A granny annexe needn’t dominate the garden
An L-shaped one-bedroom annexe in an ordinary garden, low enough and quiet enough in its materials that the neighbours said it was less intrusive than they had feared.
Adding a granny annexe to your garden isn’t limited to families with large plots. A project by Booths Garden Studios demonstrates that a one-bedroom granny annexe can be built in the garden of a 3-bed end-of-terrace house without dominating the space or upsetting the neighbours.
The height, materials, and colours of the annexe help it blend into the surroundings, as the photo below shows. In fact, neighbours commented that the annexe is far less intrusive than they had expected.
At a glance
- Size: two wings — 24ft x 8ft (7.31m x 2.44m) and 12ft x 8ft (3.65m x 2.44m) — making more of a home than the numbers suggest.
- Why it disappears: its height, materials and colours were chosen to settle into the garden rather than stand out from it.
- Layout: a main living room with the kitchen and room for a dining table, with the shower room off one side and the bedroom off the other.
- Glazing: full walls of floor-to-ceiling glass in both the bedroom and the living space, with blinds available where privacy matters.
- The route: built under the Caravan Act, with the company’s planning expert running the application.
- What changed: the annexe was meant for Jolanta’s mother; after seeing the show building, Jolanta and her son moved in instead.
L-shape one-bedroom granny annexe
Booths Garden Studios is a well-known name in the garden room industry. They have developed two ranges of garden living annexes: one requiring full planning permission and another that can be built under the Caravan Act. Since its launch a few years ago, their L-shaped one-bedroom garden annexe has become their best seller. Built in less than a week, these annexes are some of the most cost-effective options available, without compromising on features.
Take a tour of an L-shaped granny annexe
Booths Garden Studios has a display of their L-shaped granny annexe at their workshops in Northamptonshire, which you can visit by appointment. Before you book a visit, you can watch the video below, where Alex and Iain explore Jolanta’s annexe.
The L-shaped annexe consists of two wings: one measuring 24ft x 8ft (7.31m x 2.44m), and the other 12ft x 8ft (3.65m x 2.44m). Together, they create a surprisingly spacious home.
The annexe is cleverly zoned, with the main living room featuring a kitchen and space for a dining table. From the kitchen, there’s access to a shower room on one side and a bedroom on the other.
What’s particularly appealing is that both the bedroom and main living space feature full walls of floor-to-ceiling glazing. This not only provides wonderful views of the garden but also makes the annexe feel even more spacious.
Privacy isn’t an issue, as blinds can be fitted to the doors and windows.
The annexe was for mum, but daughter and grandson moved in
The original plan was for Jolanta’s mother to move into the granny annexe, while Jolanta and her son remained in the main house. However, after visiting the Booths Garden Studios show building, Jolanta and her son decided they wanted to live in the light, modern garden annexe themselves. As a result, Jolanta’s mother stayed in the main house.
While the annexe has its own kitchen, the family still eats together in the main house, maintaining their family connection.
Jolanta explains her decision to move into the annexe in this video:
Researching granny annexe options
It’s important to research your options when buying a self-contained annexe, as offerings can vary widely between companies. Booths Garden Studios provides a complete package, including the kitchen and shower room, along with all connections to the mains. Other companies may only offer the building, with kitchen fittings and groundworks as optional extras.
Prices and lead times also differ across the industry. Part of the appeal of Booths Garden Studios’ annexes is that they offer an all-inclusive, cost-effective solution with no hidden costs. Additionally, their annexes are available with short lead times and can be installed in just a few days.
Jolanta received quotes from other companies with lead times of up to 12 months, which was too long for her family. Working with Booths Garden Studios, she moved into the annexe within six months of her first contact with them, including the time it took to go through the planning process.
The planning process was stress-free
Jolanta’s one-bedroom L-shaped granny annexe was built under the Caravan Act. Booths Garden Studios’ planning expert managed the entire application process on her behalf, making it a stress-free experience. The local authority approved the project in less than seven weeks.
Learn more about Booths Garden Studios
To learn more about creating an L-shaped garden annexe, contact the Booths Garden Studios team on 07843 319 058 or email justin@boothsgardenstudios.co.uk. You can also visit www.boothsgardenstudios.co.uk to explore more examples and price guides.
