Living in a beautiful, traditional-looking country cottage is the dream of many Britons. We love beams, flagstone flooring, butler sinks, and exposed brick.
Classic cottages are cosy homes in which to curl up by the fireplace with a good book and a cup of tea. They are typically surrounded by a glorious garden, allowing you to enjoy the peace and quiet of a rural area to the fullest.
Many country cottages do not feature a garage on the property, though. This means you need to keep your car in the driveway, exposed to the elements. Intense sun, snow, heavy rain, and hail can damage the bodywork of your vehicle. Building a garage is the best solution to protect it.
Modern garages would clash with the aesthetics of a traditional house and the surrounding area. A timber frame garage, on the other hand, would complement the wild flowers, wooden benches, and driveway perfectly.
When it comes to choosing a garage to match a country cottage, there are only two options: a wooden garage or a barn style garage. In this article, we look at both in detail.
Timber garages are robust and attractive outbuildings which can accommodate anywhere between one and eight cars. They have four walls and a gable roof. Access is provided by double doors and a personal door.
The key advantage of a wooden garage is the added security it provides to your vehicle(s), as you can easily add a heavy-duty lock to the double doors. No one will be able to see what is inside the garage. It is also an extremely versatile building, which you can easily convert into an office, gym, workshop, games room, and more.
Chart Garages wooden garages are made of high quality FSC/PEFC certified pressure-treated timber and are designed to last for decades. You can tailor the design to your requirements, adding doors, windows, and up to fifteen bays. Choose between Onduline, Odunvilla, Tapco Slate, cedar shingles, and clay and slate tiles for the roof.
A barn style garage, also called a carriage house or car barn, is a timber framed garage with an enclosed bay and one or more open bays.
These are truly traditional garages - in the 18th century the open bay was used to store horse-drawn carriages, while the enclosed bay would host the carriage’s driver. This is why they were originally referred to as coach houses.
Nowadays a car barn comprises an enclosed bay, which you can use for storage, a gym, or a workshop, and one or more open bays in which to park your vehicles. It looks as timeless as a cottage and fits seamlessly in a rural setting.
If you want to build a garage that matches the character of your country cottage, and possibly of your classic car, a carriage house is the perfect solution.
Chart Garages carriage houses are made from long-lasting FSC/PEFC certified pressure treated European softwood and timber. Each car barn is built to order, so it is specifically designed to suit your needs. For example, you may want to add a log store, walls, or insulation to your plan.
Pick between windows, personal doors, and flooring among our extras. Roofing material choices include Onduline, Odunvilla, Tapco Slate, cedar shingles, and clay and slate tiles. Our Chester range features an oak frame, which is perfect for those who like a premium finish.
All Chart Garages timber buildings can be ordered to be installed by our team or DIY - this saves you 20%. Book an appointment at our showsite in Kent to take a look at our outbuildings, so you can compare a timber garage with a carriage house.
