| Some of us would live in our gardens if we could. | | | | have a garden shed? In the house where I grew |
| To be surrounded by the lush beauty of nature | | | | up, the garden shed was a magical little haven |
| and growing things, the soothing sounds of the | | | | that exactly matched our house in color and style |
| wind rustling leaves, the buzzing of bees and the | | | | - a tiny little room just the right size to fit a desk |
| sweet trill of the birds is the ultimate in luxury - | | | | and chair and a few office cabinets. For someone |
| but it's impractical for most of us. What's not | | | | like me, a professional writer working at home, |
| impractical, though, is using a garden shed as a | | | | converting the garden shed to a garden office |
| garden office to leave at least some of the | | | | would be a simple matter of adding a few outlets |
| stresses of every day work behind.If you work | | | | - there's electricity there already - and insulating |
| from home, you know how important having | | | | the walls for the winter.Consider your needs |
| your own space for an office is. It may mean | | | | before you start dreaming though. Will you need |
| taking over a spare bedroom for your desk and | | | | to run wiring from the house to the shed? Add in |
| computer, or refinishing a basement room to take | | | | the cost of the electricians, then. If you're in an |
| you out of the hustle and bustle of the family. | | | | area with cold winters or hot summers, will you |
| Even if you live alone, being 'in the office' adds a | | | | need insulation, heat and air conditioning? |
| psychological nudge that makes you feel like | | | | Remember, it's more than just your comfort you |
| you're at 'work' rather than lounging around the | | | | need consider. When you're using a shed as a |
| house and subject to distraction. More and more, | | | | garden office, you also need to consider the |
| those who work at home are opting to outfit a | | | | 'comfort' of your equipment. Most electrical |
| garden shed and using it as a garden office.So | | | | equipment - computers and the like - are happiest |
| popular an option is using a shed as a garden | | | | if the temperature is kept at around 68 F. What |
| office, that the BBC has reported on it in their | | | | about phones? Will you need a land line with |
| online Magazine. According to correspondent Giles | | | | multiple extensions - or will your cell phone do just |
| Wilson, using a shed as a garden office is a | | | | fine? For that matter - with a good wireless |
| high-priced luxury conversion - but we have our | | | | connection, can you make do with a laptop and |
| doubts. For the average work-at-home business | | | | docking station for your computing needs?Using a |
| mom or pop, managing a web site, or selling out | | | | shed as a garden office can be a wonderful |
| of their homes, high end items like 36 power | | | | option - and depending on your needs, it can be |
| outlets and a full security system aren't | | | | extremely affordable - or pure luxury. Think it |
| necessary. Instead, one could turn a shed into a | | | | through, make your plans, and then decide if it's |
| garden office for far less money - and still enjoy | | | | worth it to have a beautiful, comfortable office |
| all the benefits of using a shed as a garden | | | | that makes your workday a pleasure. |
| office.First, consider your needs. Do you already | | | | |