Crane Summerhouse of the Season 2026 Winner

This spring marked the launch of our very first Summerhouse of the Season competition, created especially for Crane summerhouse owners to share the ways they use and enjoy their buildings.

Following the success of our Shed of the Season competition in September 2025, we were thrilled to see an even bigger response to our summerhouse competition, with entries coming in from across the UK.

From a summerhouse used to display a treasured motorbike from a customer’s teenage years, to a peaceful writing retreat where an entrant is finishing a book due to be published later this year, every submission offered something personal and unique.

Our panel of judges compiled their top picks, from which our company partner James Crane personally selected the winning entry. Our congratulations to Chris and Moira Carter from Hindhead, Surrey - our Summerhouse of the Season winners!

When Chris and Moira moved into their new-build home in 2019, the garden was little more than a blank canvas. Over the following years, they lovingly transformed the space into a characterful retreat centred around not one, but two Crane buildings.

After visiting our Cranleigh show site, the couple quickly knew they had found exactly what they were looking for. The summerhouse and accompanying shed were installed in 2020 and painted in matching colours. Today, they sit perfectly within the landscaped garden. Chris uses the shed as his workshop and “man cave”, where he restores classic cars, while the summerhouse has become a peaceful haven for Moira to relax with a coffee and a good book.

The couple’s garden is filled with thoughtful touches, including an orchard area that attracts butterflies and wildlife, colourful rockeries, sunny breakfast spots and cosy corners for evening gin and tonics.

Inside the summerhouse, personal treasures collected during Chris’ travels to India create a wonderfully warm and welcoming atmosphere, complete with Indian rugs, wicker furniture and keepsakes gathered over many years.

“It’s become such a lovely space to escape to,” said Moira. “It’s wonderful for spending time together or with the grandchildren. Even when the weather isn’t brilliant, we still use it all the time.”

What we loved most about Chris and Moira’s entry was the beautifully framed exterior shots, and the endearing use of their summerhouse as a 'treasure trove' for authentic keepsakes collected over 70+ trips to India.

The couple were also thrilled to finally take home the title after entering one of our previous competitions last year.

“We were disappointed not to win last year, so this feels extra special,” Moira said. “The plaque is now sitting proudly on the table, and we’ll definitely be enjoying a celebratory glass of wine in the summerhouse this evening.”

A huge thank you again to everyone who entered this year’s competition. We genuinely loved seeing how our customers have made their Crane buildings their own, and every entry brought something unique and inspiring.

We can’t wait to see even more incredible spaces next time around.