Cabinet chair

All shedworkers need to make the most of their limited space. Here's a great way of doing just that by doubling (tripling?) up on chair, desk and shelving. The Cabinet chair from ontwerpers is made of wood and metal and measures 82 x 193 x 222 cm. Here's what they say about it:

Have you just managed to think out of the box? Get back in and Google the world! The first Cabinet Chair was designed for the lobby of a hotel. Guests can have a look at brochures and books in this chair. Moreover, it is possible to use the internet with a build in monitor and keyboard. It’s the perfect information desk with a twist. In libraries, flexible working places, a waiting room or at home it can be a beautiful eye catcher too.

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Ear chair

What would happen if a piece of furniture were also a room? That's the question that office design specialists PROOFF asked themselves and their answer was the ear chair, pictured above. The idea is that it operates as a private space within a public one, the height and roundness offering acoustic privacy. And if you put several ear chairs together, voila, you have a cosy little mobile meeting room. We think the ear chair adds a shedlike touch to any office (or indeed an extra bit of sheddishness to your own garden office if you have plenty of space).

We also rather like, for similar reasons, their work sofa which featured recently on MoCo Loco
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Radical shedworking chair

Regular readers will know that after a good shed, the one thing we really must have here at The Shed HQ is a comfy chair. The PCE, pictured, claims to be a radical re-design of the personal workspace using a modular and scalable platform based to give a top notch ergonomic working environment. Indeed, they don't even call it a chair, they name it a 'command centre'. Once you've clambered aboard, your whole body is supported, knees and feet too, with shoulders and arms in line with the torso. For more information, indulge yourself here.

Enterprise Nation - Four steps to the perfect home office

Working from home gives you the opportunity to set up an office that perfectly suits you and your business, says Emma Jones from Enterprise Nation in this week's column, as she offers her top four tips on creating the right environment.

1. Make some space – you’ll work much better if you have dedicated office space. That way, you can work without distraction, and close the door at the end of the working day. This space could be the spare room, the attic or even the garden shed. Working at the end of the garden path is becoming increasingly popular and the garden office industry is booming on the back of it. Wherever you choose, make sure it has plenty of natural light and decorate it with soft tones of blues and greens as these colours will make a home office, and you, work particularly well.

2. Furnish - Once you’ve identified the space, whether inside or outside the house, it’s time to furnish it and the two most important pieces of furniture are those you’ll spend most time at - your chair and desk. Buy a chair that is designed for computer use and try it out. Sitting awkwardly for any length of time will put your body under stress and make you work less efficiently, so make sure your chair is fully adjustable. Ideally, your feet should be flat on the floor and your back straight. Getting this right will make working from home so much more comfortable.

Invest in a good, sturdy desk that offers you sufficient working space and can also accommodate your computer, monitor, keyboard and mouse. The top of your monitor should be at eye level and the monitor itself about an arm’s length away.
Scale furniture to the size of the room to avoid any sense of claustrophobia and keep furnishings an inch or two away from the wall.

3. Cut out the clutter – it’s difficult to work effectively amidst chaos, so try to keep your workspace free of clutter. If necessary, invest in some good storage but always buy boxes with lids and make sure you label them well. If you have a lot of boxes or files it can be distracting so consider buying a screen or a box seat for visitors to hide them from view

4. Final touches - to make your home office complete, consider adding a plant to help reduce any feelings of isolation, or a vision board to remind you of your business goals and priorities each time you enter and leave the room. And a decent sound system to provide some background music or something to dance to when celebrating a new deal!

Emma Jones is Founder of Enterprise Nation and author of ‘Spare Room Start Up – how to start a business from home’. Pictured above is a Premium Cabin from Perfect Cabins
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Rethinking the office chair

Design legend Niels Diffrient talks about his life in industrial design (and the reason he became a designer instead of a jet pilot). He details his quest to completely rethink the office chair starting from one fundamental data set: the human body. Diffrient is the creator of the Freedom Chair, a radical rethink of the way we sit today. Throughout his career, he's been a pioneer of ergonomic design -- studying the human body (in all its shapes and sizes) and how to make it comfortable.

Via TED
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Discovering Men’s Sheds - UK Conference

We've covered the rise of the Men's Sheds movement in Australia and from its earliest days in the UK so we're delighted to hear from Age UK that they will be running a special conference on the subject on September 29, 'Discovering Men’s Sheds
The effect on men’s health, wellbeing and informal learning' in Leicester.

Age UK is developing, piloting and evaluating sheds in three locations over a two-year period (ending April 2012) and they hope that the conference will benefit all of those with an interest in finding out more about the value of Men’s Sheds, non formal learning, and health and wellbeing. The conference will:
* Explore achievements of the Men’s Sheds initiative and proposed future developments
* Consider the importance of linking non formal learning with men’s health and wellbeing
* Hear from Age UK’s pilot Men in Sheds projects about their challenges and successes in setting up and running their Sheds

To book online visit www.ageuk.org.uk/conferences or get in touch with us here at Shedworking and we'll send you pdf leaflets directly. Here's the programme:

10:00 Registrations, interactive exhibitions and networking
10:40 Welcome and introduction from the chair of morning sessions (TBC)
10:45 Introduction to ‘A shedder’s story’
David Richardson
National Programme Delivery Manager, Age UK
10:50 A shedder’s story: what a shed means to a man
10:55 Men’s Sheds in context: men’s health, wellbeing and informal learning
Professor John Field
Professor of Lifelong Learning and Co-Director of the Centre for Research in Lifelong Learning, University of Stirling
11:15 Q & A session
11:20 Tea and movement to workshops
11.30 Morning workshops (repeated in the afternoon)
12:40 Lunch, interactive exhibition and networking
1.40 Chair for the afternoon: Jim Soulsby
Honorary Research Fellow, Institute of Lifelong Learning,
University of Leicester and Association of Education and Ageing.
1:45 Keynote address: Professor Barry Golding
Deputy Head of School of Education, University of Ballarat, Australia and an honorary Australian Men’s Sheds Association Patron and Adult Learning Australia Board member.
2:15 Q & A session
2:25 Afternoon workshops (repeated from the morning)
3:25 Panel discussion
David Hughes, Chief Executive, NIACE
Heléna Herklots, Services Director, Age UK
Barry Golding, Deputy Head of School of Education, University of Ballarat, Australia
Peter Baker, Chief Executive, Men’s Health Forum
3:50 Chair’s concluding remarks
4:00 Close of conference (tea/coffee available)

Workshops will include how to set up and run a shed, and how to keep a shed going once it's up and running.
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Shedworking economy up 25% to £8bn

According to a poll run by Shedworking for supermarket giants Asda, although economic conditions may be challenging for traditional workers, the value to the UK economy of home and shed-based businesses will top £8 billion this year. That's up from just over £6 billion in the same poll in 2010.

The figure reflects the boom in the numbers of homeworkers: the poll of shed/home-based business owners found that the average turnover of home-based businesses has risen by 25% in the last two years. Reflecting this growth, sales of sheds and low-cost office technology and stationery for potential home use have boomed at Asda in the last 12 months, with shed sales up 386%, laptop sales up 86%, printer sales up 45% and stationery sales up 12%.

Asda has recently launched a home business starter kit, including a range of low cost products from stationery to IT equipment to help budding entrepreneurs start a business. A shed, office chair, desk, laptop, printer, ream of paper, pay as you go phone and 50-pack of ballpoint pens can be bought from Asda for less than £500. Nearly four in five (77.8%) of those polled said the lower cost of equipment to run a business were among their main reasons for choosing to start a business from home.

“Many households are taking a go-it-alone approach to business and are reaping the rewards,” said Alex Crowe, Asda’s homeworking specialist. “The low cost of starting up a business means that many households are pursuing the entrepreneurial dream. With the value of the back garden economy reaching an amazing £8 billion, home-based businesses are now lending a whole new meaning to the term ‘home economics’”.

Sixteen percent of those polled said that their turnover had been in the £100-150,000 range in the last twelve months and 7.9% said that their turnover had exceeded £200,000. The poll also revealed
 * Nearly a quarter of home-based businesses polled employ more that one person and one in twenty employs more than five.
 * Four in five (78.9%) expect to work from home indefinitely.
* Many of the home businesses polled were bullish about the prospects for growth this year, with 13.5% of those polled expecting turnover growth of 20% or more. Only five percent of respondents expected no growth or a decline in sales this year. More than a third (35.1%) expected growth of between five and ten percent this year.

Lower costs, easier childcare and a sense of it being a more modern way of working were among the main reasons cited for working from home.

The sub-£500 home start-up – premises and all the equipment you need to set up your business from Asda for less than £500: 6x4 shed - £129 Desk - £14 Laptop - £249 Printer - £30 Office chair - £19 Ream of paper - £2.38 Pay as you go phone - £12.50 Pack of 50 ballpoint pens - £4.50 Total - £460.38

Pictured above is author and shedworker Neil Gaiman's writing shed. -------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Shed art - In The Shed

Another entry in the 'sheds in art' category, this time from Melbourne, Australia, where, as part of their In The Shed installation, Moth Design asked eight 'creative thinkers' to give a twist to the idea of the suburban shed in the city's Federation Square. As they say: "In The Shed will serve as a reminder, a conversation and a metaphor for suburbia, community and the great Australian dream." Each DIY flatpacked shed was placed on the steps of the square "glinting in the sun, perfectly spaced, egalitarian in their very nature, just like the visible houses alongside the freeways as you head out of the city". They continue:

"Each shed appears the same from theoutside. However, as you open each door, you glimpse a private moment in the life of the owner. Contents and meaning vary: from build-your-own DIY icons, drills and other building tools that are flat-packed and ready to be constructed to a set of cards, for a DIY life, with instructions for every element of your life. Each interior represents a different in terpretation of DIY culture, past and present."

As an example, below is Stuart McFarlane's DIY Rocking Chair which "investigates the experience of DIY production as value. Formalized as a rocking chair kit, this product encourages individual (open ended) results through a self governing construction and finishing process... Its value as an object is not determined by its form or materiality, but in the journey the user undertakes to complete the object. In many ways this product contrasts homogenized furnishings and replaces it with a model of individuality and personality…an object to value."A Bill Kratz spot.

UK Men's Shed vacancies

The UK Men's Shed Association is advertising various job possibilities including:

Trusts and Foundations Manager (paid)

This opportunity is 21 hours per week and is home based; anywhere in the UK. The initial contract is for 12 months, with the view to extend. As the new Trusts and Foundations Manager, you will be responsible for working with the Chief Officer to develop and implement the Trusts and Foundations strategy, building on and supporting the existing portfolio as well as developing new funding relationships. You will also champion fundraising best practice and use your knowledge to strengthen internal fundraising processes and contribute towards fundraising policies. 

Artists and photographers (voluntary)

UK Men’s Sheds Association potentially has the opportunity to work with two leading brands on the production of jigsaws and calendars for a major retail outlet. Market leader Ravensburg and are looking for paintings that could be used for jigsaws and Gibsons are looking for photography that reflects life in and around a Shed.

Chair of Trustees (voluntary)

UKMSA is looking for a new Chair to lead the organisation and Board of Trustees (‘the Board’) through an exciting period of strategic development and change. As an increasingly influential voice in the arena of men’s health and wellbeing, UKMSA is championing the growth of ‘Shedding’ across the UK and partnering with a range of organisations to promote and support its aims. We reported on this post earlier this year but the application process has been extended to November 30. 

Click the link at the top of the post for more details of all of these positions.

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Home office interior design trends

In its annual Home Improvement Trends Report, find-a-tradesperson platform Rated People looked at 100 what they called "stylish home offices" on Instagram to see if any patterns emerged. If you're looking to be on trend, here are the results (more details here):

Walls (top three)

1. White 
2. Grey  
3. White + colour accent 

Floor colours

1. Medium wood 
2. Grey   
3. Pale wood 

Floor materials 

1. Floorboards 
2. Rug  
3. Carpet  

Chair colour

1. White
2. Black
3. Grey 

Chair materials

1. Fabric   
2. Leather
3. Plastic

The average number of houseplants was two.

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Who's a clever chair then?

Who wouldn't want a clever chair? The Think from the Steelcase Store does not merely have a streamlined, environmentall-friendly design with pneumatic seat height and adjustable arms, it also has groundbreaking back and seat 'flexors' which follow your natural movements, especially if you've been slouching for hours in front of your monitor, and alter accordingly. A snip at around £500.

Linda Strachan: shedworker

Children's author and former chair of the Society of Authors in Scotland, Linda Strachan is a shedworker - her latest book is The Dangerous Lives of the Jacobites: Fact-tastic Stories from Scotland's History. In this guest post, she describes her garden office lifestyle.

Nestled in a village in south east Scotland, ‘Tuscany’ is my shed, my garden writing space. About 12 years ago when we first moved here there was a perfectly ‘shed-shaped’ space in the garden. That summer with help from one of our offspring, my ‘him indoors’ built my writing shed. I wanted a place where I could close myself away from everything else to concentrate on writing; a safe haven for ideas, a peaceful, private space that I need for the creative flow. 

Originally the outside was painted a warm terracotta colour that suggested Tuscany to me, and so the name. It gets really warm, even moderately sunny days so I watch the thermometer closely. When it gets above 28°C with the doors and windows wide open, it’s time to move to a cooler spot for a while and in the winter I have a small electric radiator although I rarely need it on for very long. 

This summer Tuscany  got a new coat of paint both inside and out, thanks again to him indoors, a fresh pale green ‘rosemary’ that I love. He even made a name plate, a wooden gekko and a set of musical bars and notes for the wall. Unlike my home office I have a clear desk, also a pin-board for ideas and notes to myself about the book and a comfy chair for reading. I like to keep an assortment of things around me that make it my own space - ornaments that mean something special or might spark off ideas, including a small collection of gargoyles.

I go out there with no distractions, turning off internet, often playing some quiet music until I get into the flow. I only take out the book I am currently writing, (I sometimes have more than one ongoing at the same time). It’s like being in a quiet bubble with my story. When I need to disappear into a story Tuscany is my escape route, a doorway into other worlds. Just perfect.

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Sit on the grass and work

It's probably not ideal for long stretches of homeworking and doesn't conform to any health and safety guidelines, but this chair from Chair Couture certainly brings a bit of the garden into the garden office.
Via Dwell blog

UK Men's Sheds Association looking for new chair

One of the best jobs in the world of sheds could be yours. The Board of Trustees of the UK Men's Sheds Association is looking for a new chair to lead the organisation and help set its vision and strategic direction including partnering with other organisations to promote its aimes. More details and how to apply here, but here's a snippet about the state of play:

UKMSA’s mission is to enable access to a Shed for every man who wants it. We have ambitious plans to support this development of hundreds more Sheds over the next 3-5 years. Earlier this year we launched the Charter for Wellbeing in Craft and DIY at the Palace of Westminster and it has been a fantastic platform on which to further partnerships across both the industry and healthcare spaces. This is, in short, an exciting time for UKMSA but also the circumstances of the economy and pandemic have set even greater need on the work we do. We are taking this challenge to heart and embracing the opportunity... As an increasingly influential voice in the arena of men’s health and wellbeing, UKMSA is championing the growth of ‘Shedding’ across the UK and partnering with a range of organisations to promote and support its aims.

Closing date for applications is August 31.

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Garden office decor

A nice short blog post by marketing and social media consultant Lisa McLaughlin for Malvern Garden Buildings looks at how to design the interior of your garden office with a monochrome theme (pictured above). Here's a snippet:

I didn’t have a big budget to spend on creating the space. We painted the outside ourselves and I simply varnished the floor and white washed the walls. I already had much of the furniture, such as the vintage desk, retro office chair and old French leather club chair but I mixed these pieces with practical and affordable office furniture from Ikea. I then added the finishing touches; such as a cow hide rug, cushions, plants, pictures and vintage finds sourced from antique fairs to make it feel homely and cosy.

 Well worth a quick look.

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Mini from The Garden Room Company

The trend towards smaller garden offices which we spent much of last year analysing is still going strong. Here's the Mini from The Garden Room Company (manufactured, delived and installed on their pad foundation system for £5,665 plus VAT). It has 3.2 square meters of internal space (it's 2.5m tall), with room for a fitted desk, office chair, and shelving as well as insulation (70mm Kingspan rigid urethane), double glazed door and window, power sockets, lighting and heating. Optional extras include:
* Office chair
* Garden water butt
* Door and window blinds
* Fitted desk and shelves in premium grade birch plywood
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Nils Holger Moormann: Lese+Lebe plus bookinist

Two marvellous shedworking pieces of furniture from the man who also produced the faboulous Walden. First, Lese+Lebe, which Nils describes as "‘Hieronymus im Gehäuse’, a beach chair on the sea, a Lokomotive dining compartment... An escape in the room, which invites you to just sit down and relax while having a cup of tea and browsing in your favourite book." It's a two-seater with fold-down table, shelf, drawers and extendable footrests. Very nice.And then the Bookinist a chair on wheels with room for 80 paperbacks in the arms and backrest plus reading lamp and hidden compartments for bookmarks, pencils, pencil sharpeners and pocketbock. Also very nice.

More than three quarters of people are unhappy with their work space at home

A whopping 77% of people working from home are unhappy with their ‘home office’ set-up and only 1 in 5 currently have a dedicated at homework space according to new research by Irish builders' merchants Chadwicks.

The survey of 928 people reveals that 1 in 4 enjoy working from home while half would like to see a mix of office and remote working in the future.

According to the Chadwicks survey, most households do not have a dedicated office space. A quarter say they have taken over a spare room, 17% have relocated to the kitchen, 11% are working from their bedroom while 2% have taken over the garden shed.

Although many of those polled have been working from home for almost a year, over half (56%) say they still don’t have the right office equipment. 72% admit to using common household items to help with their office set up including using their kitchen table as a desk (49%), using a dining room chair instead of work chair (53%) and over a third (34%) using books to prop up their computer. Six people polled even admit to using an ironing board as a desk.

With working from home now the ‘new normal’, it’s perhaps no surprise that almost two thirds (65%) intend to create a dedicated home office in 2021.

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General space saving

One of the biggest problems with working from home is fitting everything in. While the DoubleSpace kitchenette from Vestal isn't strictly a piece of home office furniture, it does mean you'd have more space to fit in your desk (if you click through to the web site, there is a nice animation of the metamorphosis). And I bet nobody else you know has a chair which turns into a cooker with two electric burners (which are automatically disabled when it's in chair mode). As Vestal so rightly say: "You'll never sit and cook at the same time." Genius.

Edna St. Vincent Millay: Shedworker

Edna St. Vincent Millay- who wrote 'My candle burns at both ends; it will not last the night; But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends— It gives a lovely light!' - was one of the most famous poets in America when she moved to her new home, Steepletop, aged 33 in March 1925. As well as the main farmhouse building, the property including hundreds of acres of land and various outbuildings.

Among them was a small outbuilding in a blueberry field which she claimed as her writing cabin, and she worked there - often with her German shepherd, Altair, as a companion - until  it burned down in 1928. Rather than give up on the shedworking lifestyle, she simply built another (pictured top) on the hill behind the house.

This was a simple garden office, constructed of unpainted pine boards, and surrounded by white pines planted to commemorate her mother's life, while around the cabin she also planted daffodils. It was modelled on George Bernard Shaw's revolving writing hut in Hertfordshire which she had visited. She wrote inside for three to four hours a day, inspired by the lovely environment around her - during her time at Steepletop she wrote several poetry collections, an opera libretto, and translated Baudelaire’s Fleurs du Mal.

The interior was furnished with a wooden desk and chair, stove, wing chair, and, a nice touch this, a chaise longue. Much of the estate has undergone conservation work by the charity that now runs it, and this includes the cabin which has been kept uncluttered.

Photo by Daniel Case

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