With working from home on the rise, many of us will be thinking of ways we can elevate our work-from-home space. Here are our top tips to create a garden office!
With working from home on the rise, many of us will be thinking of ways we can elevate our work-from-home space and create a home office that’s not only functional but comfortable and inspirational too. Having a space that’s away from the hustle and bustle of your home is appealing for many reasons and it allows you to separate work and home life effectively.
Here are our top tips for transforming your garden shed into a home office!
Secure the shed
Your typical shed wasn’t designed to be used as a garden office so you will need to consider security first and foremost. If the door is flimsy consider replacing it with something sturdier. It’s also a good idea to invest in a solid YALE lock to ensure equipment such as computers and hard drives aren’t at risk.
Weatherproof your shed
Don’t fall foul to leaks
Ensuring your shed is weatherproof is incredibly important! You don’t want to suffer any damages to equipment or important files due to a leak, so this is one of the very first steps you need to take when renovating your shed into a garden office. This starts with the roof and as you might be aware traditional felt roofing can tear over time which in turn heightens the risk of water damage and leaks. Corrugated sheets are much more effective at weatherproofing your shed, check out this blog - felt vs corrugated roofing - if you don’t believe us.
Corrugated roofing
Go fancy with a tile look
With this being the better option it’s time to install corrugated sheet roofing that will secure your shed and keep the water out. There are various design and colour options available with ONDULINE which means you can give your shed a stylish look too. Our ONDUVILLA system is popular due to its ‘tile’ look - but without the hassle and expense.
We love what this customer has created with our ONDUVILLA roofing! Their very own garden office, workshop and garage in one…
Give it a fresh lick of paint
Be bright and bold
It’s amazing what a fresh lick of paint can do so why not get creative and stray from the classic brown and wood stains and go for something a bit more fun and playful? We love this pink shed complete with our ONDULINE Classic roofing in grey! It creates a standout feature in the garden with a lovely pop of colour. You can check out the full case study on this fabulous pink shed with ONDULINE roofing here!
Heating, cooling and insulation
Don’t freeze or overheat
Now the not so fun stuff...whilst painting your shed pink will give it a fresh new look there are some more functional considerations to think about. Heating, cooling and insulation are important aspects of a shed renovation especially if you want to use it throughout the year and changing seasons. You’ll need a space that won’t give you frostbite in January or heatstroke in August. Insulating the walls and floor of your shed will help with noise pollution too, especially as you don’t really want your neighbours hearing your zoom calls! It might also be worth looking into a portable heater and/or air-conditioning unit for the more extreme weather conditions.
Power it up
Another less-exciting job is ensuring you have an electricity supply. It’s best to let a professional handle this as they will be able to run the supply from your home and ensure this is done safely and above board. This is probably the most expensive part of the transformation from shed to office as there will be a labour cost involved but it’s a one-off task that will mean you have electricity for years to come - a worthwhile investment!
Furnish your office
Back to the fun stuff!
Once you’ve weatherproofed your garden shed, secured it, insulated it and successfully run an electricity supply to it, you’ll need to dust off your interior design skills and get ready to make a space that you’ll enjoy working in. A few pointers to get your inspiration flowing…
- Keep it neutral! If you splash bold and dark colours on the walls you might end up creating a space that feels small and claustrophobic. Instead, stick to neutral colours for the walls and flooring and if you want to add colour then do this with your accessories or perhaps a nice floor rug
- Style is important but so is comfort! Whilst you want to create a trendy home office don’t forget that a proper ergonomic chair is ideal if you’re sitting for long periods of time
- Add a touch of greenery to bring the office to life! Not only do indoor plants look great, but they’re also known for their stress-relieving and mood-boosting qualities
Follow these top tips and you’ll soon be on your way to creating a peaceful and motivational workspace!
Get started on your dream garden office space with our DIY-friendly roofing! Our roofing can be purchased via our eShop as well as select ranges available at Amazon, Wickes and The Range.
Discover the full range at onduline.co.uk.