5 best garden igloos so you can make the most of your outdoor space year round

If there's one thing I've learned over the past few years - especially during the era of the dreaded pandemic lockdowns - is that it's absolutely essential to optimise and utilise every inch of space in our homes. Whether that means setting up a patio heater in your outdoor space so it can be used year round, or creating a functional home office, even if it's in a tiny corner that's also used for a million other purposes.

And if you have a garden, it's likely you've turned your attention to it for spring for 2024, tending to your plants, organising and sweeping your patio and giving your garden furniture a facelift. But there's another trend to consider: creating an outdoor living space in your garden, regardless of the weather – and that's where a garden igloo – you may have also heard them called "garden pods" or "domes"– comes in.

According to experts at Furniturebox, Google trends this year demonstrate that UK search demand for the term ‘garden living room’ is up +7300% and ‘outdoor living room’ is up +6000% - reflecting that people are wanting to create usable exterior living spaces in 2024.    

Home styling expert and Furniturebox Product Development Lead Laura Rich commented on the findings, saying, "The data shows the UK public are already looking to revamp their outdoor spaces. Extending our liveable space by creating garden living rooms makes our homes feel much bigger, which is ideal when the cost of living crisis and housing prices stop many of us from upgrading to larger homes. 

"Given our more frequent humid heatwaves, outdoor living through the warmer months helps us stay cooler, but those same spaces can be cosied up for cooler or wet-weather al fresco entertaining too."

Of course, with the unpredictable (or maybe TOO predictable) rainy and chilly spring weather, the next question is, where can we all going to 'cosy up' to stay warm and dry on wet or cold evenings? Well, a garden igloo is the perfect solution, with both fixed options or pop-up styles, so you can either keep the transparent pod up year round or just set it up for special occasions.  

What can you use a garden igloo for?

Garden igloos have become a trending must-have for your garden over the past few years, and it's not just a striking outdoor conversation piece. 

With summer just around the corner, you can use your igloo for:

• Social gatherings or as a restaurant-inspired spot for dining;
• A conservatory with 360 garden views as you relax;
• An all-weather play area for your children;
• A WFH office so you can get some fresh air while you work.

You can decorate your garden igloo with fairy lights, give it texture with throw blankets or indoor-outdoor rugs, and furnish it with garden furniture or create a chillout space with beanbag style chairs. 

We've curated the best igloos to upgrade your garden for 2024, all you need to do is click to shop… and enjoy your new space.  

How I chose the best garden igloos

• Size: Depending on the size of your garden and your needs, you may need a simple, small pop up or a true garden home away from home - so you'll find those and everything in between, with capacity ranging from four people up to 16.
• Price Point: Everyone has a different budget so I've included smaller spends, from around £200 all the way to major investments of around £20k, and even an option to rent.
• Trusted brands and retailers: All of the igloos in this edit are from reliable brands with good track records, and are available from retailers that HELLO! readers have shopped and loved in the past. Solid ratings and reviews from verified shoppers have been taken into consideration, too.

Shop garden igloos of 2024

A year-round garden space you can use every season is just a click away...