Dreaming of a beautiful garden room? Ask the designers!
Posted: 11th July 2022
Who are the designers?
Stephen and Alice of Boaz Studio talk about garden room design to the Cornwall based landscape designer, Zaidée Penhaligon.
Zaidée is an RHS award-winning landscape designer who provides practical and beautiful services for domestic gardens and commercial projects such as hotels and housing developments. Her designs combine exquisite craftsmanship with self-sustaining plant communities inspired by wild spaces.
Boaz Studio and zpdesign met at an event hosted by Unlocking Potential and joined forces in 2020 to enter a large-scale hospitality design competition based in the South of France.
what is a garden room?
From a landscape designer’s perspective
Zaidee from zpdesign:
A garden room can be used as a focal point, giving the visitor a reason to meander slowly through the garden. In the 18th century, garden makers installed follies in their grounds, these were dreamy and fanciful buildings to catch the eye, draw visitors to these secluded resting spots and highlight desired views. You may not be wishing to build a crumbling ruin or Japanese pavilion, but do think about placing your building to peek out from behind trees perhaps, or at the end of a long avenue, to create this sense of curiosity in the garden.
From an interior designer’s perspective
Alice from Boaz Studio:
Garden sheds don’t have to be a jumbled mess, they can be a living part of the garden, not an imposition on it. They can be used as an extension of the home and are becoming increasingly popular now that flexible working is becoming a more acknowledged and accepted practice.
A 3D render of a garden room designed by Boaz Studio. The views are captured by large dark window frames. Any light that comes in washes out the black trim, providing a borderless frame for your outdoor view.
Where’s the best place to build my garden room?
From a landscape designer’s perspective
Zaidee from zpdesign:
Even if this building is a home office or gym, there’s no need to make the access back to the house as direct as possible, building in time to enjoy the ‘commute’ is one of the pleasures of home working and will have a direct impact on stress and wellbeing levels. Consider the journey from door to door, would you like to walk past running water, would you prefer to wind through trees or would a covered walkway increase your motivation to leave the house when it’s raining?
From an interior designer’s perspective
Stephen from Boaz Studio:
Having a bespoke room will mean that you can take advantage of the best views by positioning the windows so they highlight the surroundings. Consider what the new garden room will be used for. Will it be a smart and organised home office, a comfortable reading nook, a gym, or perhaps an art studio? The positioning of the windows will be crucial to maximising natural light; for example, north facing windows are suited to an artist studio because of the consistent natural light. Do you want to flood the room with direct warm sunlight during the day, or will that cause a glare on your computer screen?
Black timber and white painted windows seen around the Cornish coast, this one is the Lizard Wireless Station
What materials should I use?
From a landscape designer’s perspective
Zaidee from zpdesign:
Once you have located your room, think about how you can settle it into the landscape. Natural cladding materials like unpainted timber and stone will blend in with the natural environment more easily, and dark colours like zinc or stained timber can recess successfully depending on the backdrop. Planting shrubs and trees around the building will make it less obtrusive (allow an appropriate distance from foundations), and you can choose scented climbers for trailing around the door.
From an interior designer’s perspective
Stephen from Boaz Studio:
Are there nearby structures that you could use as architectural or material inspiration? For instance, local farm buildings, a traditional building shape, or building materials. Create an inspiration board with pictures of things that can serve as inspiration for the building’s façade. This could include other local buildings, local materials (perhaps repurposed materials) and planting that might surround it. What do you want the space to feel like? Should it feel like a different atmosphere to the main house? Is it a space to escape to? Build an inspiration board to highlight the desired interior Look and feel.
Natural timber horizontal clad home office, softened by dry stone wall and meadow planting.
What other key considerations do I need to take into account?
From a landscape designer’s perspective
Zaidee from zpdesign:
More prosaically you may also need to allow for planning permission, insulation, heating, power and perhaps even plumbing if you’re looking to build a kitchen or bathroom within your new space. Planning rules vary so it’s worth consulting your local planning officer, but a general rule is that you won’t need permission for a building with an eaves height of 2.5m and roof height of 4m. Your initial outlay will be more for a properly heated and insulated building, but you’ll certainly get more use out of it if it is cosy in all weathers. There are many companies out there that design and install garden rooms, try to get personal recommendations if possible, and ask to visit completed builds.
From an interior designer’s perspective
Alice from Boaz Studio:
A big part of creating a good space that will stand the test of time is making sure that maintenance is taken into consideration with every decision made. For example when selecting the building finishes, seek for materials that are resistant to damp and UV damage. Ventilation is also vital because it allows stale air to be replaced and moisture to escape. Moisture accumulation can cause mould growth, which is damaging to both the contents in the room and your health.
A real buzz: this lakeside apiary shows how creative you can be with garden rooms.
Conclusion
Garden rooms are a great investment right now, and could be an easier way of giving yourself more space than building an extension. It’s worth spending time planning and doing your research; see if you can visit other people’s garden rooms, get some personal recommendations or consult the experts. As designers we are always happy to talk through available options, draw up plans, and can recommend suppliers.
For an informal phone call or a garden walk & talk, please contact:
Zaidée at zpdesign 07947 072616
Stephen at Boaz Studio on 07967 042913
A rustic art studio half hidden in the trees, with beautiful details like the ship’s light.
