My clients knew their house didn't match their modern Scandinavian style. Located in South Charlotte in an older, well-established community, Sara and Ash had big dreams for their home. During our virtual consultation, I learned a lot about this couple and their style. Ash is a woodworker and business owner; Sara is a realtor so they needed help pulling a vision together to combine their styles. We looked over their Pinterest boards where I began to envision their mid-century, meets modern, meets Scandinavian, meets Japanese garden, meets Monterey style. I told you I love making each exterior unique to each homeowner! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ The backyard was top priority for this family of 4 with a big wish-list. Sara and Ash were looking for a she-shed for Sara’s Peleton workouts, a fire pit area to hangout, and a fun and functional space that was golden doodle-friendly. They also envisioned a custom tree house that Ash would create for their 3-year-old, and an artificial soccer field to burn some energy off. I gave them a vision for the back sunroom area that would be converted into the woodworking shop for Ash to spend time perfecting his craft. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ This landscape is very low-maintenance with the rock details, evergreens, and ornamental grasses. My favorite feature is the pops of black river rock that contrasts with the white rock

Julian Abrahms

The industrious clients came to us with dreams of a new garage structure to provide a home for all of their passions. The design came together around a three car garage with room for a micro-brewery, workshop and bicycle storage – all attached to the house via a new three season porch – and a native prairie landscape and sauna structure on the roof. Designed by Jody McGuire Photographed by Corey Gaffer

What should I look for in a garden room? This is probably one of the most searched questions on Google right now, especially since so many of us are still working from home. Garden offices are a great solution for remote workers for various reasons: not only do they give you more space and an extra room, they also allow you to create a clear distinction between work and home. With the right design, garden offices can be multipurpose, flexible spaces that go beyond work, and can double up as a teenage den, guest bedroom, art studio or chill out zone. WHAT DO YOU WANT IN A GARDEN ROOM? Take a little time to think about what you want from your new home office design to ensure that you choose the right option for you and your family. After all, this is an investment so you want to make sure it’s everything you hoped for. Some factors to consider include: How many people will your garden office need to accommodate? How will you get services, such as electricity, to the building? Is your new home office likely to require a planning application? Will you need toilet facilities and if so, how will you get water to and from the office? What is your budget? How will you heat the space in winter? Will you garden room serve more than one function? For example, a guest room or hobby room? Another good starting point is to look at different styles of garden room and identify the shape and design styles you like. Check out our gallery section where you can get inspired by different styles, shapes and designs. WILL YOU NEED PLANNING PERMISSION? For most homes in the UK, the answer to this question is no, as the permitted development regulations for outbuildings make it possible to build a bespoke garden room without first obtaining planning permission. However, the regulations govern important ingredients such as size, height, and intended use. The bespoke garden room is supposed to be ‘incidental’ to the existing home – that means it has to be adding something the home doesn’t have, such as a gym, play room, music studio or office. Adding a bedroom isn’t permitted without obtaining planning permission. Allowing somebody to sleep in your room is a different question, however, and whether that is allowed comes down to the intention — are you renting this out? (see more about this below). Most families permit sleepovers and occasional use sleeps. The homes in the UK that do not have permitted development for outbuildings are typically either listed, in a conservation area, or have had the rights removed for some reason (usually significant previous development work). To confirm that your garden room doesn’t need planning permission, you can apply for a lawful development certificate (LDC). These aren’t compulsory, but there may be times – for example, if you sell your home – when you need a record that your garden room meets all planning rules. Apply to your local council for an LDC via the Planning Portal. THINK ABOUT BUDGET Our bespoke garden rooms have a starting price of £25K… up to the sky’s the limit! And if you’re wondering: Does a bespoke garden room add value? The answer is yes! It can add up on average £50,000! CHOOSE A REPUTABLE COMPANY Choosing a credible company to build your bespoke garden room is of the utmost importance. Inside Out Oxford is an award-winning, eco friendly Oxford garden room builders so you’re in safe hands with us. You can read reviews from happy customers here and on Houzz. And if you have a smaller budget and want to try your hand at building your own garden room, check out our new self build service.

The design approach was to create an enigmatic feel by camouflaging the building with the background. The unit was clad in vertical timber strips that were designed to fit within the garden and natural surroundings. The imagination was to bring life to a poetic expression: green grass below, and the blue sky above, and the outhouse at this threshold. garden studios are ideal places for working from home during the coronavirus pandemic.

The original idea was to build a contemporary cedar-clad garden room which could be used as a work-from-home space and gym. With a Primrose project its OK to change the plan half way through and theses photos illustrate this perfectly! Although not typical, scope-creep can happen when clients see the room taking shape and decide to add the odd enhancement, such as decking or a patio. This project in Rickmansworth, completed in August 2020, started out as a 7m x 4m room but the clients needed somewhere to store their garden furniture in the winter and an ordinary shed would have detracted from the beauty of the garden room. Primrose therefore constructed, not a shed, but an adjacent store room which mirrors the aesthetic of the garden room and, in addition to housing garden furniture, also contains a sauna! The decking around the swim spa was then added to bring all the elements together. The cedar cladding and decking is the highest grade Canadian Western Red Cedar available but our team still reject boards that don’t meet the specific requirements of our rooms. The rich orange-brown tones are accentuated by UV oil treatment which keeps the Cedar looking pristine through the years.

Rory Gardiner

Multi functional garden room for a London family. This building is clad in composite cladding and aluminium anthracite windows. It has a green roof and large sliding doors. This family needed more space and wanted to have a flexible space. This garden room is both an area to come and relax in or work from. It is complete with all media facilities serving both work and leisure purposes. It also has a kitchenette with a fridge and sink. Along with a bathroom complete with sink, toilet and shower so that this space also doubles as guest accommodation.

The painting studio is large enough to accommodate more than one artist at a time, while the clerestory windows ensure plenty of sunshine without overheating the room and potentially damaging works-in-progress.

Located just 7 miles from our own offices in Charlbury, this building is one of Sylva’s most local projects. When the client purchased The Old Farmhouse in Long Hanborough, it came complete with planning permission to construct a new home in the garden. However, these plans did not suit the young family’s needs. Instead, new plans were drawn up for a double garage along with premises for their flower arranging business. Across the top of the garage sits a 1-bed annex complete with it’s own bathroom, sitting area and separate access via the external oak stairs.Initially, the plan was for an oak framed structure, however the cost looked to be prohibitive given the building’s practical purpose. Instead, internal oak features were combined with oak cladding, stairs and handrails to give the look and feel of an oak structure. The insulation for the shop part of the building was chosen carefully to maintain a stable temperature and humidity, which helps the flower stay fresh for as long as possible. The client appointed a local builder to clear the site, install foundations and lay the ground floor. Sylva provided an insulated timber frame which comprised of smaller than usual panels due to restricted site access. The first floor was formed from metal web joists and finished with a loose cut roof, due to the gables and dormers required. Sylva acted as principal contractor for the duration of the timber frame works, providing all method statements and risk assessments. Time on site was 8 days from start to finish. Once complete, the builder returned to install the roofing, cladding and windows, simultaneously overseeing the fit out internally; at the time Sylva did not have a Concept to Keys® service. Completed in 2012, the total build duration was just under 6 months and the total cost came to around £85,000, a fraction of the time and cost originally thought to be involved in a blockwork construction. Having dedicated premises for the business has helped it to flourish, the garage provides a place for cars and hobbies, and the annex is a great place for grandparents to stay when the babysitting has worn them out.

Located just 7 miles from our own offices in Charlbury, this building is one of Sylva’s most local projects. When the client purchased The Old Farmhouse in Long Hanborough, it came complete with planning permission to construct a new home in the garden. However, these plans did not suit the young family’s needs. Instead, new plans were drawn up for a double garage along with premises for their flower arranging business. Across the top of the garage sits a 1-bed annex complete with it’s own bathroom, sitting area and separate access via the external oak stairs.Initially, the plan was for an oak framed structure, however the cost looked to be prohibitive given the building’s practical purpose. Instead, internal oak features were combined with oak cladding, stairs and handrails to give the look and feel of an oak structure. The insulation for the shop part of the building was chosen carefully to maintain a stable temperature and humidity, which helps the flower stay fresh for as long as possible. The client appointed a local builder to clear the site, install foundations and lay the ground floor. Sylva provided an insulated timber frame which comprised of smaller than usual panels due to restricted site access. The first floor was formed from metal web joists and finished with a loose cut roof, due to the gables and dormers required. Sylva acted as principal contractor for the duration of the timber frame works, providing all method statements and risk assessments. Time on site was 8 days from start to finish. Once complete, the builder returned to install the roofing, cladding and windows, simultaneously overseeing the fit out internally; at the time Sylva did not have a Concept to Keys® service. Completed in 2012, the total build duration was just under 6 months and the total cost came to around £85,000, a fraction of the time and cost originally thought to be involved in a blockwork construction. Having dedicated premises for the business has helped it to flourish, the garage provides a place for cars and hobbies, and the annex is a great place for grandparents to stay when the babysitting has worn them out.

Potter's Shed Mark Teskey Photography

A&H Architecture

For the full portfolio, see https://blackandmilk.co.uk/interior-design-portfolio/

Sandra Pettersson