With home-working likely to stick around for a while yet, many of us are thinking carefully about how to improve our own work-space.
Olga Turner Baker, founder of well-being architects Ekkist, has been designing holistic living spaces for several years – most recently on Hyde Park’s Bryanston development.
‘Ideally a work space should be located where there is the best access to natural daylight and green views, to support concentration and good cognitive performance,’ says the designer – recently named as one of Forbes’ 30 under 30.
Though if you’d rather skip the hard work yourself, here are eight homes – ranging from family options to ultra high-end – that have a bespoke workspace ready to go.
An 84ft garden…in Clapham
If its 84ft garden weren’t enough to make this Clapham townhouse stand out from the pile, then its lovely architect-designed garden office will surely do the trick.
Previously used as an artist’s studio, the workspace sits right at the bottom of the garden – allowing busy homeworkers to maintain that crucial separation between work and leisure.
Situated on a tree-lined road away from the bustling high street, the property provides the perfect option for anyone looking to combine week-day solace with the buzz of London life.
As for the house itself, enjoy the perks of city-living with a well-equipped kitchen, a modern, open plan-living room, and a luxurious, Japanese-style square bath.
Mr and Mrs Clark – guide price £780,000
Leave London for Leamington
This five-bedroom detached property in Warwickshire’s leafy Leamington Spa boasts exceptional countryside views as well as a large private garden – but that’s not at all.
Tucked away at the end of the garden, sits a purpose-built office perfectly suited for home-working – or as a quiet spot for some weekend creativity.
With electricity and double-glazed windows, home-workers can enjoy all-year-round comfort. While wannabe novelists will relish the chance to spend a summer evening typing away as a gentle country breeze rolls through the bi-fold doors.
If that sounds tempting, take a 3D tour with Matterport.
Purplebricks – offers from £800,000
Head north for space
If your home-working arrangement can extend as far as south west Scotland, you could do a lot worse than Moatwell – a stunning 18th century townhouse in Dumfries and Galloway.
Given its age, the riverside property has been carefully refurbished – including re-roofing, re-wiring and re-plumbing – with the aim of maintaining its period features while providing for the highest standard of modern living.
Amongst the spacious and tranquil grounds sits a fully-insulated garden office, complete with fibre broadband, a wood-burning stove and even its own outhouse toilet. Take this virtual tour to see more.
Galbraith – offers from £850,000
Manor living
Sitting in the grounds of Durham’s historic Burn Hall manor house, this modern barn conversion isn’t short of features to recommend – from an Alexander Carrick kitchen to a stylish oak-beamed sitting room.
But busy homeworkers will likely be drawn to the plush home office which sits on the third-floor of the detached garage and features its own Juliet balcony with a view over the estate.
With private access to the grounds of Burn Hall, make the most of that lunchtime break with a relaxing stroll through some 35 acres of beautiful and unspoilt country landscape.
Galbraith – guide price £1,450,000
Apartments with communal work space
Even before the pandemic, the increasing demand for flexible working had inspired a trend for communal workspaces in big city developments.
Take the Cassini Tower – part of St James’ White City Living development in W12 – which describes its ambient home-working spaces as somewhere between a members’ club and a health spa.
Admittedly it might lack the privacy of your own garden office, but with two cinemas and a private swimming pool also on site, you can certainly see the appeal.
White City Living – prices from £775,000
Try a timber studio in Dover
Just a short drive from Dover, The Grange is a detached family house that comes complete with its own distinctive home-working space.
Amongst the spacious gardens sits a dainty timber-studio – ready to be fashioned as a home office – as well as a separate purpose-built workshop.
With its own in-built vacuuming system (previously used to clear the dust away from woodwork), the workshop is perfect for anyone whose work is more hands-on than your average office job.
And with easy access to Walmer station, you can be back in London within 80 minutes.
Bright and Bright – guide price £895,000
Country life
Looking for a quiet spot to get down to some serious work? Upper Treleddyn is a striking Grade II listed gentry house sitting on the western tip of rural Pembrokeshire – on the edge of historic St David’s.
With a wine cellar, balustrade staircase, and an open fireplace (not to mention a servery hatch between the kitchen and dining room), the house is full of decadent period charm.
At the back of the house, amongst a picturesque walled garden, sits a stylish annex – perfect for an office or studio space – with its own sitting room, kitchen area, and shower room.
Live in luxury at Chelsea Barracks
If you’re in the market for ultra luxury, you probably won’t be surprised to learn that the flagship Chelsea Barracks townhouses – perhaps the most coveted real estate in the capital – also come with their own separate workspace: in this case a modern take on the 18th century mews house.
And should a 51sqm mews house not be enough, all residents have access to the Garrison Club – a purpose-built members’ club with a state-of-the-art business suite, intended to rival the swankiest Mayfair clubs.
Hold court in one of two 12-seater boardrooms, or take it a more leisurely place in the lounge. What better way to get your work done?
