Pilates Retreat

Our client in South East London wanted to transform the end of their long garden into a practical and inviting space. The brief was to create a studio that could host Pilates classes while also being a peaceful retreat for a busy household full of children. We designed a bespoke Jackdaw studio with a generous +20m² square footprint, perfectly suited to both uses. It’s a space that brings together functionality and calm in equal measure.

One of the main challenges was the sloped terrain at the site, which wasn’t being used. To solve this, we built a wraparound deck that transformed the steep hill into a spacious, level area. This made a previously neglected part of the garden into a beautifully integrated extension of the home. When the bi-fold doors are open, the studio connects effortlessly with the decking, creating a fantastic indoor-outdoor space for hosting, relaxing, or simply enjoying the garden.

The studio isn’t just stylish—it’s packed with features to make it practical and comfortable all year round. It’s fully insulated with a VCL system, has air conditioning for hot summers, and includes two full-height windows that double as doors to bring in plenty of natural light and fresh air. It’s also fully equipped with modern electrics, including USB outlets for added convenience.

To finish it off, we added our signature oak-engineered flooring, paired with birch ply skirting boards for a crisp and clean look. The result is a stunning, versatile studio that perfectly fits the needs of a busy family while making the most of their garden space.

Innovative Corner Studio

This project began with a small, awkwardly shaped corner plot at the end of our client’s garden, offering street access. While the irregular shape—with no 90-degree corners—presented a unique design challenge, we recognised its big potential. By carefully templating the bespoke layout, we crafted a Jackdaw studio that fits seamlessly into the space.

The studio was designed with dual access to enhance its practicality. The main façade, facing the rear of the house, creates a connection to the garden, while a secure steel door opens onto the adjacent street. This clever feature provides convenience for storing bicycles and other outdoor equipment, making the space not only visually appealing but highly functional for everyday use.

The studio is finished with sustainable, home grown black Douglas fir cladding, creating a sleek aesthetic. Inside, the warm oak flooring and carefully crafted birch plywood skirting boards complete the look, creating a harmonious blend of natural materials and clean, modern lines. This tailored solution is a perfect example of how thoughtful design can transform even the most challenging spaces into something beautiful and practical.

Garden Studio

We had the pleasure of bringing our client's vision to life with this bespoke studio build. The project features a Douglas Fir primary frame sourced from Herefordshire, highlighted by an asymmetrical vaulted ceiling that creates a spacious atmosphere. A large roof light and bifold doors further enhance the open feel of the space.

Inside, the studio is beautifully finished with a custom fan light window, oak engineered flooring, and birch ply skirting boards. It also includes a fully functional kitchenette with running water and hard-wired internet to ensure high-speed connectivity for work.

Additionally, a shed on the side provides ample storage for garden tools, while the front decking area offers a lovely outdoor space.

The exterior showcases elegant Western Red Cedar cladding sourced from Southgate Timber, seamlessly integrated with a concealed double door and a sleek exterior canopy, all framed in Douglas Fir. This combination not only enhances the aesthetic appeal but also ensures durability and a timeless look.

Many thanks to the contractors who supported us with this project. Cladco who provided the metal cladding, Windows Etc who worked with us to provide bespoke windows and South East Rubber Roofing.

Home Office

We were commissioned by a client to create a garden office in an attractive area of London, next to the fields in Highbury. The client wanted a peaceful, light space to work in, away from the house, which incorporated its surroundings.

Large bifold doors were chosen to invite as much light as possible into the space, and to create a real feeling of connection between the outside and in.

The client chose a jackdaw style studio which we designed to their requirements with an oak floor, wrap-around decking, cedar reveals around the windows and bifold door as well as a swing frame made from Oak.

Underfloor heating was installed which can be controlled from the studio and set to the desired temperature, supporting the studio, to create an environment suitable for year round use.

The outside of the studio and the swing frame were finished in our classic matt black paint, contrasting beautifully with the wrap around decking. This studio sits elegantly in its surroundings, nestled between mature trees in this leafy, central London neighbourhood.

Pergola

The timber pergola a light and spacious approach to utilising an outdoor space.

It’s always nice to try something new, and this pergola was the perfect opportunity to do just that.

This client wanted to extend their living space, making the most of their external patio, whilst also creating a space which bought together the outside and in. Our client decided on a timber pergola with a polycarbonate roof.

Natural light was a big focus of this project and so clear solid polycarbonate roofing was used, allowing light to flood in, whilst revealing neighbouring trees and a big view of the sky. Most polycarbonates are clear, but due to their lightweight structure, they are usually not transparent. However this solid polycarbonate is, it gives a glass like appearance to the roof, whilst also being light weight!

Oversized sawn timber was chosen for the frame, to give the pergola a robust authentic look. The posts were bolted to the ground with a discreet ground anchor to ensure a sturdy frame. Once the posts were installed the big lift was needed for the wall plate, ready for the roof to go on.

We’re so pleased with this pergola, a space in which the outside meets the in, housing a beautiful array of plants. It’s always such a privilege to create functional, family spaces, that can be used all year round.

And big thanks to client for sending through such beautiful photos!

Artists Studio

We were approached by artist Sarah Woodburn in April 2021 to create a garden studio for her new home. Sarah wanted a light and spacious studio which would be used on a daily basis to support her creative process. It was really important to Sarah that we create room for her to both make work and display her beautiful large scale paintings.

As the garden was narrower than usual Sarah opted to make the studio much longer than our standard Jackdaw studios. This design has one window and door at the front and a large skylight to allow plenty of light whilst maximising wall space for her paintings.

It’s great to play with scale and to see how our Jackdaws can be adapted to the specifics of each garden. We are now helping Sarah to fit an additional vent to allow for plenty of air flow in the studio.

Vale Annex

We were approached by our client to build a combined annex and garage, designed by Beech Architects. The main features are a large tilt and turn garden facing window, a green roof and beautiful Larch cladding and lots of it!

This design is like no other we have built to date and we couldn’t wait to get stuck into the design.  

The build started with the ground works, block work and then the timber frame, we then handed over to the roofer to lay the GRP over the roof and the parapet wall which would contain the green roof. We cladded the walls with textured Larch cladding to make the space watertight, cutting back the cladding at the parapet to ensure the green roof could be seen in all its glory! 

Bringing the huge tilt and turn window in was a true task. It welcomes in an incredible amount of light and fully opens to let the outside in, making this space feel closer to the world outside.

Bespoke garage doors are concealed well behind the cladding along with more hidden doors on the side, one to the annex and one to the garage. Bespoke parliament hinges have helped to keep these hidden with a minimal gap around the doors.

We worked closely with the client on this project, reviewing their ideas and how the project was progressing on a regular basis. At times we were able to adapt the design and make some small but significant progressive changes to the intended design which allowed a fluidity to the process of this build. 

We are so happy with how this build turned out and we can’t wait to see how this project settles into its environment, for the larch cladding to silver and the green roof to mature.

Painters Studio

We collaborated with brilliant artist Sarah Longworth-West to design this sage green painters studio for her home in London.

Natural light was a big focus of this project, this creative space needed to house ideas and creation throughout the working day, so we opted for a big open roof light as well as black aluminium framed glass doors and windows.

Sarah chose sawn weatherboard cladding for the studio to protect it from the elements and underfloor heating to keep the studio warm during the cold months. Cedar reveals were added around the window and door which contrast beautifully with the studios colour. Ply board was added behind the plasterboard so that Sarah could hang her paintings with screws anywhere she likes.

Unfortunately in some cases, the quality of certain materials during the pandemic has decreased. In this instance the cladding to the sides and rear of Sarah’s studio. We will be returning to the studio in the coming weeks to replace these materials to ones of the right standard for our studios. It’s important to us to keep our standards high and our clients happy. We will always strive to use the best materials available to us.

Functional, creative spaces are a joy for us to work on, we love hearing new ideas and meeting the clients individual needs, in this case, optimum light, warmth through the months and walls that can hold works in progress. The specifics of a project is what makes each studio personal and these specifics keep us engaged and excited about our craft!