A Room in the Garden
A Room in the Garden design and build bespoke and pre-designed garden annexes using highly insulated SIPs. Offering both Planning Permission and Caravan Act routes, they tailor each home around the client’s lifestyle, with a turnkey service that handles everything from design to final connection.
A Room in the Garden
A Room in the Garden design and build bespoke and pre-designed garden annexes using highly insulated SIPs. Offering both Planning Permission and Caravan Act routes, they tailor each home around the client’s lifestyle, with a turnkey service that handles everything from design to final connection.
A Room in the Garden
A Room in the Garden design and build bespoke and pre-designed garden annexes using highly insulated SIPs. Offering both Planning Permission and Caravan Act routes, they tailor each home around the client’s lifestyle, with a turnkey service that handles everything from design to final connection.
Introducing A Room in the Garden
Led by architect Lukas and creative director Ivana, A Room in the Garden specialises in designing contemporary garden annexes and mobile homes that reflect the character of their clients and the gardens they sit within. Based in Sussex, the husband-and-wife team have established a reputation for homes that blend thoughtful design, practical functionality, and a highly personal approach.
Alongside their fully bespoke offering, they’ve developed a range of pre-designed annexes that incorporate features regularly requested by clients. These offer a useful starting point for those looking for a well-designed layout with fewer decisions to make. Their designs span open-plan studios through to one, two, and three-bedroom homes—offering more flexibility than many other companies.
Every project is closely managed in-house, and clients benefit from a comprehensive service that includes planning advice, tailored layouts, and complete project delivery. For those wanting to experience their approach, A Room in the Garden maintain an online gallery showcasing a wide range of recent builds.
Contact A Room in the Garden
Gallery
Design
Clients can choose between a completely bespoke annexe designed from scratch or a pre-designed model that can be tailored with different finishes, room configurations, and functional upgrades. Whichever route is chosen, the team work closely with clients to understand how the space will be used. Kitchens can be specified to suit individual cooking habits, with utility rooms added where needed, while bathrooms are designed around preferences for walk-in showers, baths, or accessible layouts.
Layouts are adjusted to suit the site and lifestyle of the future occupant. The design team regularly introduce angled walls and clever spatial planning to make best use of the available footprint—particularly useful in smaller gardens.
Layouts
A Room in the Garden offer layouts ranging from open-plan studios to one, two, and three-bedroom designs—providing more flexibility than many other annexe providers. Whether you’re looking for a compact space with zoned living and sleeping areas or a larger home with clearly defined rooms, the team tailor each layout to the client’s preferences and available garden space.
Bathrooms and kitchens are planned around how the space will be lived in, and accessibility can be built in from the outset where required. Their ability to incorporate angled or non-standard layouts also allows for better use of irregular or constrained plots.
Approval Process
A Room in the Garden offer two routes to legal approval. Their annexes are built as permanent homes and require Full Householder Planning Permission alongside Building Control approval. Where appropriate, they can alternatively apply for a Lawful Development Certificate for a mobile home under the Caravan Act.
They advise on the most appropriate route for your project and manage the entire process, including submission of the application and liaison with local authorities. For those considering the mobile home route, they also provide a helpful guide outlining the differences between planning routes, timescales, and VAT implications.
Service
Each project is delivered as a full turnkey service. A Room in the Garden manage everything in-house, from initial concept and design development to planning, groundwork, and final connections. This includes foundations, trenching for mains services, and commissioning of electrics and plumbing.
Once completed, the home is fully decorated and handed over ready to move into, with no need for clients to arrange any part of the build themselves.
Structure
All annexes are built using a SIPs (Structural Insulated Panel) core, creating a robust and highly insulated shell that ensures year-round comfort. This multi-layered system delivers excellent thermal performance, while allowing flexibility in interior and exterior finishes. External cladding, roof finishes, and glazing options can all be selected to suit the garden and the architectural feel of the main home.
Site Challenges
A Room in the Garden are experienced in adapting designs to suit gardens with limited space, irregular boundaries, or tricky access. Their willingness to deviate from standard forms and introduce angled walls makes them a good fit for clients whose plots demand a more creative design approach. With everything built on-site, they can also accommodate refinements during the build where required.
