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Garden room ideas (and everything you need to know about building them)
On a recent project we spent ages deliberating over garden room ideas and where to put the new structure, before realising that the best place for it was as actually just as an extension to the house. On another, the client wanted to maximise the huge garden, but then added a studio and extended the house - so that there was little left in the way of green space.
I relay these anecdotes here purely because I think we have all got caught up in the idea of maximising the square footage of our properties; putting studios, saunas, orangeries, posh sheds and so on in even the tiniest of spaces.
While many of us now work from home this is of course useful, but as a garden designer I would always suggest to clients that they really consider what they’re losing in terms of garden before committing to putting a studio in. Putting in a green roof, an air source heat pump and collecting rainwater that runs off your garden room are all ways to give a little back if you do go ahead and install one.
That said, when you have decided that you need one, there are some wonderful options from off the shelf suppliers and also opportunities to embrace your local vernacular with a more bespoke design. Here are some questions I always work through with my clients when deciding what sort of outdoor room is right for them.
Write a brief
This applies to every part of a garden redesign, of course, but I think is especially useful for a big commitment like a new building.
Write a list of what you want from the building; will it be for year round use? Do you want to be able to dine in it? If so, how many people does it need to fit? Will it be a gym, office space, kids area or yoga studio? And do you want to make it flexible so you can use it for different purposes, for example when your children are older and no longer need it?
Also, don’t write off the building being multipurpose. On a project in Surrey we’ve chosen a greenhouse that is big enough to act as an informal eating area too, when the weather is wet or a bit cool outside. I love the idea of eating surrounded by pots of herbs and growing plants - on a grey, drizzly day, what better way to still enjoy your garden?
Boring but important: planning permission, building regulations and access
Your brief will help dictate not just the size of the building you need but the fittings you require; if you want to have heating, running water, the extent of the lighting and so on. Once you’ve got this information you may want to look into planning permission straight away to see if you need it. Slightly different rules apply in different parts of the UK. A general rule of thumb is that you won't need planning permission for an outbuilding with a maximum eaves height of 2.5 metres and a maximum roof height of four metres with a dual pitched roof. Even so, a structure that might not require planning consent in one set of circumstances might need it in another - for example, if your house is listed, you'll need listed-building consent, and similar strictures can apply in a conservation area or an AONB (Area of Natural Beauty). Whatever you are building, it's always worth consulting your local planning officer first. For England, a good place to start is the government's online Planning Portal, which offers quick and easy advice. The rules are broadly similar in the rest of the UK.
New regulations stipulate that any new builds need to meet certain criteria in terms of keeping heat in, so if you’re thinking of using something with a lot of glass you’ll need to build this into your choices too - either working with an architect or supplier to work out what’s best for you.
Last but not least, think about access. If you live in a terraced house your options are limited; hiring a crane to get something in could work, but at a cost. Most prefabricated buildings (which are generally the less expensive ones) arrive on the back of a lorry; or in large parts that are then assembled on site. More often than not these will not fit through a house.
It's best to choose a garden room that has insulation in the floor, walls and roof - some of the cheaper log-cabin designs don't have wall insulation. Look for the U-value of the wall build-up, which most insulation suppliers will list on their specification. The lower the figure - measured in W/m2 - the more effective the insulation.
Garden rooms generally come pre-wired with a good number of sockets and lighting. Many suppliers will also offer the option of exterior lighting, audio-visual cabling and data cables. One grey area is who is responsible for connecting the room to the mains supply. Some suppliers will include this service in the price, while others ask you to organise and pay for it once the building is finished. Prices will vary depending on the distance of the garden room to the mains supply, but you should allow a budget of up to £1,000. All electrical work must comply with current building regulations.
Not all suppliers include a heating source in their specification, but however well insulated your building is, it's nice to be able to turn on a heater on colder days. Underfloor heating is a popular option, as are air-conditioning units offering heating in winter and cooling in summer. More basic options include wall-mounted electric convector heaters or portable oil-filled radiators.
Buyers are increasingly incorporating loos, showers and kitchenettes in their designs. This can be where planning permission gets more involved. Most bespoke designers will be able to offer customers conventional solutions, which tap into the mains sewerage, or off-grid solutions such as composting toilets. As with any electrical work, the plumbing must also comply with current building regulations, whatever the size of the building.
Where is the best place to put a garden room?
On a recent project we dismantled a fairly new garden shed (installed by the previous owners) and built a new studio on the existing concrete base. This is a nice way to not add to the concrete footprint of your garden (as well, of course, as saving on building materials.)
Built by Phil Gallimore of Alternus Spaces, the studio was placed at the back of the garden, where the shed had been. Had the shed not been there before, I think we still would have put the studio there. It’s surrounded by planting and gives you a real feeling of being in a separate place.
If you’re going for a bespoke option, there are ways of avoiding a concrete base entirely; putting the building on small stilts can help lessen its impact on your garden’s ecosystem, by allowing rain water to fun off into the soil still.
If you’re going to put a building in your garden I’d argue that you don’t really want it to feel just like an extension of your house, but as a separate destination where you can unwind (or buckle down and work, depending on the time of day!) On that note, think about the journey to the room; will you need a windy path that makes you slow down as you walk towards the building, transporting you to a different mental space? Or do you want a straight, easy direct route?
Think about aspect - and how to integrate the room into the existing landscape
If you have a larger garden think more about the light and aspect; if your outdoor building has decking outside then can you position it so you catch the evening sun? Equally if you need to work in it, do you want it to be somewhere that gets lots of light, or some more dappled shade so you aren’t roasted on a hot day?
When it comes to placement, it’s also wise to make sure you have plenty of plants between your house and the outdoor room, to save you from looking in either direction and just seeing more architecture. Hedging, small trees and even just beds of tall perennials can be used here to soften your view.
Next, think about aesthetics
Summerhouses, garden rooms, pergolas with retractable roofs and sides, pool houses, ready made studios, orangeries…there are so many options here and quite a lot of cross over between some of them, which can make things confusing!
For a more classic look an orangery or summerhouse is a good option. John Lewis and Crane Garden Buildings are amongst the best options for budget friendly summerhouses. Both offer reasonably priced options that are well insulated and with just a portable heater can become really snug little rooms you can use year round.
If you are after a greenhouse or conservatory, some of the popular suppliers amongst garden designers are Alitex and Hartley Botanic. For home offices and more of a studio vibe, Wohobo do three brilliant options of modestly sized rooms that they also install for you. All you need is to provide a solid base.
Building a bespoke garden room
However, if you have the time and a bit of creativity, I’d highly recommend looking for an architect or local carpenter/builder to work with. The results can be so rewarding, and leave you with a building that is really sympathetic and suited to its environment.
Phil from Alternus Spaces and I are currently working on another project where we have developed the concept of a Bird Hide; perched on the edge of a nature reserve this discrete building will be covered in cedar shingles and the cladding will be constructed in a way that it can host invertebrates, bats and birds.
Where the exterior is rustic and weathered to help it be camouflaged amongst the surrounding trees, the interiors are clean,modern and simple - in the hope that this will be a haven for wildlife and humans for years to come.
These sorts of designs don’t have to be hugely expensive, but with a little thought you can create something really special that adds to the garden, rather than detracting from it.
www.tjg-gardens.com | @tabijgee_gardendesign
Garden room ideas
Owen Gale1/30At the end of the garden lies Alice Peto's painting studio. ‘I made up the colours and had red stripes painted on the doors by my incredibly patient painter decorator Michael Ledgister.’
Christopher Horwood2/30Catherine Cazalet's house in the Cotswolds as her artist studio is in the garden.
Elsa Young3/30The studio was designed especially for the garden by Maria Speake of Retrouvius, and based around a set of salvaged windows they had in stock. It is a small space, only around 4 metres by 6 metres, and contains a desk at which both Bridget and Henrietta can work, and a daybed at the other end. A simple wooden bench makes up the desk, with a tidy curtain underneath to hide away wires and any other unsightly items. The studio has a simple wooden floor with one very luxurious feature: underfloor heating, which allows the room to be comfortable all year round.
4/30Modulr is the name to know for flexible, eco-friendly garden room, able to be designed to fit any space and function. These stylish structures can be used as home offices, entertainment spaces or even a granny flat at the end of garden. What's more, with no concrete base or need for planning permission, they're easy to install and and move if needed. Win win.
Instagram/Bothy Stores5/30Bothy Project was set up in 2011 to provide places for artists to complete residencies, with three modern timber bothies constructed at different locations around Scotland. Such was the success of the project that in 2017 the organisers of The Bothy Project, artist Bobby Niven and architect Iain MacLeod, set up Bothy Stores in response to a demand for prefabricated bothies along the lines of their artists' retreats. The bothies come in three sizes, starting at 4m x 3m x 3.35m and rising to 7.45m x 3m x 3.85m. They can fulfil a wide range of functions, from a personal studio that could live happily in a back garden, to self-contained accommodation, a community hub in a park, or even commercial uses like a café.
Jan Baldwin6/30Where do great writers go to dream up their best ideas? The garden of Gipsy House, the home of the late Roald Dahl that provided the inspiration for many of his stories, is permeated with that certain Dahlian magic that is so familiar to anyone who has read his work. Planted by Roald and Wally Saunders - a gentle giant of a builder who provided the original inspiration for the BFG - together they laid the paths, planted the limes, and built this magical birdhouse with window ledges lined with 'dream catchers' (for those not familiar with the BFG, those are, of course, the jars that giants catch dreams in).
Home to all five Dahl children, his wife Liccy, who still lives at the property, tells how it was the kind of garden where the children would wake to find their names spelled out in weed killer on the lawn to celebrate a birthday.
Elsewhere in the garden is Dahl's writing hut, which he based on Dylan Thomas's 'word splashed hut' in Laugharne, Wales. Here Roald Dahl would lose himself in his work, writing only in pencil on yellow lined paper - his favourite colour.
Rory Carnegie7/30This studio by architect Charles Morris is where the owner, Lady Anne Field, goes to paint. Its glass walls on both sides allow total immersion with the beauty of the view.
8/30This wooden 'eco' garden room from Westbury Garden Rooms is a great contemporary option for those in an urban area, or with a more modern house. The cedar-clad room is free-standing with a grass roof, and best of all is unlikely to need planning permission. Insulated and equipped with both heating and lighting, it is big enough to be used as a study, a games room, or even a guest lodge if you are unable to extend your house.
Elsa Young9/30Resisting the idea of moving or expanding into the basement, the owners of this London house gave architect Maria Speake the go-ahead to make some structural changes to give their family and business the space needed. Henrietta Courtauld is one half of the Land Gardeners, the duo run their cut flower business from Wardington Manor in Oxfordshire.
Henrietta's garden shed is also her studio. Yew balls surround the main bed, which is planted with vegetables, Melianthus major and Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle'.
Will Pryce10/30A converted barn in the Sussex South Downs is lived in by sculptor Hamish Black and his entire family. Liam, who is a music producer and composer, in the recording studio; it was designed by Keir as a relocatable building in which his parents lived during the renovation of the barn.
Marianne Majerus11/30This large garden room in south-east London was designed by Charles Barclay and can double up as a guest room. It marks the divide between the main garden and the woodland area to the rear, but the sliding glass doors ensure the full view is not interrupted.
12/30Located discreetly behind Katharine Pooley's family home in Oxfordshire is a thoroughly stylish shepherd's hut. 'It's a great place to come to for inspiration or to relax,' says the Top 100 designer, who describes her garden room as 'the epitome of elegant camping'.
13/30This project, designing a shepherd's hut, was not without its challenges. 'The biggest hurdle was the special planning due to the tight dimensions,' says Top 100 designer Katharine Pooley. She decided to take on the task 'with the same approach as any other project' and created a space that would suit playing children and adults seeking a relaxing retreat alike.
Hand-printed fabric walling and selected antiques add character to the hut, which has a different design scheme to the main house. 'Complete with a sweet kitchen, wood-burning stove, artisan-fitted furniture and a bespoke bed, it has the perfect feeling of cosiness.'
14/30A muted colour scheme was chosen by Top 100 designer Katharine Pooley for her stylish shepherd's hut due to its limited space. Metallic accents were added with bronze- and copper-toned accessories. 'To finish the look, I used sisal carpet that was seamless and had a country feeling, complementing the choice of fabrics throughout the hut.'
Wai Ming Ng15/30This alluring writer's shed in Hackney, east London, was designed by Surman Weston architects for a client who loves children's literature and mythology. Partner Percy Weston explains that it 'was conceived as a haven in the city; a fairy-tale hut at the bottom of the garden, where the client could retreat and immerse himself in his work. The back-lit cedar façade, shingle cladding, log store and wood-burning stove were all intended to play a part in creating this world. The offset pitch of the roof allowed for a large north-facing skylight; flooding the workspace with natural light.' At 3.8 x 4.5 x 4.2 metres, it would not have needed planning permission if it had not been so close to the neighbour's boundaries.
020-7635 6554; surmanweston.com
Taken from the May 2015 issue of House & Garden.
Wai Ming Ng16/30A wood-burning stove surrounded by bookshelves heats this writer's shed. Irregular shelving allows space for a sink, while another 'compartment' is a window that provides more natural light.
Wai Ming Ng17/30The writer's shed in Hackney at night, lighting up the end of the garden thanks to its backlit shingle cladding.
Taken from the May 2015 issue of House & Garden.
Alexander James18/30Located at the bottom of the garden of a Notting Hill villa designed by Amanda Hornby is this ‘shed’, which functions as a place to watch movies and listen to music.
19/30Having been granted planning permission for a building on the plot, TV presenter George Lamb commissioned Maria Speake of architectural salvage company Retrouvius to construct a cabin at the end of his garden that would function as a guest room. Rather more luxurious than your average shed, the space is kitted out with underfloor heating, triple skylights and a bathroom. See inside here.
20/30We discovered this Nordic-inspired garden via The List - House & Garden's online directory (find out more here). The area was designed by Victoria Wade Landscapes to evoke an idyllic family holiday in Norway, complete with groups of birch trees, a turf-domed pavilion inspired by the local vernacular and granite setts reminiscent of Bergen's cobbled streets. Transplanted to Cardiff, it is a cosy retreat from the wild Welsh weather.
21/30Designer Sir Paul Smith requested not just a shed from bespoke furniture designer Nathalie de Leval, but 'my Shed', when the two were brought together for the London Design Festival's Wish List exhibition, where emerging designers created something to order by more established design maestros.
A room that would be perched overlooking an amazing view in the grounds of his house, with glazed Crittal windows, measuring 3 x 3m (the same size as his first shop in Nottingham), where he would have room for a chair and a radio. Inspired by the shed of writer George Bernard Shaw, he requested 'somewhere I can go to really to switch off, somewhere to relax. In today's world where everyone is so busy, I think this is really important and very needed.'
This shed is just a single room, a 'room of own's own'. Furnished in a restrained but not an austere way, it isn't a monastic cell. Rather, the honey-coloured wood, upholstered and padded seating, the cheeky pop of cheering red and even the slightly kitsch floral oil painting on the wall give the space some real charm and warmth.
Did we mention this room actually pivots? There's a mechanism that allows it to rotate and follow the sun. The stuff of dreams.
Elsa Young22/30In Segera, the Kenyan retreat and eco lodge belonging to businessman and entrepreneur Jochen Zeitz, an old stable block has been converted in to a gallery space complete with bar. Zebra, elephants and giraffes are often seen roaming through the grounds.
Taken from the February 2014 issue of House & Garden.
23/30The 'Camargue' outdoor room from Garden House Design can be closed off on both sides with wind-resistant screens or glass sliding walls. It could also be installed to cover a terrace to keep out the elements on summer evenings.
HSP Garden Buildings24/30This pretty summer house from HSP Garden Buildings is the perfect space to create a quiet home away from home. An insulated option is available, enabling year-round use.
25/30The unique garden buildings from Grainstore are built onto wooden staddle stones, meaning that they are ideal for uneven parts of the garden. Made from sustainable timber and painted a traditional black, the summerhouses and pavilions have a cream-painted interior - or can be custom-painted.
Sizes and specifications are bespoke, but as a guideline a 2.3 x 1.8 metre summerhouse with a standard black exterior and cream-painted interior is £7,500, including delivery and construction.
Taken from the June 2014 issue of House & Garden. Additional text: Clare Foster.
Elsa Young26/30Don't have a garden? Create a garden room inside. The basement of this eighteenth-century house in Spitalfields has been transformed into a bright kitchen, dining and sitting space, complete with a 'living' wall in the sitting area with the help of Chris Dyson Architects. The 'living' wall extends above a retractable glass roof which floods the vibrantly white family room with sunlight.
Taken from the October 2011 issue of House & Garden. Additional text: Nicole Swengley.
Lucas Allen27/30The screened porch is typical of traditional 'Shingle'-style houses. It is a place to sit and be cooled by cross breezes in the summer, the folding, louvred shutters acting as sunshades. Located on a plot of farmland on the Atlantic coast of Long Island, interior designer Veere Grenney masterminded this barn-style holiday house with Manhattan architects Leroy Street Studio.
28/30Extend your outdoor entertaining space with a rusted-iron gazebo from Room in the Garden. Available in various sizes, these elegant pavilions can either be left open as a structure for climbing plants, or lined with canvas in a choice of 38 colours.
The 'Hexagonal Gazebo' measures 348 x 222 x 199cm and costs £3,950, plus delivery from A Room in the Garden. Canvas liners are available separately.
Simon Brown29/30In the grounds of the Hunting Lodge in Hampshire, formerly owned by Nicky Haslam and currently being renovated by Francis Sultana, sits this summer house, installed by previous occupant John Fowler. The summer house is framed by a pleached-hornbeam hedge and is underplanted with shade-loving ferns.
Jorge Torres30/30The Bunkie Co. offers one of the smartest flat-pack structures we have seen. The company is based in Canada, but because the design is in flat-pack form, it can be shipped around the world. We particularly like the 'Premier' model, which is shaped like a cut-out house and was developed to require no building permit - though it might require planning consent in some UK contexts. It costs from £26,900.
Above is a rendering of The Bunkie's 'Premier', with two glass walls.
