In the first of our Heart of the Home How To series, our Blossom Avenue brand ambassador, architect Patrick Bradley shares what we should be thinking about when planning our new way of working, which for many means separating the office from the home entirely.
“We’ve always been encouraged to have plants in offices. The benefits have ranged from everything including boosting productivity, to helping with good mental health. The link between nature and creativity, that of clearing our heads so we can function properly, has long been hailed as a positive one.
“So, it is not surprising then, that as we continue to adapt during a huge shift in how we work, we look to our gardens to become the sanctuary to help us re-focus our working from home life in the long run. Enter, the garden room – not a new concept, but the garden office has certainly become more popular in recent months.
“The garden office makes it even easier to separate work and home life, physically taking us out of the home and into an office where we could have everything we need at our fingertips. One way we could get caught up in home life during the day, is if we were to nip “home” for lunch, which is why you could also think about installing a micro kitchenette into your garden office.
“When designing homes and outhouses, I’ve already started to see a rise in clients asking for this type of contained space. I have it myself in my studio which is beside my home – and it is the size of a shipping container. Within that, I have my meeting/communal space, a toilet, my work space (enough for three staff) then a tiny kitchenette which is built into the storage. It consists of a small sink with running water, a mini fridge, microwave and a coffee machine. All the essentials!
“My advice to you would be to really think about how you would’ve used your work kitchen and kitchen when working from home, then think about what you can incorporate to make your garden office kitchen space work for you. Maybe you’ll need a microwave to heat up lunches, or just a kettle instead of a coffee machine, but also look to bespoke cabinetry to keep everything hidden away as your work space shouldn’t be cluttered.
“Maximising storage space is key when thinking about this design, so use cabinet organisers and separators and use up every inch of space available and be ruthless about what really needs to be in the kitchen space.
“Finally, just because it needs to be functional, doesn’t mean it can’t be beautiful! When you’re creating something small and bespoke, pack a punch of personality in your design to really lift your new work space at home.”
