Not quite finished but a good example of how our customers impact on our designs.  Jo Angell is a designer of fantastic textiles, wallpapers and other wonderful products; check out her web site: www.joangell.com.  Anyway, Jo wanted lots of light in her studio and opted for meter wide doors and windows in the front wall, slightly larger than the norm.  But they look fantastic and, even on the dull day when we took these photos, there was no need for artificial light.

The studio replaces a huge corrugated iron structure used by the previous owner as a pottery workshop and the neighbours are very pleased it has been replaced with a smaller and much more attractive building.  More photos to come when the studio is finished.

Insulated garden office with verandah

We recently completed this insulated garden office in our home town of Harpenden. With a hipped roof clad in cedar shingles and a verrandah for the client to hang his hammock, the office provides a good sized work space away from the clients two young chindren. Although the building required planning permission because it is higher than the 2.5m limit, this was readily granted. With 120mm of insulation in the roof and our standard 100mm thick walls and floor, the office has been very warm even during the recent cold. External cladding is vertical cedar and the decking is larch. The photo is not great but we shall be taking more if and when the we see the sun again.

 Vivid Green creates studios and workshops for artists and crafts people looking for an inspiring, comfortable space in which to work.  The insulated garden buildings benefit from a high level of insulation creating warm spaces in winter and remaining cool in summer.  Recently completed installations include a sculptors’ studio, a bookbinders’ workshop and art studio.  Director Neil Johnston commented: “Our buildings have plenty of natural light and maintain an even temperature throughout the year.  Internal finishes include fire resistant pinboard which many people find very convenient to display working drawings, swatches and other materials.”  The bespoke garden buildings means that windows can be placed in any wall and size adjusted to suit.  The high quality and natural origin of the materials is appealing as is the low level of maintenance required and the security of windows and doors.

High level windows provide plenty of natural light for bookbinding

Pinboard walls inside an editors office

All Vivid Green buildings have a high level of insulation, underfloor heating and low or zero maintenance materials and components including cedar cladding to the exterior.  Options for the interior include naturally coloured, textured clay plasters as well as more conventional finishes.

When the Government changed the planning rules relating to outbuildings on 1 October last year we thought flat roofs were the only answer. So we designed a couple of flat roofed buildings to meet the demand: the Penthouse 8 and Penthouse 7.5. Both these Vivid Green buildings incorporate all of our design principles: low energy, low maintenance, plenty of natural light. Headroom is between 2075 and 2150mm (6’ 9” to 7’). Both buildings offer attractive space for an office, studio or workshop.

Penthouse 8

Penthouse 7.5

However, over the last few months we have designed several other buildings for customers who wanted to site the structure close to one or more boundaries but liked the idea of a more attractive roof shape. The following sketches give an idea of the options available if you can leave at least one metre between your boundary and the wall of the building.

Flat roof & lantern

Flat roof with lantern

The simplest way of adding headroom and light is a lantern. Glass lanterns can be very expensive but we have found a polycarbonate version which offers a great alternative. Double and triple skinned versions offer superior thermal and sound insulation. Headroom is typically 2075 to 2150 (6’ 9” to 7’) plus an extra 300-500mm (1’ -1’ 7”) under the lantern.

Shallow hip

Shallow hip

A shallow pitch of at least 15 degrees offers the option of cladding the roof with cedar shingles and just a few more degrees opens up lots of options including eco-slates (imitation slates manufactured from recycled plastic). Because of the need for a slope, the height of the walls (eaves height) is reduced but greater headroom can be achieved throughout the rest of the building. Typically 1800mm (5’ 10”) at the eaves, headroom increases to 1930mm (6’ 4”) 500mm in from the walls and is 2600mm (8’ 6”) in the centre.

Shallow hip + gablets

Gablet roof with porch

When the garden is a little bigger there is the potential to add ‘gablets’ to the roof: triangular gable ends. These can be left solid but, using triangular windows makes a very attractive roof shape and provides additional light. Headroom is similar to the shallow hip design above.

Both shallow hip designs require one wall to be inset by approx 600mm to allow installation of doors. This creates an attractive porch or veranda depending on size

For more details, call or email us: 01582 469076 or neil@vividgreen.co.uk

Planning guidance

If you want to know more about planning regulations take a look at this web site: http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/wales/genpub/en/1105619048902.html

If you need to check on planning issues, there is a great site: www.planningportal.co.uk

The Vivid Green philosophy of high levels of insulation plus good quality windows and doors still apply in our standard unit but, with standardising sizes, colours etc allows us to pass on discounts to customers.

There are two units in the range, the Penthouse 8 with 8 sq metres of floor space and a very contemporary, five sided look and the Penthouse 7.5, a rectangular building with 7.5 sq metres of floor space.  Both units have a porch and the Penthouse 8 has two bays for a window seat (with the potential for storage under) and desk whereas the Penthouse 7.4 has just one bay.

Both units are installed with surface mounted electrics, internal lighting, clad in treated Larch or Douglas Fir with a rubber membrane for the roof covering with a 15-20 year life.

The Penthouse 8 is priced at £9,890 and the Penthouse 7.5 at £9,530 (inclusive of VAT, delivery and installation in Herts, Beds and Bucks plus London, North of the Thames).

Penthouse 8

A striking, contemporary design with 'letter box' windows, a large porch and two bays

Penthouse 7.5

A high quality space with one bay and large single door