as some of the things to keep in mind when building one.
[wzslider]
Firstly, why do I feel they are a great addition to the home:-
1. They are cheap to build. Really a Gazebo or Sala is nothing but a few pillars with a roof and flooring. It can even be covered with a thatched roof and is really inexpensive to construct.
2. It costs next to nothing to maintain. The only significant maintenance components are a regular coat of paint every now and then and maybe fixing the roof if required.
3. They allow you to really enjoy nature at its best. The reason we buy a vacation home or have guests visiting our holiday homes is that they really want to enjoy nature. Somehow that experience gets lost if we are sitting in the living room and watching satellite TV. I think there is nothing better that sitting outdoors in the evening, listening to the sounds of nature, watching the sun going down and having a great drink and food with good friends.
So what are some of the things I would recommend keeping in mind when building a gazebo or adding a gazebo to your property. Here are my top tips:-
1. Keep the gazebo at some distance from your property. Not too far but yet not too close. This allows it to be private and cosy while still allowing food and drink to be brought in easily.
2. Provision for Mosquito nets – This is my top tip. Unfortunately in Asia, esp in places with dense foliage like gardens, farms and plantations there is just no way you can avoid mosquitos. It is wise to have netting that can be lowered when required.
3. Provision for a spacious gazebo – Typically with some seating space and a small bar counter and food serving table. While many of us provision for seating, quite a few forget that there has to be a table as well as a service area.
4. Ensure that cushions are removable. Due to harsh weather it is quite difficult to have sofas etc. in the Gazebo. my recommendation is to have sturdy outdoor furniture that is hardy and to have cushions that are brought out whenever there are guests.
5. Ensure ample lighting and a plug point or two. This is always useful. Another good idea is to string multiple bulbs in a christmas light fashion. It glams up the gazebo and gives a festive feel for the evening.
6. Safe flooring – Remember because the Gazebo is usually outdoors, by the pool etc. the path to the Gazebo should be paved with safety tiles ensuring good grip esp. in days when it is raining or else if there is any organic material on the path.
I hope you enjoy these tips. Please feel free to send in your comments on this article as well as photos of your own Gazebo experiments. I have put up some pictures of nice Gazebos illustrating some of the concepts in this article. Hope you enjoy them.
To get more information & assistance, please submit the form below and our specialist will get in touch with you at the earliest.
