The local countryside inspired the design of this garden painting studio. Miniature Manors designed and built the garden studio, working closely with their client to choose the palette of materials used. Miniature Manor's client lives in West Sussex where black barns are a regular sight and wanted to replicate the look in her garden.
To achieve the desired look, the exterior of the studio has been clad in featheredge boards which have been stained black. White uPVC doors and windows have been fitted, replicating the look of the farm buildings that surround the ladies home.
We like the monochrome palette, and particularly the use of white soffit and fascia boards. Adding the white finish around the roof really ties the two finishes together, in our opinion.
Maximising natural light
If the exterior appearance was a crucial factor in the design of the studio, so was the light quality in the room. Garden studios make excellent painting studios because they can be designed to maximise natural light, more easily than a room in your house.
Often, artists will choose to focus the windows on a north facing wall, as this is considered the most stable light for working. Because of the positioning of the room in the garden, this is not always possible, so designers might suggest adding a roof window. This is what the Miniature Manors team did here; they have positioned a large skylight over the easel area.
In addition to the skylight, natural light floods into the room via French doors on the front elevation and top hung windows positioned on each side window. These windows have been positioned so that there is desk and storage space underneath; in addition, they frame views of the garden perfectly when standing painting!
The interior of the room has been plastered and decorated. The white walls and ceiling help bounce the light around the room.
Venitian blinds have been fitted at the windows so the amount of light entering the room can be easily controlled.
One team from start to finish
The site where the painting studio now sits used to house a greenhouse. The Miniature Manors team dismantled the greenhouse and prepared the site prior to starting work on the studio itself. They then handled the project right through to final decoration.
Not all garden room companies offer a service whereby they will handle any site clearance as part of the overall project. There is, however, a lot to be said to working with one company like Miniature Manors who will take on the whole project for you, while you stand back and watch the transformation.