Friday Finery: garden office with flowerbed

As the weather turns out nice again, here's one of the nicest flowerbeds for a garden office we've seen, courtesy of Cabin Master.

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Friday posts are sponsored by Warwick Buildings, manufacturers of outstanding quality timber buildings. Click here for more information.

L-shaped garden office and gym

Combining two of the most popular uses for garden buildings is this excellent L-shaped build from Cosy Garden Rooms for a client in Lincoln who wanted office space to work away from the main house as well as space to use as a gym for exercise and yoga. Features include a 4m x 4m canopied sheltered seating space at the front, a 7m x 3m main room, wide double sliding door, large corner window, and composite decking. 

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 Thursday posts are sponsored by Cabin Master: garden offices and   

 studios to fit any size garden. Top quality contemporary or traditional

 buildings.

 

Shedfest 2024 date confirmed

It's back! The annual UK Men’s Sheds Association shindig returns to Worcester University Arena  on July 11. Full details to be confirmed but ickets will be available from the June. If you've not been before, click here for details of previous Shedfests and the video below is of one they made earlier.

 

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Wednesday posts are sponsored by Booths Garden Studios, the UK's No.1 supplier of zero maintenance and portable garden studios

 

The Art of Hutting by Peter MacQueen

One for your shedworker's bookshelf, The Art of Hutting by Peter MacQueen (recently published by Black and White Publishing) who presents his own BBC Alba TV show Gàrradh Phàdruig from his hut in Scotland. Here's what the publishers say about it

'Is farsainn beul a' bhothain'
There is always a welcome at the hut

Are you ready for the good life? Huts, whether in the country, by the sea or near to home, are a glimpse into nature, letting us slow down and enjoy the details of life's little things and create time for self-care, health and a sustainable way of living.

Whether you will design alone, build as a group, or just want to find the perfect spot for a restful interlude, Peter MacQueen shares his knowledge and insight on all things hutting - from foraging and places to stay, to fire making and solar panels - alongside some seasoned hutters who share their tales of the joys and challenges.

Full of tips, stories and recipes, The Art of Hutting will teach you how to create the ultimate sense of wellbeing and community, take the sting out of nettle soup and even bake the Hebridean way!

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Malvern Garden Buildings offer a premium collection of garden buildings, displayed at 11 UK showsites.

Friday Finery: Garden office window seat

I think this is the first time I've seen a window seat like this in a garden office. A clever piece of design which doubles as extra storage space from Cedar Living.

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Friday posts are sponsored by Warwick Buildings, manufacturers of outstanding quality timber buildings. Click here for more information.

The Book Nook

Entries for this year's Shed of the Year close at the end of the month so get your skates on if you're planning to take part. Pictured above is not only one of the newest entries for the annual competition but already one of the Shedworking staff's favourite builds in the whole field. 

Located in London, it's called The Book Nook and is owned by Yannick Read who describes it as like a mini shepherd's hut. Features include being on wheels, barn-style doors, a hanging fire pit, and a bird feeder, as well as lots of books and comfy seating. Enjoy the video of it below.

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 Thursday posts are sponsored by Cabin Master: garden offices and   

 studios to fit any size garden. Top quality contemporary or traditional

 buildings.

Home office garage conversion

Here's another interesting build which is shortlisted for this year's Architects' Journal Small Projects prize, a garage at the bottom of at 1970s terraced house in London's Crystal Palace area converted into a his 'n hers home office space (there is a work space and desk at the front, a reading area at the back). Commissioned by a couple (a neurosurgeon and an IT engineer) from architecture, interior and landscape design studio Vatraa, it comes in at 30 sqm and features polished plaster walls and a clever lighting setup which works with the lack of natural light in the space. Lots more excellent photos of the interior at the Vatraa link above.

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Wednesday posts are sponsored by Booths Garden Studios, the UK's No.1 supplier of zero maintenance and portable garden studios

 

Home and garden shows in latest Idler magazine column

The latest issue of the Idler magazine is winging its way to subscribers now so look out for it soon on the magazine shelves. It features as always my regular column on shedlife, this time looking at the best home and garden shows to visit and some of the suppliers to look out for (plus my other regular column on famous idlers, this time round, Andy Capp). Happy reading!

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Malvern Garden Buildings offer a premium collection of garden buildings, displayed at 11 UK showsites.

Plankbridge looking to hire a hutmaker and hutmaker apprentice

Shepherd's hut specialists Plankbridge are looking to recruit a hutmaker. This will be a multi-tasking role ranging from carpentry and timber framing, as well as first fix plumbing and electrics, through to final finishing. It would suit a practical and friendly individual, perhaps a self-builder with a can-do attitude and a keen eye for quality. To apply please email Plankbridge direct on hello@plankbridge.com and tell them a bit about yourself and your experience.

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Monday posts are sponsored by Cosy Garden Rooms, the UK's No. 1 bespoke garden room designer and builder.

 

Friday Finery: self-built hempcrete architecture studio

This week's entry in the Friday Finery slot is this remarkable garden office build by Commonbond Architects to be used by their own staff. With an internal floor area of 28m², it consists of two interconnecting rooms with a long table for working, and a snug. There's also a lavatory and storage area.

What makes it particularly interesting is that it's made from hempcrete as a test for using this environmentally-friendly breathable building material which also has splendid insulation properties. Moreover, as regular readers know, the Shedworking staff really love an underground build and this one is sunk one metre into the ground in order to make the flowerbeds align with the desktop which makes for a fine view. 

It's been shortlisted for the Architects Journal Small Projects 2024 award so you can vote for it here.

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Friday posts are sponsored by Warwick Buildings, manufacturers of outstanding quality timber buildings. Click here for more information.

Malvern Garden Buildings' Houseplant Studios at 2024 Chelsea Flower Show

Another garden office supplier to look out for at this year's RHS Chelsea Flower Show in late May is Malvern Garden Buildings who are bringing seven indoor gardens to the Houseplant Studios area in the Plateau area (pictured above is part of the company's stand at last year's event). Among the indoor plant stylists and botanical designers showing off their skills in MVG's various studios including their Victorian Greenhouse, Studio Pavilion, Studio Retreat, Astwood, and Studio Flat, will be 

* The Glasshouse: a social enterprise offering horticultural training to women based in UK prisons

*  Plants by There: a multisensory retro 1970s bedroom

* The Plant Parlour x GrowTropicals: exploring the potential of indoor spaces with biophilic design and naturalistic planting. 

* The Plant Warehouse: looking at turning homes of any size into indoor jungles with a focus on upcycling e.g. a living coffee table

* The Little Botanical: an immersive sanctuary showcasing sustainability through British grown and 100% peat free houseplants

* In the Garden: a maximalist layered indoor landscape in an eclectic city apartment, championing the importance of plant placement 

* Botanic York: an immersive, educational experience within a suburban home

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 Thursday posts are sponsored by Cabin Master: garden offices and   

 studios to fit any size garden. Top quality contemporary or traditional

 buildings.

Blue Forest treehouse at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2024

One of the trade stands at RHS Chelsea worth a look every year is Blue Forest's. Back again on the Main Avenue, the company will be presenting a two-storey garden treehouse (which they're calling an "entertainment tower"), co-created with landscape architecture experts Randle Siddeley Limited.

For 2024, they will be featuring in particular edible plants and fragrant botanicals which will complement the treehouse bar and entertainment deck which will offer smashing views over the show. There's also going to be a ground floor children's section with swinging seats.

“We are thrilled to unveil the Botanical Treehouse at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show,” said Andy Payne, Founder and MD of Blue Forest. “This project represents a true collaboration between nature and design, and we are delighted to once again be working with the prestigious Randle Siddeley to create something truly spectacular.”
 
This year, as ever, RHS is at Royal Hospital Chelsea in London May 21-25.

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Wednesday posts are sponsored by Booths Garden Studios, the UK's No.1 supplier of zero maintenance and portable garden studios

Garden office photography studio

An interesting case study from Cosy Garden Rooms, the Roberts Twin Photography business based in Hastings, a five day build. Roberts Twins Photography is a professional photography business run by twin brothers Stuart and Lee which specialises in family, pet and wedding photography.

Stuart and Lee wanted a space from which they could grow their business. They were split between working from home, on location or hiring a studio by the hour, and wisely went down the garden office route (see images above). It measures 7m x 4m with durable Boothbay blue Hardie board cladding, a concrete foundation, floor to ceiling windows, central double sliding door, and overhang on two sides with remote sensor downlights.




"A garden room was a cheaper alternative than having an extension on the house," said Stuart. "I really wanted to grow our business and having a studio of our own, somewhere we could do our photography easily without all the massive outgoings of rent was the next key step for enabling that growth.
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"By having our own studio we were able to grow our business and do all the things we wanted to do, i.e. newborn photography and dog photography, families, etc. I can practice new ideas, work on our editing in peace away from my busy household. Our newborn photography can sometimes see us with clients for four hours, this wasn’t cost effective when renting a studio by the hour. ​I can do whatever ideas I like now, whenever I like, no big overheads, no booking slots.

"I now have a place that is cool in the hot summer and nice and toastie in the winter. I can use my studio all year around. Plus, it’s not only a studio but also an escape, a study, a dining room at Christmas for the whole family, a party room for New Years Eve, a poker room for myself and my loud mates; the list goes on – it’s brilliant!"

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Malvern Garden Buildings offer a premium collection of garden buildings, displayed at 11 UK showsites.

Workers and bosses have different views on working from home productivity

A new survey from YouGov indicates that not everybody has the same beliefs about productivity when working from home. It shows that 60% of those who work from home are more productive there than in a 'traditional' office environment, with a quarter saying it makes no difference, and just 17% saying that they get more done when they go in to work in an office.

On the other hand, bosses are rather more split - a third agree that working from home is more productive, a similar figure believe the opposite. When it comes to themselves working from home, 44% say it's the better place to work...

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Monday posts are sponsored by Cosy Garden Rooms, the UK's No. 1 bespoke garden room designer and builder.

 

Friday Finery: treehouse garden office

This week, a delightful treehouse garden office from treehouse specialists Cheeky Monkey.

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Friday posts are sponsored by Warwick Buildings, manufacturers of outstanding quality timber buildings. Click here for more information.

Garden studios at at Malvern Spring Festival 2024

While Chelsea is the biggest beast of the garden show season, there are plenty more great shows elsewhere around the county which showcase interesting garden offices and garden buildings. Here are a couple from this year's Malvern Spring Festival (May 9 - 12) featuring models from Malvern Garden Buildings.

Pictured top is Concrete 2.0, a show garden from garden designer Ian McBain of Tythorne Garden Design which features the company's Flat Roof Studio. With eco-friendliness and reclaimed/recycled materials at its heart, the garden is designed for a young professional couple and who also want to work from home in a garden office. “The paving is purposely shaped to lead towards the studio, and the planting has been designed so that it will ‘ground’ the building and surround it with texture, colour and interest,” said Ian. “I really like the clean and contemporary feel of the garden studio. It is an attractive, practical and comfortable space, perfect for the Concrete 2.0 garden.”

Also worth looking out for is the Grand Appeal Garden (pictured above) from Bristol garden designers  Suzy Dean and Isabel Devaney of Ammil Garden Design Studio who will be making use of a bespoke Woodland Lodge for their family-friendly creation. According to Suzy: “The garden building helps to bring a family together surrounded by nature, whatever the season and whatever challenges they may be facing. It’s their safe haven. The barn style cladding and shingle roof really complement the rustic woodland styling of the garden. The inside is cosy, while the veranda allows you to be immersed in the garden whatever the weather.”

 

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Wednesday posts are sponsored by Booths Garden Studios, the UK's No.1 supplier of zero maintenance and portable garden studios

 

 

 

Beautiful Proctor & Shaw garden studio

The Shedworking interns saw this property in Clapham, London, advertised on Wilfords and were naturally immediately taken with the view of the back garden. The garden office pictured actually mirrors the style of the oak bay window in this rear room, and is in a pleasant south-facing garden with fire pit and lawn. It's on at around the £2 million mark, but then you also get a five-bedroom house built around 1910 and sensitively redesigned by awardwinning architects Proctor & Shaw thrown in to sweeten the deal.

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Malvern Garden Buildings offer a premium collection of garden buildings, displayed at 11 UK showsites.

New 'Young Sheddie' category introduced for 2024 Shed of the Year

The 18th iteration of the world's leading shed competition Shed of the Year is now open for entries with a brand new category, Young Sheddie of the Year.

This means that those aged 18 - 25 can share the sheds they have bought to life, whether used for work, play, or a place to chill. Young Sheddie of the Year is also an opportunity to showcase creations brought to life by multiple generations in the family.

The new category is one of seven that entrants can pick to be in with the chance of winning an all-new prize. Alongside £1,000 in cash and £250 worth of Cuprinol products, this year’s winner will also be awarded an exclusive overnight stay in a relaxing nature resort. 

Head judge and founder of the competition Uncle Wilco said: “It will be very fascinating to see how the upcoming summer of sport events might inspire the entries in our pub and entertainment category. We’ve seen a growing number of participants using recycled materials and making more sustainable choices when it comes to creating their sheds – these are factors we’ll consider closely as we select finalists for the Nature’s Haven category this year.
 
“I’m also extremely excited to see the submissions in our new category. Last year, we crowned Archie Proudfoot our winner – he submitted his shed [pictured top] into the then-recently introduced Most Colourful Shed category. His fresh approach and vibrant use of colour made him a worthy winner.”

Cuprinol Creative Director, Marianne Shillingford added: “We’re equally excited to introduce the Cuprinol Young Sheddie of the Year category to the 2024 competition. It’s a fabulous way for the younger generation to express their unique personalities and unleash their creativity on a grand scale; this is our opportunity to meet the artists and architects of tomorrow!”
 
Categories for Cuprinol Shed of the Year 2024 include:
    1.    Young Sheddie of the Year
    2.    Most Colourful Shed
    3.    Simple but Effective
    4.    Budget
    5.    Unexpected/Unique
    6.    Cabin or Summerhouse
    7.    Nature’s Haven
    8.    Pub or Entertainment
    9.    Workshop or Studio

Entries for this year’s competition will close at midnight on May 31, 2024.

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Monday posts are sponsored by Cosy Garden Rooms, the UK's No. 1 bespoke garden room designer and builder.

Woodlands Home & Garden Group open a new distribution hub in Scotland

Specialist garden building manufacturer and retailer Woodlands Home & Garden Group has opened a new warehouse, distribution and sales hub in Scotland. The 40,000 sq.ft site is located in Glenrothes, Fife, and is part of Woodlands' development plans as it looks to expand its operation across the whole of Scotland.

The new hub will be managed by Chris Devanny who has extensive experience within the garden building market. In addition to overseeing the 22,000 sq.ft warehouse and distribution facility, he will also lead the development of sales, service, and installation operations across Scotland.

The Glenrothes site will also house a new Tiger garden building franchise, opening in partnership with Anchor Timber Buildings, which will house over 110 garden buildings in an 18,000 sq.ft indoor display area.  The showsite in Glenrothes has been operated by Anchor for over 40 years, and having established a successful reputation across the region, they took the decision to partner exclusively with Tiger earlier this year to help with their growth.

Ross Moran, Chief Executive at Woodlands Home & Garden Group said: “We are delighted to get this deal over the line and the opening of a new hub in Glenrothes provides us with the opportunity to further develop our sales growth and service across the whole of Scotland which we believe is a really important and exciting region for us. We have worked successfully with Anchor for many years, so the appointment of Chris as our General Manager not only ensures continuity for all our customers, but also provides the business with a highly experienced and ambitious individual.

“The new Tiger franchise is also another significant step forward for Tiger’s offline strategy, which is creating a network of franchise-operated locations across the UK to complement our existing online success and build on our position as the UK’s market leader in garden buildings."

The new showsite is located at Anchor Timber Buildings, Unit 8a Boston Road, Viewfield Industrial Estate, Glenrothes, Fife KY6 2RE and is open from 8am until 4.30pm on Monday to Friday and 9am until 3pm on Saturday. 

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Friday posts are sponsored by Warwick Buildings, manufacturers of outstanding quality timber buildings. Click here for more information.