Friday, January 31, 2020

Shepherds' huts with kitchens

A nice blog post by Plankbridge takes a brief look at kitchens in shepherds' huts. Here's a snippet:
If a kitchen is the heart of the home, then a well-designed kitchen can be the heart of your hut too. Original huts, used by a solitary shepherd out on the downlands of Southern England, would have had basic food preparation facilities. Hut restoration projects completed over the years often included a wonderful small antique folding table with a lovely evocative patina; I like to think of the shepherd cutting his bread and cheese, and pouring his flagon of cider into his time-worn tankard. Our version of a folding table is inspired by those early originals, and is perhaps our most basic ‘kitchen’ for picnics or a ploughman’s lunch.
The post looks at three different types depending on your size of hut. Well worth a quick read, the rest of the post is here.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Friday posts are sponsored by Warwick Buildings, manufacturers of outstanding quality timber buildings. Click here for more information.

Thursday, January 30, 2020

Garden office hairdressing salon




Running a hairdressing business from a garden office is a common kind of shedworking. Here's an example in a Booths Garden Studios design measuring 2.7m x 2.7m.

"The salon is set up in quite an unusual way since it didn't have any groundworks done for water supply and disposal of waste," explains Ian Wetherell from Booths. "There is a water supply to the shower unit in the garden studio but it's simply a frost free hose plugged into an outside tap from the house. The waste water from washing clients hair then simply empties into a "roller" waste unit which is emptied once it's full, into an outside drain at the house.

"The studio has a conventional shower unit installed which draws 10.5k. This is a lot of power to draw down and had to be checked with an electrician about doing it this way. The other alternative would be to have a small water heater/boiler which only draws 2k - this works like a large kettle which gives to a large amount of hot water to mix in with cold water to wash a clients hair."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thursday posts are sponsored by Cabin Master: garden offices and studios to fit any size garden. Top quality contemporary or traditional buildings.

Wednesday, January 29, 2020

Large garden office




Garden offices come in all sizes. Here's a large one from Swift Garden Rooms for a London restaurant group's head office in Winkfield, Windsor. Measuring a whopping 15m x 8m, the floorplan indicates the variety of internal rooms, including a shower room with disabled access, male and female lavatories, a kitchen/break out area, storeroom, meeting room, private office and main office. A particular nice garden office touch is the astroturf carpeting and there are plenty of windows to offer natural light in the office spaces.

A few dilapidated out buildings had to be removed to clear the site and a winter build meant lots of mud and frozen pipes - there was even a wren rescue by the installers during the build.

--------------------------------------
Wednesday’s posts are sponsored by Norwegian Log Buildings  - Log cabins and garden buildings for a better quality of life. Click here for more details.

Tuesday, January 28, 2020

Callum Hawkins: shedworker


Shedworkers come from all areas of life. Marathon runner Callum Hawkins (pictured above) is among the various athletes - such as Bradley Wiggins - who has made good use of a garden room as a training area.

"We had a couple of bad winters where sometimes it was too icy to go out and get good quality sessions. So we thought we'd put up a shed with a treadmill to help me train. We did a bit in the heat chamber and thought we could replicate it instead." he told Sky News. "It can be pretty monotonous in the shed and the crippling heat can be quite tough. But it's just about getting through it and that's what makes champions."

He also told the BBC: “I got it up to 39 degrees at one point. It’s a big proper shed and not a wee tiny one.”


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

Monday, January 27, 2020

Garden office garage replacement



Here's an example of the familiar proverb, two sheds are better than one. It comes from eDEN Garden Rooms who replaced an old, unsightly garage with a lovely new garden office which also has a storage section.

"As both spaces were to be used in different ways, our team designed the studio with dual access," explains eDEN's Mia Walmsley. "The store area is accessed from the garden side for security reasons, while the main office access is through bright and airy French doors, with views out onto the garden."

Features include a decking area, dis-and then reconnecting power from the old garage into the new garden office, and reinforced walls for heavy shelving in the storage area.

"After completion, the client decided they loved the style so much, they wanted a matching mini shed too," said Mia.  -------------------------------------------------
Monday posts are sponsored by garden2office, the Swedish garden office specialists. Click here for more details.

Sunday, January 26, 2020

Sitooterie


We haven't covered many sitooteries over the last 13 years but here's a marvellous one from MW Architects located in the South Downs National Park for a client who is a keen gardener and book collector.

It's built to match the converted cow stalls nearby on the property, with exposed rafters and brick walls on existing flint walls. Features include attractive clerestory windows, while outside space has been made for an allotment and an area for playing Pétanque, and it's all finished foff with our old friend, cedar timber cladding. One of the most charming builds we've seen for a while.
 
Lots more images here.
South Downs Boudoir from MW Architects on Vimeo. ---------------------------------------

Sunday posts are sponsored by eDEN Garden Rooms. Stunning, bespoke high quality garden rooms, to suit your unique space and style

Saturday, January 25, 2020

The powerful effect of Scottish Men's Sheds


The Scottish Men's Sheds Association has been doing some wonderful work promoting their goals and successes over the last few months in the national press. Here's a snippet from the latest example, a major piece in The Scotsman:
With Scotland’s population ageing faster than the rest of the UK, the scourge of social isolation needs urgent attention. Yet for years, individuals, communities and MPs have struggled with a solution to the growing crisis. Though prevalent across all sections of society, it is often men, who have weaker social networks and a propensity for bottling up emotion, who suffer the most. And while charity, NHS and government-led initiatives have offered up solutions, it is a grassroots movement - Scottish Men’s Sheds - that’s been leading a quiet but mighty “health by stealth” revolution in men’s wellbeing across Scotland.
It's a really great read, well worth a look, especially if you live in Scotland.
-----------------------------------
Saturday posts are sponsored by iHUS Projects, specialists in the design and build of granny annexes for elderly and disabled care.

Friday, January 24, 2020

Why choose a garden office?


It's always interesting to hear from people who are planning to embark on the shedworking journey and considering which garden office to go for (lots of people contact Shedworking every week asking for recommendations for suppliers and we're always very happy to advise). Here's an excellent blog post by Naomi Liddell who runs the Rock My Wedding planning resource.
"One of the reasons we thought of moving to a bigger house recently was to gain space. I work from home most of the time, but my work stations are either a desk in the dining room, or a desk in our bedroom. I switch between both depending on how I feel, who’s in the house, what time of day I’m working. Both small spaces function perfectly fine for my day job (here and Rock My Wedding). But I also own an online shop that requires space for stock, printing, packaging of orders etc. The location of this is not so flexible and sucks up major storage space in the house.

"Enter, the idea of a garden office. Our garden is relatively small, but we do have a patch of (what’s currently) waste ground up the back. It’s not very deep (about 2.5m) but it’s wide. The previous owners had a bog standard garden shed there. On a recent date day, Gavin and I went to see a man about our own shed (oh the romance!). The aim is to build a 2.4m x 5m building that will be 2/3 insulated garden office and 1/3 garden shed. We figured if we keep both in the same building with a partition wall between the two, it would be more cost-effective and just look tidier."
You can read the rest of Naomi's post here.

Image courtesy Modern Garden Rooms -------------------------------------------------------
Friday posts are sponsored by Warwick Buildings, manufacturers of outstanding quality timber buildings. Click here for more information.

Thursday, January 23, 2020

Choosing a garden office roof



We always advise people to think carefully about the design of their garden office but one aspect that is often slightly overlooked is the roof. Here is a good example from Malvern Garden Buildings, their Hanley garden office model with a pent flat roof and again with a hipped roof. The result is a very different look (and not just because of the time of day). Think roofing!


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thursday posts are sponsored by Cabin Master: garden offices and studios to fit any size garden. Top quality contemporary or traditional buildings.

Wednesday, January 22, 2020

Claire Barker: Shedworker


Children's writer Claire Barker - author of the Picklewitch and Jack and Knitbone Pepper series - works from a shepherd's hut in north Devon. Here's what she says about it on the Faber site:
"I love my hut. It’s basically the tree house I never had. On frosty mornings ribbons of smoke rise from its chimney and the windows glow. From my comfy chair I have a long view out of the window, across the field and all the way back to the woods. From here I can see all sorts of wildlife, hares, owls and weasels. On warm summer days little wrens gaze from the doorway and black birds hop about with worms in their beaks."
She adds that recently the Blue Tits have taken to headbanging the window until she produces the ‘right’ sort of snacks.
 


--------------------------------------
Wednesday’s posts are sponsored by Norwegian Log Buildings  - Log cabins and garden buildings for a better quality of life. Click here for more details.

Tuesday, January 21, 2020

A year of garden offices


Swift Garden Rooms have put together a kind of 2019 Greatest Hits of their builds from last year. Here are our three favourites from that list, starting with the art studio of  Rachel Camilleri above.


Next is this intriguingly designed garden building with an unusual facade which contains a pool table and gym equipment but doubles as a bedroom for guests.


And finally, another all-purpose garden room, again with attractive bespoke exterior design features.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tuesday posts are sponsored by Garden Spaces, suppliers of contemporary garden buildings, offices, gyms and studios, many of which do not require planning

Monday, January 20, 2020

Yoga Dojo


A beautiful yoga dojo from MW Architects which has three distinct spaces for yoga and meditation  with exposed brickwork internatlly as well as exteranally. Features include an exposed metalwork grid roof open to the main space, outside hot tub in the courtyard, and separate lavatory. Lots more luscious photos here.  -------------------------------------------------
Monday posts are sponsored by garden2office, the Swedish garden office specialists. Click here for more details.

Friday, January 17, 2020

Garden office and family room combined



An interesting L-shaped garden office build from Vivid Green which works both as a working space in the front left corner and family space to the back, particularly popular with the teenagers of the family. Features include a matching grey composite decking area, toilet and washbasin, programmable underfloor heating. The whole thing is clad with our old friend Western Red Cedar except to the rear where they used cement particle board painted in grey weather shield paint instead to comply with fire regulations (it's very close to a boundary fence).
-------------------------------------------------------
Friday posts are sponsored by Warwick Buildings, manufacturers of outstanding quality timber buildings. Click here for more information.

Thursday, January 16, 2020

Garden office home gym pods


New Year, new shedlike fitness resolution? Home gyms are one of the shedworkingesque success stories of the last decade and grown in popularity throughout whatever we're calling the 2010s. Jordan Caulfield from Green Retreats (which has two showrooms in Westcott and Twickenham, no appointments needed, examples pictured above) is a big believer in insulated and durable home gyms at the end of the garden.

"Incorporating a healthier lifestyle with regular visits to the gym has never been so easy," he says. "Installed in the garden, home gyms are private and allow for intense gym sessions without having to extend homes or travel to and from a public gym. Garden gyms take minimal time to construct, and cause no disruption to home life. Bring the gym environment to your home, and make keeping in shape simple.

"Just a short walk down the garden, our home gyms are changing the fitness world by promoting fitness at home. Those who avoid attending busy local gyms now have a solution to exercise in privacy with peace and quiet for an affordable price."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thursday posts are sponsored by Cabin Master: garden offices and studios to fit any size garden. Top quality contemporary or traditional buildings.

Wednesday, January 15, 2020

She Shed Living


One of the most positive elements of shedworking that we always emphasise when interviewed is that it has welcomed women into what had previously been a very male-dominated shed world. The concept of 'she sheds' has really come of age in the last few years and so we're delighted to point readers towards California-based She Shed Living, run by Erika Kotite (author of She Sheds: A Room of Your Own and She Sheds Style: Make Your Space Your Own) and designer Sabrina Contreras.  Here's what they say about their mission
She Shed Living is about enjoying a place that is all yours, an escape from your hectic life. Whether it’s a pretty shed, a sunny greenhouse or a private backyard arbor, women’s personal spaces are sacred and essential in their chronically busy lives. We’ve built a website filled with stories, projects, tips and uniquely wonderful products especially for those who seek solace after working and caring for others. Here you’ll find inspiration to build, design and decorate a unique studio or shed. You’re able to connect with kindred spirits – women like you as well as interesting people completely different from you. Sharing and celebrating the backyard/outdoor life is firmly encouraged!
They also have their own range of sheds produced in collaboration with A Place to Grow (pictured above). Well worth a long browse.

--------------------------------------
Wednesday’s posts are sponsored by Norwegian Log Buildings  - Log cabins and garden buildings for a better quality of life. Click here for more details.

Tuesday, January 14, 2020

Garden room with curved glass sliding doors

 

Here's an early look at the designs for an intriguing new garden office build from Rotunda Roundhouses. Founder and spatial designer Gemma Roe explains the details:

"A client of ours in Sussex has commissioned us to design and build an incredible Rotunda 6m Garden Room for entertaining and dinner events. The building itself has a composite slate terracotta roof and deep canopy. Built with an en-suite w/c and finished with underfloor heating and a bespoke paint finish, this is set to be one of our most glamorous garden buildings yet."

The glass has now arrived from Balconette Window Systems and been very carefully stored. Below is an example from Balconette of how curved glass doors look in real life. We look forward to bringing you photos from the Rotunda build later in the year on Shedworking.

 

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