The Shedworking staff has scarpered to the beach for a few days rest, relaxation, and rereading of The Philosophy of Sheds, published by the British Library and available at all good bookshops. See you again next week.
*************************************
A nice story about the importance of sheds to a happy life written by my former colleague from Yorkshire Evening Press days Helen Rowe now at AFP press agency gives my latest book The Philosophy of Sheds a nice name check with some quotes by me about the joy of sheds - the piece has been published all over the world including Malaysia and Luxembourg. You can try it in English here https://www.yahoo.com/.../british-eccentrics-push-humble... or in French here https://www.laprovence.com/.../royaume-uni-loin-de-la...
------------------------------------------------------------------------
This week's finery was the marvellous Hipped Garden Studio from Malvern Garden Buildings that appeared last month at the inaugural RHS Flower Show at Sandringham in The Thomas Gainsborough Garden designed by Frederic Whyte.
This was built as a north-facing artist's studio and finished in a gentle green-grey shade with a soft yellow interior that was very simply furnished, and also featured specially commissioned diptych paintings by artist Kate Giles celebrating the garden as well as handcrafted furniture by Otis of O B Luxton.
You can see it in the excellent video below from about the 14:50 mark, but look out also for the excellent shedlike atmospheres featured in the show too in the other gardens.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
To celebrate A level results day, here is a 4m x 2m Canopy Room model from Modern Garden Rooms which is used as a den for the Surrey client's teenagers. Features include French doors, two 0.5m sidelights with top opening windows, and a knotty grade cedar cladding on the rear of the building facing against the fence to help keep costs down.
*************************************
This is a tremendous summerhouse from Cophenhagen-based SAGA Space Architects (who design some very shedlike space buildings too).
They call it the EcoNeo house and it measures 35 m², catering for a family of 6, and includes this year's must-have shed feature, a sauna. It is made entirely out of biogenic material, with exterior oak shingles cladding, and inside a mixture of plywood, Douglas fir, birch, and OSB panels.
There are lots of eco-friendly elements to the build and some lovely photos of it too (click link above to take a look) but understandably they are particularly proud of its carbon footprint. Here's what they say on the subject:
The average size of a new summerhouse in Denmark is 93.6m², with an average emission of 9.5 kg CO2 per m² per year. By comparison, EcoNeo is only 35m², reducing its overall footprint by approximately 60% through size alone. Combined with its use of biogenic materials, efficient systems, smart environmental controls, and renewable energy support, EcoNeo achieves an estimated footprint of 175 kg CO2 per year, compared to approximately 883.5 kg CO2 per year for an average newly built Danish summerhouse. This represents an estimated reduction of around 80%.
Marvellous photo by Edi Cliff
------------------------------------------------------------------------
A great competition from Arctic Cabins and Cabin Master. To celebrate 10 years of their Nottingham show site, they are offering £10,000 off a garden room or BBQ cabin to one lucky winner in their draw. Simply enter your details to take part, no purchase necessary, and it's free. And you can get bonus entries by visiting the show site and registering with the sales team, and also by buying a cabin. Do check the Ts&Cs but essentially you need to be over 18 and resident in the UK. Entries close August 31.
The marvellous Lire à la Plage scheme which runs along the Seine-Maritime coastline in France is celebrating its 20th anniversary this summer.
Run from 13 blue and white beach huts operate as open air libraries and also include author meet-and-greets, writing workshops, and activities by the sea, this year's theme is 'What were we reading 20 years ago, and what are 20-year-old readers reading today?'
Running until August 23, this year's patron is novelist Katherine Pancol
Rouen is also putting on an open-air photographic exhibition 'Reading at the Beach is 20 Years Old' on the railings of the Departmental Council building until August 21.
The 13 libraries are in Jumièges-Le Mesnil, Criel-sur-Mer, Dieppe, Étretat, Fécamp , Le Havre, Le Tréport, Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer, Saint-Valery-en-Caux, Veules-les-Roses, Yport, Saint-Jouin-Bruneval and Sainte-Adresse. They open 11am until 7pm every day, with around 1,000 books per cabin.
Photo courtesy Département de Seine-Maritime
For this week's Finery, a reminder that while the view of your garden through your garden office windows may bring to mind thoughts of hay fields, it will all bloom again. The example here is of a particularly 'bringing the outside in' Cabin Master build.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
After a boom in popularity during Covid, beach hut prices appear to be in freefall, according to new figures from online estate agent Yopa.
Asking prices in eight of the UK's popular coastal counties fell 9.8% in the year to July 2026 according to Yopa, while in the year to July 2025 they saw a 19.6% drop, partly a reaction to an increase in supply.
The figures indicate the worst decline in prices has been in West Sussex, a fall of 35% from £33,044 to £21,444 in the year to July. It is followed by Norfolk (13%), and then
Essex and Hampshire (12%).
Bucking the trend are Suffolk which has seen a rise of 6.6 per cent to £27,676, and Dorset up 2.8% and representing the most expensive available, for example at Mudeford, at an average of £105,343.
*************************************
A nice case study on the Plankbridge site all about the shepherd’s hut art studio of Elizabeth Shields in Somerset who specialises in family portraits. Here's a snippet:
It’s exactly the right size. There is generous wall space for paintings, and I love the panelling because it makes hanging work so easy. One whole end is windowed, looking out onto the veranda, so the studio is filled with natural light throughout the day... It is a calming place and it smells amazing. As soon as you walk in it smells like you are ready to work – inviting and comfortable, I really enjoy it, walking up the garden to get there. I always find I have to watch my timekeeping there because I forget what I am meant to be doing elsewhere. The outside world recedes almost immediately.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
New research commissioned by Dunster House reveals how UK entrepreneurs are transforming their homes and outdoor spaces into professional business hubs.
The interviews with 250 UK adults who run their business fully from their home, a small garden office or outdoor workspace, reveal that 46% say their enterprise is critically financially important and their primary source of income.
Combined with those who rely on it for significant additional earnings, nearly three-quarters (74%) describe their home business as either their main income source or a substantial financial contributor.
At the same time, 62% have invested money specifically into home or garden offices, or a home workspace to support their business, while 14% cited the prohibitive cost of commercial renting as a key reason for operating from home.
Nearly half of respondents (47%) started their business in pursuit of a better work-life balance, while 36% wanted to work from home by design, and a further 36% sought greater flexibility in how and when they worked.
Among 18 to 24-year-olds, 29% run online retail or e-commerce businesses compared with just 14% of those aged 55 and over. Among 25 to 34-year-olds, 12% run content creation or social media businesses, and a further 12% operate in fitness, yoga or personal training.
The most common workspace is the study or home office (20%), but a substantial proportion of entrepreneurs are running their businesses from wherever space allows: the living room (14%), a summer house or garden room (10%), a spare bedroom (10%), a workshop or studio (9%), a garage (6%), or even the kitchen or dining table (6%).
The survey finds that home business owners have invested an average of £5,170 into their workspace, with more than a third (36%) having invested at least £5,000.
When asked what they would invest in if money were no constraint, the answers point strongly towards workspace quality and professional infrastructure. Better broadband or Wi-Fi tops the list (34%), closely followed by improved heating or air conditioning (34%) and a fully insulated garden office (32%). Dedicated storage space (28%), a larger workshop (27%), soundproof studios (21%) and smart technology or security systems (21%) also feature prominently.
Pic courtesy Dunster House
***********************************************
There's nothing like Shed of the Year in other countries but in Alberta, Canada they do have a Yard of the Year competition run by CTV which has just announced its winner, one which contains several lovely sheds. Enjoy these two short videos below:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
If you're looking to buy a garden office or upgrade your current one, Booths Garden Studios has a used 20ft x 8ft QCB Garden Studio which will save you more than £8,000 compared to a new studio. It's on offer for £17,495 as opposed to £25,995 new and needs a footprint of 21ft 4in × 9ft 4in. It comes in Booth's most popular colours, anthracite windows, corners and fascia with merlin grey walls. The offer includes window blinds and outside lights. These tend to go fast so if you're interested contact Booths via the link above.
*************************************
A hobby shed has scooped the overall winner prize in the 20th annual Shed of the Year competition, this year sponsored by Tiger.
Chris Otterburn’s Otty’s Hobby Shed 2.0 was actually entered by his friend Dave who said: "Chris would never have entered it himself. He’d also never admit just how much work has gone into creating it or how much it means to all of us. It’s become somewhere we meet every week, enjoy our hobby, make endless cups of tea and remember our friend Scott.”
Built as a base for the group's wargaming activities, Chris's friends helped to build it while their number, Scott Forrest, was undergoing treatment for cancer. Sadly, Scott passed away before the shed was completed.
Features include an 18-foot gaming table, storage for battle boards and miniatures that the group has painted themselves (in a separate painting shed), a tea-making station and a memorial area for Scott.
“Winning Shed of the Year is an incredible honour," said Chris, "and means so much to everyone who’s been part of this journey. What started as a hobby project has become somewhere our friends can come together every week, enjoy our shared passion and remember Scott. It’s far more than just a shed, and knowing other people have connected with our story makes this award incredibly special.”
Andrew Wilcox, Founder and Head Judge of Shed of the Year, added: “The standard of entries this year has been exceptional and proves that in our twentieth year the sheddies of the UK are still creating stunning spaces and inspiring others.
“Otty’s Hobby Shed 2.0 perfectly captures what Shed of the Year is all about. It’s an outstanding build, but it was the story behind it that made it our overall winner. More than a garden building, it’s somewhere friendships are strengthened, memories are preserved and people come together to share the hobbies they love. It perfectly demonstrates how a shed can become a truly special sanctuary.”
Sam Jenkinson, Head of Marketing and Chief Sheddie at Tiger, said: “We’ve been amazed by the quality of entries during the competition’s 20th year, and it’s been a privilege to celebrate the incredible creativity and craftsmanship found in gardens across the UK. While every category had a unique story to tell, Otty’s Hobby Shed 2.0 truly captured the spirit of what makes this competition so special.”
The Shedworking staff were also delighted to see Clare Muir's marvellous pottery studio, Tea Shack (pictured below), win the Workshop/Studio category.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
There was a wonderful selection of garden offices and studios at this week's RHS Sandringham Flower Show.
Pictured above is The Rhythm of Rainwater designed by Anthony Purdy focusing on turning rain into a visual and musical experience while underlining the importance of rainwater harvesting. At its centre was this lovely bespoke artist’s studio for a songwriter to work surrounded by inspirational landscape.
Below is 100 Sweet Summers designed by Kitti Kovacs with an oak-framed cabin at its centre, decorated with recycled wine bottles collected from those shared with friends and family over the years.
And finally The Thomas Gainsborough Garden which launches the 300th birthday celebrations of the artist with an artist's garden studio at its heart, designed by Frederic Whyte.
***********************************************
This week's Finery is The Alison, one of the models from Pennsylvania-based Hillbrook Connections founded by Alison Caribasi who specifically says it works ideally as a home office. Features include a hipped roof, French doors, and side windows.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
A reminder that if you enjoyed shedworker novelist Joanne Harris's imaginative posts about her writing shed on Twitter, she's not there any more but she is doing the very same thing most days on Bluesky. Here's today's, above. Well worth a follow.
*************************************
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
------------------------------------------------------------------------
An interesting 8.4m x 4m build from Eden Garden Rooms which they describe as "a large holistic L-shaped inside-outside living space complete with concealed storage shed".
It's in a large back garden plot in Surrey, a two-room building with distinct entrances combining an art studio (measuring 3m x 4m with letterbox window for additional light) with a general family retreat space (4.8m wide with room for a sofa and bar areaq plus full-height window), a large decking area, and separate shed storage room. Features include three-door bifolds, and combi-air-airconditioning units.
***********************************************
As we go into another week of sunshine, here's a very summery garden office set up for this week's Finery from Cosy Garden Rooms which also features a rather inviting hot tub area.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
UK garden building specialist Tiger has reported a year of record performance, with revenues rising 18% year-on-year and sales more than doubled since 2019.
“The last 12 months have represented a major step forward for the business across ecommerce, retail expansion, customer experience and operational capability," said Sam Jenkinson, Head of Marketing at Tiger. "We operate in a highly competitive market, but we believe our focus on quality, innovation and long-term brand building continues to set Tiger apart.
“There have been significant external challenges, from fluctuating consumer confidence to rising costs and aggressive competitor activity, but the team has responded exceptionally well. What’s particularly pleasing is the consistency of performance we’re now seeing across the full trading calendar, including periods traditionally more exposed to seasonal and weather volatility.
“We’ve built strong momentum across ecommerce and retail simultaneously, and we see significant opportunities for continued expansion in both areas over the coming years.”
The company has in particular accelerated the rollout of its physical retail presence, growing from a single show site in 2023 to over 30 locations this year through its expanding franchise network (pictured above is part of its Bristol showsite).
Tiger says it expects continued double-digit ecommerce growth alongside further development across its retail network and modular buildings division throughout 2026, with additional product launches and category expansion plans already in development.
Alongside commercial expansion, Tiger continues to invest in sustainability and community initiatives, including recycling all timber chippings into animal bedding, supporting tree replanting projects and sponsoring this year’s Shed of the Year competition, which now includes a dedicated community category. The business also continues its partnership with St Gemma's Hospice.
*************************************
Architects' Studio is a fabulous build by O'Donnell + Tuomey in Dublin which has been shortlisted for the RIBA International Awards for Excellence 2026.
They quite rightly describe the 10m x 6m studio as a "shed-like structure", a freestanding extension to a late-Georgian terraced house in the long back garden which has managed to retain two birch trees and also offer views of the local Rathmines church. Features include a monopitch roof, double-height interior space, kitchen, mezzanine, a Douglas fir structure, locally sourced structural timber, a black zinc roof, and an air-to-water heat pump.
Smashing photos by Aisling McCoy and more at the top link.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
A quck update on the garden office/casita build in Chile of my old school friend Kevin Towl (you can see the original post here). It's coming along nicely inside.
***********************************************
