Tuesday, August 28, 2007

A New Kind of Home Office


Apparently working from home is a big hit in the UK. Brits are hanging up the commute and setting up shop in the suburbs in record numbers. The US is not that far behind with many companies opting for virtual labor forces. As many of you know I have recently joined the ranks of the home based. I have a nice home office with plenty of windows - a view - and enough space for my essentials but it is located off of my Master Bedroom. Now sleeping - living - and working in the same room every day is a bit weird for me after owning and operating my own design studio for so many years. I was thinking of building a Cassita (that's what we call a guest house out here in the wild wild west) in the back yard. As usual I turned to the Web for inspiration and here's what I found.

Home Offices UK Style
Pre-fabricated buildings built from kits or delivered fully finished on site that cover all of the basics, electric, heat, AC, even plumbing if needed. Built to suit at any size or shape. What a fabulous idea! Some are timber framed, others shake and shingle, some even have real slate roofs!



Are they not adorable. Just like a life size doll house.



You can choose from contemporary styling to traditional. Fully finished interiors or exposed wood.



These are my two favorites. I think I like the Octagon with the slate roof the best. I think I could work all day in this little cottage without a care in the world.


Many of the companies I found are limited to the UK at present by some are represented by distributors in the US. Prices seem to range from about 3500 GBP to 9000 GBP depending on the size and features. I think that is between $7000 - $18000. Not bad.

See more options at:
Oakenclough Buildings
Sanctuary Garden Offices
Simply Home Offices
Cranes Sheds & Summer Houses
Create Space
Dunster House Ltd
Garden Affairs Lmtd

8 comments:

Jenny Froh said...

Oh wouldn't that be wonderful to have!? To not have to fight the traffic, but to just walk into your backyard? Now, if only I had a big enough yard! LOL :) Jen www.pearstreetstudios.typepad.com

diana murphy said...

What fun! Keep us posted. (But I must say, the space reminds me of Cate Blanchett's garden studio in Notes on a Scandal. Yikes!)

Unknown said...

Diana,
I haven't seen that movie. I'll have to rent it to see what was going on.
Jackie

Unknown said...

Jen,
My backyard is big enough but I'm not sure how the adorable cape cod styling would go with my typical west coast tile & Stucco home. Probably not as good idea.
Jackie

Cindy said...

That would be so fun to decorate! I love little backyard cottages. I've done a couple posts about them on my blog over the last year.

Donna, The Decorated House said...

Hi Jackie!
There is something so enticing about the perfect little building in the backyard, for work or play!

I love the illustration featured in your last post of the tassels & embellishments. Old or new drawings for chairs & furniture in that style always catch my eye.
Donna

Brilliant Asylum said...

I want one!

Pigtown*Design said...

They call the "play houses" Wendy Houses in the UK. I love the sound of that. I think it's got something to do with Peter Pan.