HOME VISIT
Peter and Sal from Cheshire show us around their new build – a garden studio made by Cedar & Oak in Twemlow, which they’ve affectionately named “The Bothy”
“I
t all started because we had two old sheds in one part of the garden, and our thinking was to replace them,” says Peter. “But then we felt that having a covered area as part of that could be quite interesting. “The idea somewhat morphed from there. We looked at various possibilities, including a log cabin, and then one of Sal’s friends at the Knutsford Community First Responder Trust said her future son-in-law – who turned out to be Peter at Cedar & Oak – built shepherd’s huts and garden studios. “Peter and I talked through some of the things we were looking for, and he was able to interpret our ideas and come Peter says. “Although we don’t need it back with designs. Originally we weren’t as a studio or a home office, someone in looking at a curved roof; I asked if that was the future might want to use it like that, a possibility, and he said he thought it was. and the insulation makes it much more We also were keen to have a covered area.” comfortable in winter. Although it was They also decided to take the plunge and more expensive, we’re delighted that we have the building insulated. “It’s sandwiched did it. We also said we wanted between the lining boards, which are all plywood, and electrics and hard-wired internet.” “The studio the external cladding has a has enhanced waterproof membrane too,” Multi-functional space the whole The workbench and cupboards are functionality all designed so they can be taken of that area of out and the room repurposed. the garden” “We thought we might want to use it as a model railway room, so the central set of doors are designed so we can put a model railway upright as they cantilever out,” Peter says. “The beauty of the building is its flexibility. My wife uses it for guitar practice, while my son uses it as a yoga studio. “Although he contracted out the electrics and the patio, Peter controlled the whole project. He was very flexible with the construction and installation. At one point, Sal decided she didn’t want to have a hook-and-eye system to hold the door back, so Peter and I designed an alternative system. He was infinitely patient with things like that.” Both Peter and Sal love the rustic nature of the larch cladding and they’re The studio has a covered patio area
The workbench, pictured left, can be removed and the space repurposed
delighted that it was supplied by a local sawmill a couple of miles down the road. If they’d had a simple shed, Peter says, it would have made no difference to the value or the functionality of the house. “But I suspect the money we’ve spent on this is probably going to go on the value of the house should we choose to sell it,” he says. “It’s an attractive, helpful feature from that point of view. But it has also enhanced the whole functionality of that area of the garden, which is a great thing.”
PETER AT CEDAR & OAK SAYS…
“When I first met Peter and Sal, we discussed a few ideas for a modestsized workshop to sit in an underused section of the garden. After some initial sketch work and another meeting, when we looked at pictures of other projects, a much grander and special build started to take shape. “The Bothy is one of the builds I’m most proud of. It really is one of a kind and was a pleasure to work on. The end result turned out even better than I could have imagined!” To find out more, call 01477 535848 or visit www.cedarandoak.co.uk.
November/December 2020 | SHIRE MAGAZINE 63
Home Visit NovDec 2020 FINAL.indd 105
22/10/2020 13:49