How to create extra space for the things you don’t want in your house

Extending your home is the typical route to take for gaining additional space. However, there are certain situations where considering some separation from the main house might be a better and more cost-effective solution.

Exercise space

Exercise equipment is bulky and not altogether attractive. Unless you have a room where you can store it, working it into your home can be a challenge. I remember a project a few years ago where we had to incorporate a treadmill into a brand new open-plan kitchen, living and dining space. Honestly, there was no elegant way to accommodate it. A much better solution would have been to relocate it to an area outside the house.

Working out at home has grown in popularity since the pandemic. Many people enjoy the freedom of not having to travel or commit to a gym.

A dedicated place to exercise means you’ll be more likely to be consistent with your fitness goals. Garden rooms make the ideal multipurpose space perfect for a home gym.

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A garden room is exempt from planning permission as long as it is to the rear of your home. It should be a single-storey building, no larger than 25sq m (270sq ft), with a maximum height of 4m for a pitched roof or 3m for any other roof. You will also need to leave 25sq m of free space in your garden. Always seek advice from a professional before building any structure.

Home office

There are a couple of other rooms where garden rooms provide a better fit than creating a room in your home. The first is the home office. Working from home has its advantages and disadvantages. One of the most significant issues is distractions, especially when you have to work in a space others need to use throughout the day.

A dedicated space to work from can make all the difference in terms of productivity and your quality of life.

Houzz recently conducted a poll to find out what makes for the perfect remote working space. More than two in five stated a private space where they can be away from others as the essential factor. Having your office separate from your house creates a natural boundary between work and home. This kind of home working environment will also help to reduce distractions, allowing you to focus on work.

Entertainment room

Another ideal use for a garden room is an entertainment room, den or teenage hangout. As a mum of two teenage boys, I am seriously considering this one for providing space to play video games, hang out with friends or have sleepovers. A room separate from the main house is the ideal way to give your older kids some freedom while giving you peace of mind that you know where your kids are. Other uses for a garden room are a hobby room, studio or even sauna. We’ve just completed an outdoor sauna and workout space for a family in Co Wicklow and an art studio for a retired couple in Blackrock.

Laundry room

Laundry takes up space, and washing machines and dryers are noisy, especially in an open-plan living area. Sometimes there isn’t enough room in a house to create a designated laundry room, especially one that’s large enough to dry clothes. A simple and cost-effective solution is to create an outdoor laundry room.

It doesn’t have to be an elaborate structure; a shed close to the main house can work very well. It doesn’t have to be an eyesore, either. Painting or cladding the structure to match a fence or wall in your garden will help it to blend in rather than stand out. The shed or room only needs to be big enough to take a washer and dryer and have some space to dry clothes. So you could go as small as 1200mm x 1800mm.

Bike store

Bicycle sales have grown dramatically over the last couple of years. So having a dry and secure space to store bikes is an essential consideration for many. We recently had clients keeping their bikes in their house and wanted us to accommodate their storage space within the new extension. The house was a modest terraced home with a good-sized back garden. So rather than compromise the new living space in the extension, we proposed creating an outdoor bike store with easy access from the house.

Bike stores come in all shapes and sizes and can be as basic or elaborate as you like. Work with the space you have, leaving some room to tinker and work on the bikes.

If you want to prolong the life and enjoyment of your bike, where and how you store it is crucial. A bike shed is an excellent solution for keeping your bike safe and in good condition. Bike sheds are usually very affordable and are built to withstand the elements, including rain. They come in various sizes and are generally easy to assemble.

Consider how many bikes you’ll need to house when selecting a bike store. Measure the width of the handlebars and pedals for each bike to ensure you choose one with sufficient space.

Denise O’Connor is an architect and designer at optimise-design.com