What Are Garden Rooms and Garden Offices?

Garden rooms can be a great investment if you have extra garden space. It can completely transform your garden and turn it into a useful and elegant space.

To put it simply, a garden room is a room in your garden that is designed to have an insulated, house-like feel that is physically separate from the main structure of your house. It differs from a shed in the sense that this is a room that is a luxury space, meant to act as an extension of your home.

Most people will furnish the inside of the garden rooms, similar to that of their house and use them like they would a functional homeroom. However, it provides the owner with a sense of separation from home life and in most cases, people will use their garden room as a place of relaxation or leisure.

What Are the Benefits of a Garden Room?

Garden rooms can be used as extra space and for those with a big garden that doesn't provide much use, it can act as a great way to purpose that unused space. In addition, garden houses rarely need planning permission, though it is always great to check before construction begins. 

For those people who have a desire for extra space, the idea of a garden room is appealing. You will have extra space for your belongings as well as increase the current size of your living space. You can transform a garden room in any way that you wish, some popular options are offices, other workspaces and gyms.

A garden room provides individuals with a project that they can undertake with a range of different design options. It can allow you to indulge in your creative side.

Garden Room Ideas

Once you have decided to build a garden room, you and going to want to ensure that you are making the most out of your new addition. Below, we have listed some ideas that you can use to transform your garden room into a function space for you to gain its maximum benefit.

1. Games Room

Having a games room can encourage time spent together between families and friends. It provides a space that caters for the relaxation needs of the family if games are your thing and it keeps the gaming systems all in one space. You can fill the room with multiplayer games that can be enjoyed by more than one person. 

If you frequently visit gaming spaces, such as arcades, it can save money and time. Additionally, it provides you with a relaxing atmosphere, but in the comfort of your own home. You can have a space that is transformed into a place for entertainment.

If you frequently have visitors, this can be a great way to keep them entertained. You can also save money in this instance as you will not have to go out and book methods of entertainment.

2. An Office

In current times, the increased number of people working from home has reached an all-time high. For some people, their home environment is not the best place to work and this interferes with their work/life balance.

Therefore, creating a space, away from your home that acts as your office is incredibly beneficial for those who are working from home but still want to maintain some distance. This can also increase focus and productivity at work.

3. Hobby Room

Hobbies can sometimes take up a lot of space, so if we have a room where we can go to do our hobby then it can free up space in our homes. A lot of people can turn their hobbies into a side business and earn some extra money. What better way to establish and build a business right in your garden.

If a hobby consists of lots of equipment, then having all of that equipment at once will be incredibly beneficial.

4. A Gym

A gym membership can be a costly long term investment and whilst building your own gym can work out to be costly, you will have it for life once it is built unless you decide to get rid of it. If you also lack the confidence to go to a gym, then this provides an amazing way to work out without worry.

A home gym allows you to stick to a fitness routine that is much easier to cater to if you do not have to rely on a public gym. It is much more convenient if you just have to travel into your garden. You can exercise whenever it is convenient for you.

Your privacy will be maximised with a home gym and you can provide yourself with the best workout environment that best suits your needs. If you have small children, they can play in the garden whilst you are working out.

5. Guest Room

If you frequently have guests at your home, then converting the garden room into a guest room can be a great way to ensure their privacy as well as your own. This can be beneficial for those who are staying for a while.

Additionally, it also provides extra space where you are able to store extra home equipment, such as bedding, sheets and pillows that are reserved for your guests. Electricity and insulation can be provided in most garden rooms, ensuring that your guests would be kept warm through the winter months.

6. Spa Room

It is not uncommon for garden rooms to be used for the ultimate relaxation space and what better way to relax than with a home spa. You can include a hot tub or have a pool installed in the garden room to maximise your relaxation. You can even expand and invest in your own sauna. 

You can have hot water, electricity and air conditioning installed throughout your garden room and experience the limitless abilities. You can store bath products, relaxation aids and other spa-like items to create the perfect way to reduce your tension and anxiety.

7. Music Room

Whilst practising music is an art form, it may be one that has the potential to disrupt others and in turn, disrupt you. With a music room, you could insulate your own soundproof room and fill it will all things music.

You can ensure a quiet space, away from others where you can focus on learning and practising your music. Some instruments, such as pianos can be rather large and finding a select location for them in the home may be difficult, but with a garden room, you could have the perfect space.

8. A Bar

Having a home bar can be a great way to increase and improve your levels of socialisation. If you are someone who frequently visits the pub, then having a home bar can save you a lot of money in the long term. This garden room can also double as a hobby if you enjoy bartending and creating cocktails and other drinks.

You can create the perfect atmosphere for the event. You can play your own music, serve your favourite drinks and dance in the comfort of your own home surrounded by the people who you allow into your home bar.

9. Art Studio

If you consider yourself to be an artistic person, you may want to consider allowing yourself to have your own art space that is separate from your home life. If your art is painting, this can sometimes become messy and having a garden room dedicated to art allows you to get as messy as you want.

You can have the room to work on bigger projects that don't require a clean up until the project is complete. Simply close the doors to your garden room and start again when it is best suited to you. 

Having a space where you are able to express yourself artistically can create a great balance. You are able to separate the rest of your life from what is in front of you and have the ultimate space for focus.

10. Storage

While most people consider a shed to be adequate enough storage for their garden, this may not be the basic terms of appeal that everyone is going for. In terms of something more modern and specific to design, a garden room can provide a great space for your storage needs.

To be specific, most sheds are made of wood and this itself. For example, wood can absorb moisture and this can lead to wood rot and decay, which can lead to sheds needing to be repaired and or replaced. A garden room would provide you with a much longer investment that would last much longer than a shed. If you decide to retransform the garden room in the future, you also have that option.

You can fill the room with shelves, boxes, garden equipment and home essentials that you would otherwise clutter your home with.

What Is a Garden Office?

Whilst a lot of people will consider transforming their garden room into an office, you are able to buy garden rooms that are specifically designed to be an office. A garden office is an independent building that is separate from your home and used for work and hobby related matters.

Whether you need an office for work or leisure, you can provide yourself with the perfect space that allows you to get work done and return to your home and maintain that healthy work-life balance.

If you work from home or you have a business that you run from your home, then sometimes an extension is a costly method of having a dedicated workspace. Having a garden office ensures that you are not forgoing essential rooms within your own home. You can forgo your daily commute and gain that extra time back at home.

If you are based in the UK, planning permission is not usually required for garden offices, provided you own the property on which you plan to build on. With that being said you should always check before you start the process.

Typically, the cost of a garden office will vary depending on the following:

• Where you purchase it
• What material it is made from
• The size
• How many rooms you decide to have
• What features you decide to have included

It is always best to decide those factors before you start to look into where and how to purchase a garden office. This will make the process much easier. It is also worth noting that in most cases, having a garden room or a garden office will increase the value of your property should you ever decide to sell.

To give an average cost, you would be looking at £10,000 for a basic garden office. However, with the addition of features, rooms, more space, internet, insulation, water and electricity, the cost can bounce up to £60k and potentially continue to increase.

What About Garden Office Safety?

If you are going to use your garden room as a garden office, then you are going to want to ensure that safety is a top priority. Quite often, an office will consist of expensive equipment such as laptops and computers. In some cases, the office may handle money.

In these cases, you are going to want to ensure that your garden office is safe and this goes for use that you find for your garden room. Most garden rooms and offices are designed to be just as safe as your home. They are made with strong and sturdy materials that are designed to make your office space as safe as possible.

Any windows and doors that are installed in garden rooms and offices are typically the same ones that you will find inside your own home. This means that they have can be locked and secured in the same way. In addition, the walls, unlike sheds, consist of multiple layers that made them hard to be broken down.

If you have a home security system, the same type of alarms can be fitted to your garden room, which increases their current state of security. In the instance that your garden office does get broken into, you can equip your garden room with security cameras, which will catch those who have broken in. You can find CCTV cameras which you can monitor from inside your own home.