My Room In The Garden - Questions ??

helvelyn

I want my own room! (where is the stamping foot smiley? lol) Seriously, I was thinking the other day both my teenagers have their own room, DH has his own room - well it's the garage, but it's his own space to play and stash his treasures IYSWIM. I don't have anywhere and I'm fed up.

We have a 3 bed semi, no room in our bedroom for crafts or strorage, and only a living room and kitchen downstairs. I'm quite a tidy person and can't bear having the living areas messy, I like it cosy and welcoming, so having my sewing machine or craft stuff spread out on the dining table for days at a time drives me mad. Often the idea of having to get everything out knowing I have to put it all away again is enough to stop me starting a project in the first place.

DH (who is lovely and is "trying" to understand) has suggested I have a summer house in the garden (garden not massive so it could only be small) and make it my own little oasis, decorate it, make it cosy etc. I have £1,000 stashed away from a legacy that my lovely DH made me keep for myself and has forbidden me to use on stocking up / bills / kids / house, so I have a start....BUT!!!..... would it be practical? I've looked online and what seems to be an enormous amount of money to me will only buy a very basic building and I have three main questions I thought you lovely people could help me with:-

1. If I store my fabric in what amounts to a fancy shed will it end up damp and covered in mildew, crawling with spiders or as a nest for baby mice?
2. Is it going to be practical to heat such a space so that I can use it all year round without going bankrupt paying the heating bills?
3. Am I shortsighted and stupid for only being able to think of two questions? Is there perhaps some other elephant in the room I'm not aware of?

If anyone has any input they'd like to add I would be sooooo grateful

Gigervamp

I've got a summer house in the garden for all my craft bits. I've found that as it's not insulated, any fabrics in there do get damp and mouldy.

I also had a problem with rats chewing through the floorboards and having a party with all my bits (I had a lot of soapmaking stuff including fats and oils) and decorating the place with their droppings.

I think, if you insulate it (you can buy panels of polystyrene in B&Q, Wickes etc) that would stop the problem of damp. Also, you could get a Calor gas heater to keep it warm when you're in there, but make sure that you leave some ventilation and also it would be a good idea to get a carbon monoxide alarm if you do use a gas heater.

[Deleted User]

Would you consider a small second hand caravan, would you have room for it perhaps on the drive? That would enable you to have an electric supply from the house when you needed it, it should be insulated so your craft materials would stay dry and no mould problems, it would even give you a 'mobile spare room' if you needed it.

mishmogs

Hello

I am also one of those very lucky ladies with a summerhouse and mine is insulated and boarded again on the inside (like a cavity filled double wood wall IYSWIM)! I also installed laminate on the floor to strengthen and also insulate the floor. Am so glad we put the extra work and cost into the insulation and additional flooring as I have no problem of damp or critters looking to take up residence. The initial cost of the summerhouse was about £1100 (you can pay more or less and the people I bought from came and installed it as part of the price and I think they do it throughout the whole of the UK, if you want their details, just PM me).

It has been my haven and I tinker in there with my bits n pieces to my hearts content. Its my zone! As your DH sounds understanding and encouraging, I would go for it, take your time, look at different designs because you may get fed up of it being your zone and you could then use it as a summerhouse again in the future (or shed if you go down that route!). Let us know what you decide. Am intrigued now

Boodle

I don't know anything about summerhouses I'm afraid, but my first thought was is there a way you can put a partition up in the garage and share it with your OH?

valk_scot

Attic? It would be drier for storage. I wouldn't want my precious fabric and yarns stuck out in a shed tbh. I don't even leave my tents in the shed in case of mildrew and mice. And it would never be as warm as the house tbh, and it's easier to keep an eye on cooking and kids if you're actually in the house too.

The other possibility is to invest some money in a craft cupboard with open out doors, like a wardrobe, and park that in a corner of the dining room. This sort of thing. As you can see it all slides in and closes up again very quickly to hide the mess.

Or...when I lived in a very tiny one bedroom flat I had one side of the fitted wardrobes in our bedroom fitted as a sewing cupboard, with drawer space for all my bits and bobs and a hanging rail for things I was working on. I prefered to work away from the living area tbh, for peace, and to keep fiddly fingers away.

helvelyn

MrsLurcherwalker A small caravan would be my dreamsolution but unfortunately the only entrance to our back garden is a small narrow passagewayleading between us and the house next door - otherwise I would have one tomorrow and play outside in it all year long! Would be like having my own lifesize dolls house.... ooooh I want one - Wonder how much a crane would cost to lift one over the house? or is that just entirely mad?

Boodle LOL if my DH reads that he'll have a fit - really nice idea but garage is already shared by DH's motorbike and cycle (oh and the family camping stuff)

valk_scot Unfortunately we have very little loft space, there isn't even room to stand upright. I am very intrigued by the idea of a craft cupboard though - I might be able to fit one of those into a corner of the living room if we got rid of a desk we no longer really use (teenagers no longer need homework space) can't seem to get your link to work though, would you mind terribly posting it again or the name of the website where you saw it? Thank you very much.

mishmogs Excellent ideas and information tahnk you very much indeed - would it be cheeky for me to ask if the insultaion cost very much and was it hard to fit? am just about to PM you ... much appreciated

[Deleted User]

HELVELYN - I've seen houses with portacabins that had been lifted into their back gardens by crane, that is not the daft idea it sounds when you first think of it!! It might be the solution - worth checking out at least. You might check it with the planning department of your local council and see if it is OK with them too . Cheers Lyn x.

jm2926

helvelyn wrote: »

can't seem to get your link to work though, would you mind terribly posting it again or the name of the website where you saw it? Thank you very much.

[URL="http://thegiantess.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/cupboard-0011.jpg?
w=430&h=573"]http://thegiantess.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/cupboard-0011.jpg?w=430&h=573[/URL]

rachbc

I long long long for a little old caravan for crafting in - complete with woodburning stove with red enamel coffee pot warming ontop and full of cozy handmade crochet blankets

Sorry no help at all!! I'd be looking at the crane option!

Justamum

jm2926 wrote: »

http://thegiantess.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/cupboard-0011.jpg?w=430&h=573

That looks just what I'm looking for too. Like the OP I could do with somewhere to have my sewing stuff out, and I also often can't be bothered getting it all out just to have to put it away again so nothing gets done. I wonder if my DH would be able to rustle something like this up.