Gardening Affairs - April copy.qxp_Layout 1 20/03/2020 15:46 Page 1
HOMES | AND | GARDENS
The great outdoors
Shedworking and outdoor living spaces have become increasingly popular as people look to reduce their commute to work or simply long to be closer to nature. Garden Affairs, specialists in designing studio gardens, have recently introduced a new range with an innovative new material that’s set to revolutionise the genre Do you have a garden room dream? Imagine if the only commute to work was a few strides across the lawn. Would an outdoor studio where you could easily pop back to your desk in the evening to complete a project suit you? Would a view of trees and plants from your window make your everyday routine that little bit more golden? Or rather green? Shedworking is nothing new, of course. Tourists still flock to the wooden boathouse in Laugharne used by Welsh writer Dylan Thomas, and to sculptor Barbara Hepworth’s summerhouse and studio in St Ives, Cornwall. Roald Dahl famously retreated to his writing shed to dream up the vivid characters of his much-loved children’s books. Playwright George Bernard Shaw had a garden room that could be rotated as the sun moved around. Contemporary garden room enthusiasts include property guru Kirstie Allsopp, who has said that her wooden garden room reminds her fondly of the tree houses her father built for her as a child. Canny Kirstie also points out that having an extra room at your property will enhance its value. 78 TheBATHMagazine
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april 2020
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iSSUe 211
Perhaps this is the real creative appeal of the outdoor studio. We know a well-built garden room is economical, secure, quick to install and easy to heat, and that we can incorporate all our customised storage, tables, lighting, modern kilns and so on. But even these practical reasons don’t account for so many artists and writers loving them so much. It’s clear that a timber garden studio offers serious benefits, but it’s not a serious place to be. It’s a space to play, to experiment, to remember childhood and invent new worlds. Artists and sheds go together like paint and canvas. A creative cabin is where magic happens. West Country-based family-run business Garden Affairs helps people achieve their garden room dreams by consulting with them to design bespoke living spaces. Each cabin is as unique as its owner and people are free to create their own world inside. The Garden Affairs team, based just outside Bath in Trowbridge, has been able to help all kinds of creative people set up their own space in their gardens. The design team can advise on everything from the position and size
ABOVE: the Proline range offers a crisp finish to the interior of the garden room, making it an ideal place to watch the garden bloom this spring OPPOSITE: top two images, the ecofriendly cabins are well insulated and designed to retain warmth and stay cool at the desired times and unique styles, shapes and designs are used for every customer OPPOSITE: bottom two images, the cabins can be used as both offices and workshops
