Case Study
Garden Office
Turning a derelict old Victorian wash-house into an all-weather studio office.
Details
100 sq ft.
All weather
Oxted, Surrey



Project Info
The Victorian wash-house was a remnant of farm life…it still contained a large drum to wash the clothes, a grated washer to scrub the clothes, and a mangle to press them.
Disused, it was in a very poor state of repair—with rotten roof, window and doors, plus ivy damaged brickwork and tiles.
However, the building was in an unusual location, sitting on the boundary of three properties—so it required diplomacy and working respectfully with the neighbours.
The brickwork was restored and the roof was reinstated with clay hand-made tiles.
The low 4-foot high entrance door was replaced by a wooden full height glazed door, to provide more natural light.
The window to the front was replaced and a remote-controlled Velux window was added to give natural light from above.
Inside, we kept the vaulted roof to give a greater feeling of space in this small office.
The walls were insulated to provide all year warmth, and the building was connected to mains power, telephone and Ethernet.
Cost: £25,000
Completion: 12 August, 2008
Project Type: Residential Office