A backyard workspace is a beautiful addition to any home. If you want more space in your home for an office or perhaps a workshop or studio, using some of the space in your backyard is ideal. You won't have to go to the trouble of constructing an addition to your existing property. Instead, you can build a free-standing building that's just the right size for your needs. You can even explore prefabricated solutions, which make it super easy to create a backyard workspace. If you're looking for inspiration, you can look at some of the following examples of beautiful backyard workspaces.
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Ten Best Workspaces
London House Writing Hut
This backyard workspace by Ashton Porter Architects was installed as part of a wider home remodel. It's a bright and spacious structure, providing the ideal writer's hut that's a retreat away from the main house. The request for this hut was a space where the homeowners could work from home. While it might not look particularly large on the outside, inside, there's space for a large desk, bookshelves, and a separate seating area. Plenty of natural light streams into the hut, thanks to large windows and a skylight directly above the built-in working area.
The interior of this backyard workspace is kept simple with the wood left in its light, natural color. The style of the exterior of the hut matches the back of the house, joining them together, although they are two separate structures. The square-framed windows and the timber siding pull the two buildings together to create a coherent design. Bright lighting in the hut also means that it can be used at night, which is ideal during the winter or whenever a long day might be needed.
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North London Potting Shed
The Potting Shed by Grey Griffiths Architects was made using waste materials for a backyard workspace that could be built on a budget and provide a meaningful space. It's designed as a multi-use garden shed, providing a space for both gardening tools and ceramics equipment. The front can be opened up into the garden or kept closed with a wood-burning stove keeping it warm in the winter. A large skylight lets in plenty of natural light through the ceiling, and the folding door is also glass, allowing in sunlight even when it's closed.
This shed makes use of off-cut plywood sheets and ex-display windows and doors. The use of these materials makes it an eco-friendly design that's also budget-conscious. Further, the shed's site was selected to cover underutilized space, so it didn't take any functional space away from the backyard. It's not just a worker's studio but also a comfortable and cozy place that can be used for working at a desk or perhaps just for relaxing by the fire.
Music/Sewing Space
This backyard workspace was built for two very different purposes. It was commissioned by a seamstress and a musician to give them both somewhere to work. Although there wasn't much space available, the architects Surman Weston were still up to the task. The building is wrapped in an innovative cork cladding, which is weatherproof and also insulates both heat and acoustics, making it ideal for a musician. It also has a wildflower roof, which, combined with the natural color of the cork, helps it blend in with the surrounding leafy gardens.
Light birch plywood interior helps the small space appear larger, especially with the furniture cantilevered off the floor. There's a shared desk, with a window in the center that lets in natural light. A sizable skylight also lets in lots of sunshine, and a glazed sliding door means that the space can be opened up or light can come in through the glass when the door is closed. This backyard workspace is a sustainable design, too, making use of both timber and cork.
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Writer's Shed
This writer's shed in London is another project by Surman Weston. Commissioned by an author and illustrator, and designed to be a haven and fairytale world at the bottom of the garden with inspiration from the owner's love of children's stories. The shingle cladding creates a glowing facade, which looks fantastic in the dark. The log store and chimney add to the exterior design too. A large skylight lets natural light flood into the shed during the day, and the white interior maximizes sunlight and helps the space to look bigger.
A wood-burning stove sits in the center of the back wall, with a bookcase built around it. Convenient additions such as a power supply and even a sink and faucets for washing paint brushes make for a functional space. A small desk provides somewhere to work, with limited furniture taking up space. The glazed sliding door opens onto a covered veranda that's useful in all weathers. This award-winning design is a bright but cozy example of a backyard workspace.
Multi-Purpose Shadow Shed
The Shadow Shed by Neil Dusheiko uses traditional Japanese techniques for the cladding to make it resistant to rot and fire. It has a carbon finish that won't be affected by sunlight, and the dark color gives it a mysterious feel that's perfect for the bottom of a small garden. Designed to be multifunctional, the backyard workspace can be used as an office, a yoga studio, or a playroom. It's a great way to provide additional space at the back of the house that's separate but easily accessible.
The two large windows make the space light and airy, contrasting the dark exterior. A large desk and shelves create a workspace along one wall while leaving plenty of space for other activities in the rest of the shed. Warm lighting indoors ensures there's still light to see by when it's dark outside. Plentiful power sockets also mean that any necessary electronics or other items can be powered.
Watershed
This small writing shed isn't so much located in a backyard as it is in a field. However, it's still an ideal size to fit into a backyard space, and it's designed to work well in its surroundings. The prefabricated shed was designed to be taken down easily if it ever outlives its usefulness. Accessible only on foot, it provides a real retreat for a writer who is looking to get away from it all.
Measuring a total of 120 sq. ft., it is located in the Willamette Valley in Oregon. The wooden exterior is the perfect choice to help it blend in with the environment. Designed by FLOAT Architectural Research and Design, it is intended to avoid spoiling the land and is completely off-grid. If you have more land than a typical backyard, you might consider something similar that allows you to retreat into nature. Nature can be very inspiring, especially for writers and artists who perhaps are looking to unplug, instead of being just feet away from their home by setting up in their backyard.
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Garden Studio
The Bussum Garden Studio by Serge Schoemaker Architects is more than just a backyard workspace. It also provides guest accommodation and storage. With plenty of space inside, it's bright and welcoming. The studio needed to be designed to fit into a narrow garden, which means it has an elongated design. It has a contemporary design, making use of red cedar shingles varnished in black to form the walls and roof structure. It makes use of around 2,000 shingles that were sanded and painted by hand.
The full-height windows and glazed door ensure natural light is let into the studio on two sides. The largest window also opens up the corner of the building. A built-in desk provides someone to work. The interior is seamless and decorated in light colors to maximize the light. The whole interior is made with transparent white-lacquered birch plywood, with each piece cut to size and fit carefully. It's designed to be calming but also highlights the sculptural shape of the studio.
Garden Office with Bike Shed
Multifunctional backyard workspaces can help you to make more of the space that you have available. This garden office also features a bike shed, allowing the owners to hide their bikes away when they're not in use. Built for a photographer, the office has space for the owner to work and plenty of storage for equipment. It was also designed to convert it into a family living space once the owner retires. The office is set into the ground to have more internal height while still adhering to planning restrictions.
A sunken terrace outside provides somewhere to enjoy the garden, while the bike storage is behind a hidden cedar door. Birch ply interior cladding helps create the feel of a log cabin in the woods, and a cedar finish outside combines with a carefully engineered invisible roof. Underfloor heating keeps the office warm at all times, with touch screen control, and hardwired internet and electricity ensure the office has everything that a home office needs.
Compact Pod
Prefabricated office spaces are an excellent option for people looking for a more affordable way to get a backyard workspace. Pod offers a range of pod designs, with great design features. The Neo Pod uses contemporary architectural design and technology to provide modern and compact office space. It features underfloor heating, full-height and width glazing, recessed LED spotlights, and luxury, easy to clean flooring. The glazed entrance door features multi-point locking for security, and the whole thing has a well-engineered structural framework at its core.
Optional features can be chosen to customize the pod too. The standard design features interior birch plywood panels and can be upgraded with a textured natural fabric finish for interior walls. Other features that can be included are a metallic desk, surface-mounted lights over the desk, recessed blinds, low-noise fan, and sliding or bi-fold doors access to the front of the pod. This type of prefabricated option is an excellent solution for anyone looking for a compact, easily-installed backyard office.
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Office and Living Space
This garden studio from Bloot Architecture provides a home office, but also somewhere for guests to stay. It has a bright workspace with glazing and slatted cladding, which colorful red interior walls. The space is also ideal for guests or getting away from the main house, with convenient amenities such as a toaster and kettle to form a small kitchen. Working with a low construction budget and a limited space, the architects created an extra living space with different sections.
This garden studio features a kitchen and a bathroom/shower room incorporated into a bright and colorful wall. Plenty of cupboard space also provides storage to make the space even more useful. The untreated wood on the exterior is designed to slowly blend in with the greenery of the garden over time. The clear glass corner has sliding blinds that can be moved around for privacy and used to let in lots of light. A lot has been done with the small space.
FInal Remarks
If you want to set up a backyard workspace, start with a site plan. My Site Plan can help you know how much space you have available and where you can situate your new backyard workspace. All of these backyard workspaces should inspire you to think of your ideas and consider what you want out of your office, studio, or any other workspace you feel might benefit you. A backyard workspace is a fantastic way to get more from your home and use the space in your backyard smartly. Whether you work from home or need extra living space, consider building a workspace in your backyard.
Are you ready to start drafting site plans for your new backyard workspace? Check out what MySitePlan has to offer!
| FAQ | Answer |
|---|---|
| What are the main benefits of choosing a prefabricated backyard workspace? | Prefabricated backyard workspaces offer quick installation and often come with modern design features and technology, such as underfloor heating and full-glazing. They can be more affordable and less disruptive to set up compared to custom-built options. |
| How can a backyard workspace be customized to fit specific needs? | Backyard workspaces can be customized through the choice of materials, the inclusion of specific features like large windows or skylights for more natural light, and the configuration of the interior space to include desks, shelves, or even dual-function areas like a garden studio that doubles as guest accommodation. |
| What considerations should be taken into account when planning a backyard workspace for different climates? | For colder climates, insulation, heating options like underfloor heating or wood-burning stoves, and proper sealing against drafts are important. In warmer climates, considerations include ventilation, the use of reflective materials to prevent overheating, and possibly air conditioning. |
| How does the integration of a backyard workspace with home aesthetics enhance property value? | A well-designed backyard workspace that complements the aesthetics of the main house can enhance property value by adding functional living space, improving the overall look of the property, and providing an attractive feature to potential buyers. |
| What are the zoning or planning permissions required for installing a backyard workspace? | Zoning and planning permissions vary by location, but generally, you need to check local building codes regarding structure size, building distances from property lines, and whether the building is intended for living or just working. It's advisable to consult with a planning expert or local authorities before construction. |
