Friday, March 30, 2018

Brexit and garden offices


An interesting segment about the effect of Brexit on companies in the east of England on BBC Look East (you can watch it on the iPlayer today but it expires this evening) features workers from the Smart Garden Offices and Zedbox family, as well as its founder Charlie Dalton. Well worth a quick watch. It starts at the 14 minutes in stage. -------------------------------------------------------
Friday posts are sponsored by Warwick Buildings, manufacturers of outstanding quality timber buildings. Click here for more information.

Thursday, March 29, 2018

Dog grooming salon



Garden2Office has recently finished its first dog grooming salon, from the company's Malmo range which includes Velux skylights and a galvanised steel roof. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thursday posts are sponsored by Cabin Master: garden offices and studios to fit any size garden. Top quality contemporary or traditional buildings.

Wednesday, March 28, 2018

Installing a garden office-summerhouse with limited access



One regular issue we field here at Shedworking HQ is about garden size, prospective shedworkers concerned that their garden is too small (possible, but there are some very small models out there) or that access to their garden is too tricky.

Here's an example of what can be done, a 5.3m x 3m garden office room with a 1.2m wide storage to the right-hand side and triple bi-fold doors from eDEN Garden Rooms in Richmond, as the company's Mia Walmsley explains:

"The entire garden within which this project was to be built already had a full artificial lawn laid, plus an existing shed on the garden room site. So, the very first job for the eDEN Garden Rooms team was to remove the shed, and cut back the artificial turf, retaining it for the customer and ensuring that it was protected and kept in tip-top condition throughout the site build.

"As the customer’s property was terraced, all materials and equipment needed to be bought through the house into the garden, where the full construction took place. eDEN’s flexible two-method build approach, and use of non-invasive screw pile foundations, means that even when there isn’t side access at a property, we can still carefully bring everything through the house and complete the project with minimal disruption."

Interestingly, because the garden room covers the full width of the garden and is tight to the boundaries, eDEN used concrete panels on the side and back which cannot be seen but are entirely maintenance-free and weatherproof. Cedar panelling was over-clad to the fence-line to make it look pleasing. ---------------------------------------------------------
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Tuesday, March 27, 2018

Garden offices can add more than £30,000 to the value of your property


It is possible to add more than £30,000 to the value of your home with a garden office or garden room, according to new research from the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) and the HomeOwners Alliance (HOA).

Findings from a study into the projects which can add the most value to your home in the shortest space of time and in particular parts of the country indicate that building a rougly £7,000 priced garden room or outside playroom for the kids can add £35,611 to an averagely priced home in Surrey.

Elsewhere around the country, the (very specific) figures in Cambridgeshire were £29,168, in Dartmoor £34,858, in Dorset £23,856, and in London £9,683.

 "If you’re looking to move up the property ladder, it’s obviously in your best interests to increase the value of your home as much as possible," said Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB. "By investing in low cost, high return projects, not only will you make your home a more pleasant place to live, you’ll also be increasing its value significantly. Better still, these projects take no time at all so the hassle factor will be kept to an absolute minimum. As the weather starts to improve, now is the perfect time to commission the home improvement projects you’ve been putting off all winter."

Estate agent Simon Bradbury from Thomas Morris in Cambridgeshire added: "Our experience in the East of England, certainly in Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire and Herefordshire, is that additional accommodation such as a garden room will certainly add the most amount of value."

The figures also suggested that installing decking and lighting in the back garden can also add considerble value, for example £8,946 to an averagely priced home in Dorset.

Image courtesy OECO Garden Rooms

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Monday, March 26, 2018

Birthday Shed

It's the Shedworking HQ's staff's birthday today so we're taking the day off and plan to consume something like this later. See you again tomorrow. -------------------------------------------------
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Sunday, March 25, 2018

Sheds at Chelsea Flower Show 2018 preview


Garden designs for the 2018 Chelsea Flower Show are starting to appear well ahead of the show at the end of May. As usual, here is our early rundown of the ones which at the moment have the most shedlike structures (all subject to change of course).

So above is our favourite so far the O-Mo-Te-Na-Shi No NIWA -The Japanese Hospitality Garden designed by Kazuyuki Ishihara which features an octagonal Azumaya garden house covered by traditional roof tiles made of baked Japanese soil.



This is the Welcome to Yorkshire Garden inspired by the Yorkshire Dales which includes a stone bothy. Designed by Mark Gregory



Above, The Morgan Stanley Garden for the NSPCC with a bespoke cedar wood pavilion and pool. Designed by the everpresent Chris Beardshaw 


Here's The Lemon Tree Trust Garden designed byTom Massey


And here's the very promising The Seedlip Garden which has a marvellously-named 'pea pavilion'.
Design by Dr Catherine MacDonald 


Finally, The CHERUB HIV Garden: A Life Without Walls with an intriguing white pod. According to the organisers: "The path from the pod through the garden represents a move to a life of more freedom, as well as the obstacles encountered." Designed by Naomi Ferrett-Cohen ------------------------------------
Sunday posts are sponsored by eDEN Garden Rooms. Stunning, bespoke high quality garden rooms, to suit your unique space and style

Friday, March 23, 2018

Shedworking theme to Shed of the Year 2018


Entries for Shed of the Year 2018 are now open - for full details go to readersheds.co.uk and sign yours up now. Latest research by sponsors Cuprinol - based on past surveys for Shedworking - suggests shedworkers contribute just shy of £30 billion to the economy annually, while they also estimate that more than half of shedowners use their shed as a base for their hobbies. Here's what Shed Blog says about Sam Fender, pictured above:
Young musician Sam Fender laid down his first single in his garden shed and is now named as one of the top artists to watch out for in 2018 according to Radio X. Sam is on his way to stardom thanks to his shed-turned-music-studio.
The competition's founder Andrew Wilcox (Uncle Wilco) said: “We’ve always had a lot of hobbyists and workshops shed entries, but in the last few years there has been so many more start-ups and small businesses using their sheds to make a little extra money or start a new career."



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Thursday, March 22, 2018

Book Towns book


Apologies for this off-topic post (though there are some sheds featured), but I just quickly wanted to let you know that I have a new book out today, Book Towns (you can read an interview I've just done about it and them on Atlas Obscura). Here's the bumph:
Book towns are a reader’s ultimate getaway destination. From Hay-on-Wye in Wales to Urueña in Spain, Fjaerland in Norway to Jimbochu in Japan, around 40 semi-official book towns now exist around the world. But until now, there has been no complete directory of their location, history and charm. Book Towns takes readers on a richly illustrated tour of these captivating, dedicated havens of literature, outlining the origins and development of each community, and offering practical travel advice. Explore bustling book markets in Kolkata and Buenos Aires, and pop-up shops in old churches, ferry waiting rooms and stables. A stylish and original guide, it is the perfect gift for both book lovers and travel enthusiasts.
Published today in the USA, published on April 5 in the UK. ---------------------------------------------------------
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Tuesday, March 20, 2018

Tiny House Cabins expands


For the last six years, Mark Burton who heads Tiny House Cabins Ltd has been building his popular Cozy Cottage range in and around Surrey. Travel distances and the on-site build times has meant problems in providing builds for interested customers throughout the UK.

"After rethinking the manufacturing process and cutting down build times by half, we've now started the expansion process," says Mark, "and just launched a branch in the West Midlands with Jean Cronin as Regional Manager. Jean will be promoting the elegant new website, dealing with all customer enquiries and co-ordinating the appointed build teams."

There are four models in the Cozy Cottage range, The Hunters Lodge, The Loggers Bothy, The Cozy Cottage and The Tree Trunk Cabin. Exposed beamed ceilings come as standard as do two dormer windows and upper mezzanine floors. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tuesday posts are sponsored by Garden Spaces, suppliers of contemporary garden buildings, offices, gyms and studios, many of which do not require planning

Monday, March 19, 2018

The Lovely Pod live/work space


One the shedworking stars of the Show Village at the Ideal Homes Show (on until April 2 at London's Olympia) is this marvellous garden office build from 2LG Studio called The Lovely Pod, a design studio with a copper roof for the garden of their London home.

Here's what they say about it:
Utilising cutting-edge sustainable materials to create a playful yet functional pod that is full of texture -Cork, recycled plastics, vegan leather made from waste pineapple leaf fibre, re-imagined vintage furniture and a minimal kitchen area for creative lunches. Bringing the outside in with a wall of plants to filter the air of the pod. A comfortable breakout snug for those much need moments of peace within a busy working day. Proving that sustainable can still be sexy.
There are plenty of details about how they fitted it all out at their site here.


Photos: Megan Taylor and lots more at this link



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Sunday, March 18, 2018

Urban off-grid garden office



This off-grid garden office in Christchurch, New Zealand, was designed by Shrewsbury-based architects and designers CandO (see here for details of their Beehive tiny house) in the aftermatch of the 2011 earthquake. They worked with Sustainable Habitat Challenge (SHAC) to design and build this movable office for the Life in Vacant Spaces Trust (LiVS), helped by volunteers. Here's what they say about it:
Following the wake of the 2011 earthquake the office was to be in the spirit of the charities mission to help revitalise Christchurch’s many vacant sites . The brief was to provide a comfortable working environment for two employees in just 10m² to avoid building consent requirements. The small plan was made to feel bigger with a lofty roof and projecting window seat. Further space was delineated with a covered entrance veranda, solar panel awning and fenced off exterior deck. 
Three solar panels supply power for laptops, printers and lighting while the frame (including windows, insulation and cladding) and some of the interior was put together largely using salvaged materials from post earthquake demolition.
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Friday, March 16, 2018

Rotunda small garden office


I'm increasingly asked about smaller garden offices - it seems one of the shedworking trends for 2018 might be a return to a smaller build. If you are in the market for something a little more cosy, then Rotunda Roundhouses has rather nice 'baby' Rotunda model at 2.4m diameter which would be idea for a one person garden office (if you want something a bit bigger, they currently have a 5m diameter Rotunda on sale, an ex-stock item so reduce).

Rotunda are busy folk at the moment. They're currently working on builds in Loch Lomond and the Outer Hebrides.

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Thursday, March 15, 2018

Dylan Thomas's writing shed mug


Here's the perfect garden office accessory for the busy shedworker, a lovely replica of the mug used by Dylan Thomas in his writing shed in Laugharne, Wales. It's handmade from stoneware clay (dishwasher and microwave-safe) by potter and sculptor Trudy Ebsworth-Espie who runs Ebsworths Pots and is 7.5cm tall. Because they're handmade, each one is slightly different so yours would be unique - they also come in a nice box. One of Trudy's replica mugs was used in the pop up Dylan Thomas writing shed that went on tour a few years ago for the 100th birthday celebrations back in 2014.
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Wednesday, March 14, 2018

Where to buy a revolving summerhouse or garden office


 I am writing a column for a future issue of The Idler magazine about rotating/revolving sheds and summerhouses. For those interested in these marvellous builds, here are a few currently on the market. Above is a 1930s revolving summerhouse in good condition from Symond's Salvage (£8,500 plus VAT) which also has a lovely floor. Below is a classic revolving Boulton & Paul Summer House from UKAA at £8,750. It has a new roof and is currently painted in French Grey although they'll repaint it any colour you like as part of the price.


This charming Edwardian revolving summerhouse (£16,500 from LASSCO) is octagonal with rusticated cladding on a refurbished cast iron turntable. The leaded and coloured glass windows and door are original as too are the floor and roof timbers. It's nearly 3m high and just over 2m wide.



And finally, this from Chris Holmes Antiques another lovely Boulton and Paul revolving summerhouse from the 1930s and in excellent original condition. POA.

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Tuesday, March 13, 2018

360 Creations: rotating garden offices


If, like the Shedworking staff, you have a penchant for sheds and shedlike structures that revolve, you will have enjoyed Bryan Lewis Jones rotating shed which won the Unique category in the 2016 Shed of the Year awards (pictured above and in the video below). 

And you might also be interested in Bryan's business emerging from the victory, 360 Creations, which builds similarly high quality rotating sheds and garden rooms. The leading model is the 'Ultimate Shed' which naturally has a fully 360 degree revolving turntable and features including sheep's wool insulation, copper roofing, a woodburning stove, underfloor heating, and air conditioning .

And if for some reason you don't want a shed on a turntable, they can make you one which stays still.

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Tuesday posts are sponsored by Garden Spaces, suppliers of contemporary garden buildings, offices, gyms and studios, many of which do not require planning

Monday, March 12, 2018

Multi-functional garden office


A 6.35 x 3.2m garden office in Whitstable from eDEN Garden Rooms on the site of an existing shed - the design brief was for a shedworking space plus storage for garden necessities.
 
"With the customer wanting to bring plenty of light into the workspace, the set of three doors, along with a floor-to-ceiling corner window, plus an additional window at the rear, do just that," says eDEN spokeswoman Mia Walmsley. "But further to this, to make the main door set work even harder to compliment the space, a triple track system was used, which gives this customer the fantastic benefit of having no stacking when the doors are open. A triple track system essentially gives you all the benefits of bi-fold doors, coupled with all the practicality of sliding doors, making ample use of space whether the doors are open or closed. As all of the doors move, this makes the room especially useful in summer, when the garden room will be used more frequently together with the outdoor space."

As well as all the prep work, design, and build, eDEN also looked after the landscaping including a curved light grey stone shingle path and trees to gently conceal the storage door.

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Sunday, March 11, 2018

Disappear Retreat: mirror-covered garden office


A marvellous semi-transparent garden office/tiny home/stargazer design by Coulson in a Minnesotan forest which they call the Disappear Retreat with the laudable goal of "dissolving our living footprint to zero energy, zero waste, zero water". They claim that the 83 sqft building does not need any active heating or cooling systems - here's how they describe it:
Disappear Retreat integrates the components for triple-zero performance into an almost invisible, ethereal state.  The design is light, transparent, and seamlessly connected to the surroundings, dissolving into the landscape where the building form is compact and the glass takes on the identity of the site in its reflections (transparent ultraviolet color prevents animal collision).  A spotted pattern of thin-film PV in the south glass wall generates all the energy needs from the sun and camouflages the building amongst the trees like a quiet forest animal.  Weathered wood softens the design and blends with the landscape.
Or as they say, imagine it is -25°F on a winter morning, yet no heating is required.

The prototype is under construction and should be publicy available by about this time next year. The first building will be a Retreat Center running a non-profit residency to artistic and scientific professionals, as well as offering information on sustainable building and climate change.

Lots more details and images at their site here. ------------------------------------
Sunday posts are sponsored by eDEN Garden Rooms. Stunning, bespoke high quality garden rooms, to suit your unique space and style