Compact One Bed Annexe by Annexe Spaces
Published: 31 July 2026
Reading Time: 3 minutes 20 seconds
6m x 3.3m is a footprint most people would associate with a garden office or a gym. It fits into an ordinary family garden without taking it over.
This project in Sutton by Annexe Spaces sits on exactly that footprint, but inside there's a shower room, a kitchen and living area, and a bedroom. It was built for family care and flexible accommodation: somewhere a relative can live independently without being far away. It's a good example of how you don't need a big garden, or a big annexe, to create somewhere genuinely comfortable to live.
A Clever Small Space Layout
Inside those external dimensions the floor area is 15sqm, measuring 5.5m x 2.7m. At that size the usual answer is to leave everything open plan and let one room cover every job. This design goes the other way, using walls sparingly but thoughtfully to create three defined spaces.
The wall between the living area and the bedroom does two jobs at once. It gives the bedroom privacy and a real sense of being a separate room, and it gives the kitchen a run of wall to work against, which is what makes an L-shaped kitchen possible.
The shower room is entered through a pocket door, so no floor space is lost to a door swinging open.
Extra Height Where It Counts
The annexe stands 3m tall externally, giving a 2.4m ceiling inside. The floor area is what it is, but the height above it gives the spaces a more airy feel.
That height formed part of the planning application. The client obtained approval before approaching companies to build the annexe, which is one route to take. The other is to engage Annexe Spaces from the outset, and they'll work with you through the design stage, the approval process and the build, right through to handing over the keys to a move-in ready home.
Foundations Through an Existing Base
Part of the garden already had a concrete base, and the annexe was built through it rather than clearing the ground first. The screw piles were taken down to 1550mm, longer than standard, to reach the depth building regulations required.
Building regulations apply in full here. Once a building includes sleeping accommodation it's assessed as somewhere people live, bringing in insulation, ventilation, structure and means of escape. The tilt and turn window covers the last of those: it opens wide enough to climb out of in an emergency.
Thermowood on the Front, Cement Board Behind
The front elevation is clad in Thermowood, a heat-treated softwood with a warm honey tone that needs no painting or staining. The less visible walls are cement particle board, painted the same dark grey as the doors and windows, putting a low-maintenance finish where good timber would be wasted. The cubed roofline helps it sit comfortably in a family garden.
Finished Like Rooms in the House
Inside, the walls and ceiling are plastered and decorated with laminate wood flooring underfoot, so it reads as a room in a house. The external door is uPVC, and an air conditioning system handles both heating and cooling. Underneath it all is a SIPs core, which is what makes year-round comfort realistic.
The team fully installed the shower room. The kitchen was the exception: typically in the Annexe Spaces projects we feature they fit it as part of their service, but this client had their own supplier, so the team worked closely with them. All services were carried out by Annexe Spaces, including the final connections to the mains.
It's a small footprint, but it's somewhere a person can actually live.
Learn More
Annexe Spaces design and build bespoke garden annexes across most of England and parts of Wales, taking projects from planning and building regulations through to a finished, connected building. To find out more or discuss your own project, visit www.annexespaces.co.uk, call 0845 387 9 387, or email info@annexespaces.co.uk.
