A space you can call your own
Creating your own garden room is a wonderful way of separating work from home
WITH the sudden onset of lockdown, we said goodbye to lengthy commutes. There was a rush to set up shop on any surface that could accommodate everything that had previously been located on an ergonomically designed office workstation.
Zoom meetings had kitchen cabinet backdrops with bored children rushing around looking for snacks. We thought it was temporary, but as time passed it looked more likely that many of us would be based at home, at least for some of the week. That requires a more permanent and suitable working environment.
Freelancers have always known the beauty and usefulness of a short commute – to the garden. Setting up in a corner of a room is fine for a short period but it’s not feasible in the long-term. We need to feel that we switch off and leave the worries of work in the office, even if you can see it from a rear window.
The good news is that most garden offices won’t need planning permission. If it’s at the rear of your property, no-one lives in it, it doesn’t take up more than half of the garden and it’s no more than 4m high it’s within building permission regulations.
Also if any part that’s less than a metre from any boundary fence or wall isn’t higher than 2.5m. All rules are available on the Scottish Government website, but the best advice is to check with the local planning authority. Garden office providers will be able to advise on not only the restrictions but also the best locations, power supplies and what kind of foundations are required.
The good news is that most garden rooms are stylish and can be erected quickly by companies who have been providing this service since long before you were conducting international meetings in pyjama bottoms and slippers.
The choice is becoming much wider, in style and materials with a move to more ecofriendly materials.
They can be cosy in the winter and airconditioned in the summer and are secure enough for office equipment.
They can enhance a garden rather than spoil the view, especially if it takes its cues from the house itself. In fact they can be the central point of a newly landscaped garden, with that landscape design taking its cues from the garden office whether it’s traditional, contemporary or even with a touch of cool Scandi design.
Garden offices are adaptable in that they can also provide teens with a quiet place to study. With so many people making the move to home working, it’s also a great investment that could provide added value when it comes to selling your home.