This year, my wife and I made a bold move: downsizing our home and rightsizing our lives to embrace family, nature, and a new way of working in Somerset.

Earlier this year, when we began decluttering in preparation for our move, we knew we were embarking on more than just a change of address. For the first time in 25 years, we decided to “rightsize”, moving to a smaller house, more manageable, and better aligned with our current lifestyle.

The move would bring us closer to family — our daughter, son-in-law, and two grandchildren live nearby — and to the rural tranquility of Somerset in southwest England, far removed from the busy and overcrowded southeast.

While exciting, the move also posed challenges, particularly around creating a suitable workspace. I work from home, and a dedicated office space was non-negotiable. While using one of the bedrooms in the new house as an office was a potential but not desired option, I was determined to separate work from home life. Co-working spaces weren’t appealing either.

I envisioned a workspace that was part of our new home yet entirely separate from it, allowing me to design and customise the environment to meet my needs. The solution? A bespoke garden studio office.

Designing a Perfect Workspace

The spacious garden in our new-build home provided the perfect opportunity to bring this vision to life. After some considerable research, I partnered with Berkshire Garden Buildings (BGB), based in Twyford, Berkshire, agents for A&J Sectional Buildings of Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, who manufacture, deliver and install a wide range of quality garden buildings.

These two firms helped make the dream a reality. From the start of discussions in the spring, BGB offered insights and expert guidance on styles, materials, features, and customisations, helping me refine my ideas into a workable design. Once the plans were set in July, A&J built, delivered, and installed the garden studio in early October, just after we moved into our new house.

The result is a custom 10-foot by 8-foot (80 square feet, about 7.4 square metres) Podington Pent Insulated Studio — compact yet ideally suited to my needs — set behind the next-door neighbour’s garage and shown in the photo at the top of the page that I took on a sunny late-autumn day last week. The studio exterior is painted in a rich Deep Brunswick Green that blends beautifully with the natural surroundings, while the soft-red roof tiles harmonise with the house roof, creating a cohesive aesthetic.

The photos below are a snapshot of the studio coming together in the garden.

The level of customisation A&J offered was exceptional. I chose the dimensions, roof style, how many doors and windows and what type, and colours for the walls, door, and window frames. Inside, the studio features insulated walls, ceiling, and floor, making it comfortable year-round. High-quality bespoke flooring and ample power sockets, including USB charging ports, add to its functionality and visual attraction.

Utilities and Practicalities

Building the garden studio was just the first step. Ensuring it was fully equipped with utilities required careful planning. Prior to installation, a highly recommended local builder laid a solid concrete platform as the foundation. Post-installation, a skilled electrician installed a dedicated power supply from the house, complete with a fuse board and six double sockets, all of which were regulation-compliance-certified. Now, no more trailing power extensions!

I set up Internet connectivity from my fibre gigabit installation with a wifi6 mesh network comprising a router and wifi extender. While the current setup is functional, I plan to upgrade it next year for even better performance.

For climate control, the studio’s insulation does much of the work, supplemented by convector and fan heaters in winter and fans or open windows in summer.

The construction process wasn’t without minor hiccups. One involved an incorrectly installed exterior door handle that couldn’t be removed. A&J quickly rectified the issue with a technician’s visit. It was a small inconvenience in an otherwise seamless experience.

A New Perspective on Work and Life

With the studio construction and installation complete, I’ve discovered how much a well-designed workspace can influence not just productivity but also work-life balance.

My workflow hasn’t changed drastically, but the ability to tailor the environment to my needs has made a significant difference. It is a work in progress. For example, I plan to install sound-absorbing materials on the interior walls to improve audio quality for podcasting, and custom Venetian blinds on the main windows will soon enhance light control and aesthetics.

The garden itself is about to undergo a transformation. Currently, it’s a muddy, unattractive feature of the house that is typical of a new build. The first thing I did after the installation of the studio was to create a pathway from the edge of the patio at the house to the door of the garden studio. In a few days, weather permitting, the expert gardener I’ve hired will start with landscaping and laying a new lawn. There will also be a couple of cherry blossom trees chosen by our grandkids! These are all key steps in creating an environment that feels as inspiring as it is practical.

Beyond the garden studio, the move to Somerset has reshaped how my wife and I think about balance.

Living closer to our grandchildren has naturally shifted my priorities toward family, and the stunning rural surroundings in south Somerset — rolling countryside and the nearby Jurassic Coast — provide endless opportunities to explore and unwind.

I’m edging closer to a 50/50 work-life balance — something I haven’t been able to achieve before — on the journey to tipping that balance much more towards ‘life’.

Considering a Garden Studio? Start Here

For anyone thinking about a garden studio, whether as part of a house move or to enhance your current home, here are some key takeaways from my experience:

1. Research Thoroughly
   Garden studios range from simple summer-use sheds to elaborate structures resembling small houses. Costs vary widely, from the hundreds of pounds to the tens of thousands, so identify your needs and budget carefully.
2. Understand Regulations
   Check local planning and building regulations to avoid surprises during or after installation.
   • Tip: generally speaking, temporary structures or outbuildings (as they are typically categorised in the UK) such as garden studios do not require planning permission if certain conditions are met. It is critical to check before you commit to anything. ‘Which?’ magazine has a comprehensive checklist.
3. Weigh Value vs. Cost
   Many providers charge separately for installation, so understand what’s included in the quoted price. Insulation, foundations, and utilities are typically additional expenses.
4. Future Proofing
   Think beyond your immediate needs. Ensure your electrical supply can handle future upgrades, such as additional devices or more powerful heating or cooling systems. For Internet connectivity, consider installing Ethernet cabling as a backup to wifi or planning for eventual upgrades to your network setup.
5. Think About Lifestyle Changes
   A garden studio can transform how and where you work, especially if it’s part of a shift to home-based or hybrid work. Consider the impact on your routines and relationships.

As a first step and for more detailed advice, I recommend consulting the Garden Office Guide. It’s a very useful resource for researching and planning an ideal workspace in your garden.

• Questions or comments? I’m happy to offer some experiential thoughts! Connect on LinkedIn, Bluesky or Threads, or email me.

[Update 8 December 2024:] Work-life balance is more than just a goal — it’s a journey shaped by the choices we make. In a new blog post today, I reflect on a whimsical vision of my Somerset garden studio, contrasting it with the practical reality. This builds on this post, which sparked significant engagement and thoughtful comments on LinkedIn. Clearly, this is a topic that resonates with many.

While my perfect setting remains an aspiration, it’s the small, intentional steps — downsizing, moving, creating a dedicated workspace, and carving out time for family — that are bringing me closer to a life of balance and purpose.