What makes working from a garden office so appealing?

Did you know that more than 4 million people in the UK spend at least half of their week working at home?

Over the last few years in particular, the UK has seen a genuine surge in the number of people opting to conduct business remotely - with many moving their workload to the bottom of their garden. This working style has proved to suit freelancers, the self-employed, and small business owners alike. 

Whilst some may choose to convert their old sheds into a makeshift office space, there are now more options than ever in the market when it comes to purchasing a purpose-built garden office.

And UK sales of garden rooms continue to increase. In fact, some retailers have reported a growth in sales of up to 40% in the last two years.

But what makes a garden office so appealing?

Garden offices are great to work in because…

1. You can be amongst the great outdoors

If you’re lucky enough to have a garden office with reasonably sized windows, you may be able to enjoy the nature scenes going on around you on a daily basis. Perhaps the birdsong, squirrels and birds making an appearance in the garden - not to mention all the plants and greenery (if your garden is well-kept!). By working in this way, you’re escaping the noise of traffic and the smell of car fumes.

2. You can make it your own

This is your space, so you can personalise it as you choose. From cushions, framed prints, and the style of desk and chair you choose to the flooring type and the colour palette you adopt - these choices can really help to create a space which is a joy to go and work in every day.

3. It’s a break from being in your house…

Working from home is nothing particularly new, however before the advent of building types such as the garden room, you may have been faced with working either at your dining room table - or perhaps in the spare room.It means that you’d be contending with the potential noises of household appliances, such as a washing machine or a television. 

There’s also the hustle, bustle and general noise caused by children or pets pottering around the house whilst you’re trying to construct an important business proposal! A garden office can act as a sanctuary from this; allowing you to better focus on the task at hand.

4. It’s conveniently close to your house

The proximity of the garden office to your home is likely just very short walk across the lawn - there’s no commute to deal with. This means you’ve got more time to actually work, plus you’re close to the kitchen and your own bathroom. The flexibility this potentially brings might, for example, mean you have a much easier time of making the school run every day.

5. It can save you money in the long-term

It could be that you have to invest a fair amount of money in order to obtain a snazzy new garden room, as they don’t usually come cheap. But, with removal of a daily commute (so no train ticket costs and reduced car-running / petrol costs) and less temptation to treat yourself to expensive lunches out and the odd bit of shopping, just think how much you could be potentially saving in the years to come?

With an investment in a garden office, you're also making a saving on renting office premises elsewhere.

6. The space can be used for more than an office

It’s common for people with garden rooms to often switch between their main use and other purposes, so for example - from an office to a cinema room, or a makeshift play den to a reading space or ‘hobby room’.

7. A garden room increases value of your property

For those looking to sell their home in the not too distant future, the addition of a garden room might be a wise investment. Some experts estimate that it could add between as much as 5% - 7% to the value of your property.

With the reasons above taken into consideration and all the different shapes, styles and types of garden offices available to choose from… the list of possibilities is endless.