Garden Office & Entertainment Space
Brad and Lucy Perrow were sharing an office inside the house. Keen for a space of his own, Brad wanted somewhere professional for work that could also double as a place for parties and family time. After initially exploring a traditional brick-built option, the couple turned to a garden room; a faster, more flexible solution. The result is a bespoke L-shaped garden room with a shower room and a canopy area that brings work, leisure, and family life together in one space.
Brad and Lucy Perrow both work from home, but until recently they were sharing a single office space inside the house. While Lucy decided to keep the room indoors, Brad was keen to have a workspace of his own.
Brad’s vision didn’t stop with a garden office though; he was keen to extend his vision into a multi-use space for family time and entertaining.
Initially, Brad explored the idea of a traditional brick-built garden building with his architect, but progress was slow and the project looked to be time-consuming. On his architect’s recommendation, they began looking at garden room options as a faster and more versatile solution. Together, we developed a design for an L-shaped, 30m² building that included a shower room and a generous canopy area, perfectly combining work, leisure, and family living.
Project overview
• Client – Brad & Lucy Perrow, Nottingham
• Product – Garden Office and Entertainment Space
• Budget – £76,000
• Build Time – 10 days
Services provided
• Design
• Groundworks
• Concrete Base
• Build
• Electrics
• Flooring and Internal Decoration
The chosen location for the garden room was an area previously occupied by a pergola that sat on a concrete base. The first stage of work involved removing the pergola, clearing back bushes and trees and preparing the ground for new water and waste connections to service the shower room. The existing concrete base was incorporated into a larger concrete foundation, and the surrounding ground was lowered to create a level footing.
The building itself is 7.7m x 4.2m and the canopy is the same.
Externally, the room is clad in composite vertical slatted spice cladding, with anthracite cladding to the less visible rear and side elevations. Anthracite UPVC windows and doors were fitted throughout, complemented by a 600mm overhang at the front and a 300mm overhang on the left-hand side.
Inside, the garden room features crisp white grooved board walls, plain board ceilings and light chestnut laminate flooring. Fifteen dimmable spotlights provide flexible lighting, while six power sockets and an ethernet port ensure full connectivity. Brad works in IT so this was important.
A modern air conditioning unit, using heat pump technology, provides both heating and cooling for year-round comfort. This was fitted by a separate supplier. The bathroom was created with two partition walls and includes a shower, toilet, vanity unit sink, extractor fan, and heated towel radiator. Cosy fitted all the first fix for the shower room and a plumber friend of Brad’s completed the fit out.
The canopy area extends the living space outdoors. Fitted with fourteen spotlights (eight dimmable), it includes a small bar, a large dining space and a lounge area that has been furnished with a corner sofa.
The canopy’s interior walls are clad in the same vertical spice finish, creating a modern, cohesive look that ties the indoor and outdoor elements together.
“What we’ve got here is absolutely great value for money, it’s given me exactly what I wanted.”
Brad has purchased a projector and screen which allows family and friends to enjoy films and sporting events. The projector can be taken down and stored indoors when not in use and the screen stores away when not in use.
At the far end of the canopy, a new base and composite decking were installed for the family’s hot tub — the perfect spot for relaxing with a glass of wine while watching a film.
The finished result is a versatile and stylish garden building that balances functionality with family life a dedicated workspace for Brad during the day, and a hub for entertaining, relaxation, and family gatherings in the evenings and weekends.