Garden Artist Studio
Diane was looking for a space away from the house where she could fully focus on her artwork. As an artist creating commissioned pieces for people and their pets, she needed a garden studio that offered room to work, store and organise her materials, and somewhere she could relax, unwind and read.
Diane wanted a dedicated space away from the house where she could focus on her artwork and photography. She creates commissioned pieces for people and their pets and needed room to store and organise her equipment and materials. With a busy household, ongoing home renovations, and grandchildren to enjoy, Diane was looking for a calm, practical retreat where she could work and relax.
The garden room was built in an unused part of the garden at their home Higham in Derbyshire. It has transformed an unused area of the garden and opened up new views over Ogston Reservoir. Inside, it features a large desk, bookcase, and storage units, along with personal touches like a comfy chair, flame-effect fire, blanket and a bottle of her favourite gin. The room has become a versatile retreat, perfect for work, hobbies, reading, enjoying the views, and even sleeping when guests stay. Pproviding a warm, cosy, and practical space the whole family can enjoy.
Project overview
• Client – Diane and Ian Spencer, Derbyshire
• Product – Artist Studio
• Budget – £22,000
• Build Time – 6 days
Services provided
• Design
• Concrete Base
• Build
• Electrics
• Flooring and Internal Decoration
The garden room measures 4m x 3m and has a double sliding patio door on the front elevation. The area for the garden room was cleared, prepared, and levelled by the customer prior to construction. The building sits on a concrete base and features a 300mm overhang at the front and right-hand side.
It is clad horizontally with HardiePlank fibre cement board in anthracite, giving the natural look of timber with the durability of fibre cement. The HardiePlank has a ColourPlus finish to ensure long-lasting colour stability. Doors and windows are anthracite uPVC, while the interior is finished with white painted grooved walls and light chestnut laminate flooring.
The room is equipped with six dimmable internal spotlights, four external canopy lights, three internal sockets, one external socket, and ceiling-mounted far infrared heating. An internet network cable was installed to ensure strong Wi-Fi, as the garden room is located a considerable distance from the house.
The garden room sits below a raised terrace area which has views overlooking the reservoir. Two bespoke windows were placed in the back wall of the garden room to preserve the view across the countryside from the terrace in the other direction. Access to the property was via narrow country lanes, requiring coordination of smaller delivery vehicles and concrete lorry.
"We really liked the approach; informative, knowledgeable and never pushy. Mark was down-to-earth and honest, listened to what we wanted, and we’ve got a great quality building that we love."
The building was designed to blend into the surroundings and repurpose an unused area of the garden. Once the site was cleared, the countryside views opened up, and a new seating area was created in front of the garden room to take full advantage of them. The room has brought a fresh aspect to the garden, adding both functionality and visual interest, while providing Diane with the dedicated, versatile space she needed and now uses every day.
We caught up with Diane recently to see how she’s enjoying her Cosy Garden Room.
Can you tell us how you use your garden room?
It is for hobbies, art and relaxation. Ian also uses it ocassionally as an office.
What made you decide you needed a garden room?
I needed a dedicated work space, somewhere private, quiet and away from the house.
What made you decide to sign on the dotted line with Cosy?
We looked at their website, we read the reviews. We liked all the information on the website. The sales person; Mark was also very good and we liked the non pushy approach. All the products he showed us were good quality and the price was good value.
How was the installation process?
Swift, clean tidy, professional, friendly. They were very respectful of our property and home.
Do you feel confident that your garden room will last for years to come?
100%.
Has has the garden room changed the way live?
Yes, I use it everyday, I'm working more and it has brought an overgrown part of the garden to life. I love being in there, its so peaceful.
Would you say it has added value to your home and your life?
Yes and Yes!
Would you recommend Cosy Garden Rooms?
We wouldn't hesitate in recommending Cosy Garden Rooms. Friendly, professional service with a good quality product.
