“Yo ho, my boys,” said Fezziwig. “No more work to-night. Christmas Eve, Dick. Christmas, Ebenezer. Let’s have the shutters up,” cried old Fezziwig, with a sharp clap of his hands, “before a man can say Jack Robinson.”Shutters open again on January 5.
It's that time of year, in which, between now and Christmas Eve, the Shed opens a new door every day, taking you on a journey. Welcome to #Shedvent, everyone...
— Joanne Harris (@joannechocolat.bsky.social) 1 December 2025 at 18:47
Novelist Joanne Harris has once again been delighting folk online with her annual Shedvent posts on Bluesky and if you are there too then you can follow along her daily posts and revisit past ones.
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For the final Finery of the year, here is a yoga studio from Crown Pavilions that is semi-hidden within the attractive gardens surrounding it. If you're after something similar yourself, the company has a whole page about them here.
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In addition, nearly three-quarters of those polled said they would like to work from home some or all of the time. The figures are similar to those for the same polls over the last two years and show the interest and reality in working from home or hybrid working.
Only 1% of people who work from home at least some of the time say they would rather not do so at all. On the other hand, of those who work from home sometimes, a quarter would prefer to make that arrangement a full time one.
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Something to look out for in early 2026, the BBCube from Arctic Cabins, a new straight-walled, four-sided log cabin, but with the signature central grill for communal cooking, socialising, and even shedworking.
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An interesting article in Exposed magazine looks at why musicians are starting to turn their backs on paying for traditional recording studios and instead setting up their own, either individually or with colleagues, in their own back gardens. Here's a snippet:
"With the skyrocketing cost of rents and commercial studio rates as they currently are, pinching pennies is becoming ever more essential. Artists from Sheffield to Bristol have had enough of the current scene and are coming up with their own solutions. One of the avenues they are taking? Building a ‘garden studio,’ a log cabin in their yard that is becoming its own act of punk rock as we head into 2026."
Well worth a browse and quite a short piece.
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It's not been the snowiest winter so far but here's an example of what might be coming our way, an Arctic Cabins build beating back a blizzard from yesteryear.
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English Heritage has done a very worthy '19 Remarkable Historic Places Listed in 2025' listicle which features the Cobham Mews Studios in London which were designed by David Chipperfield Architects and built between 1987 and 1989. Here's what English Heritage say about it:
Seeing the potential of a back-land plot, then in use as a scrapyard, Chipperfield worked with Derwent Valley Property Developments to create a pair of studio offices tucked behind the residential terraces of central Camden. The building remained the practice’s home for over 20 years.
The design draws inspiration from small-scale industrial buildings as well as Victorian artist’s studios, using rooflights and glass bricks to bring in natural light whilst protecting the privacy of surrounding houses. The exterior nods to Modern Movement pioneers of the 1920s and 30s which were an early influence on Chipperfield. Inside, crisp detail, double-height spaces and mezzanine floors create spatial drama.
"These newly protected places demonstrate the remarkable diversity of England's heritage," said Claudia Kenyatta and Emma Squire, Co-CEOs Historic England. "They connect us to the people and events that shaped our communities."
Photo courtesy and © Historic England Archive
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A new study of 16,000 people has focused on how working from home, whether in a garden office or otherwise, affects people's mental health.
The study by Jan Kabetak, Ferdi Botha, Jordy Meekes and Roger Wilkins from the University of Melbourne relied on information from thousands of Australians and indicates that:
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The Shedworking staff members are known for their enthusiastic support of all thing Sidmouth so were particularly pleased to see the designs for the town's upcoming upgraded Jacob's Ladder beach huts by the Bailey Partnership released. Interestingly, the new huts will not be timber but made of a composite material to increase their longevity.
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Coming to all good bookshops in May 2026...
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If you're in a tricky spot, it's often possible to still crane a garden office building into place. Here's an example from Okopod who took part in BBC TV's DIY SOS series earlier this year to help a deserving family in south London. Okopod donated and installed this self-contained garden annexe which included a bedroom, bathroom, and kitchenette. More photos of the whole thing at Okopod's blog here and you can see the whole heartwarming episode on the iPlayer thingy here.
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This is tremendous, a build by Joey from Man Made which documents how he constructed a garage office inside his garage. Well worth a look.
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