A shed to make any man envious

Shaun Newsome refers to his new garden building as "the shed", and sometimes he calls it "the hut", but he admits that these are both understatements. The architect-designed, craftsman-built structure is far superior to shiplap and its stunning good looks have caused some severe cases of "shed envy".

Who wouldn't be jealous of this bespoke, light-filled space with bi-fold doors opening on to a garden with a lily pond? And who wouldn't love to gaze at the cathedral-like ceiling, while snuggling on the sofa in front of a cosy wood burning stove?

"Catherine calls it my domain and I am really thrilled with it. In fact, it has surpassed all my expectations," says Shaun, who uses the shed as an art and photographic studio.

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Although the detached home he shares with wife Catherine was plenty big enough for an art studio in the spare bedroom, it proved to be completely unsuitable for his hobby.

"The main problem was the lack of natural light and Catherine wasn't keen on the fumes from the paint because I work mainly in oils," says Shaun, a retired graphics company boss. "That's when we decided to look at sheds."

The Newsomes, who live in a small village near York, looked at many "off the shelf" models, but decided to go for something bespoke.

"We did a lot of research, but nothing we saw had any real features and we wanted something with character," says Shaun.

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They already knew a great builder, Mark Almond, an expert in timber frame construction and a perfectionist who uses techniques he learned in America.

He recommended architect Nick Midgley who was the project architect on Magdalen College's new buildings in Oxford and the Apple computers HQ in London, before starting his own practice in Yorkshire.

They prefer to call Shaun's shed the "garden house" and their first job

was to make sure they were allowed to build it.

Like most garden buildings it complied with the permitted development rules, so no planning permission was needed. So it was on to the design brief, which was: "to create something special".

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Nick says: "We developed the ideas for the roof space with exciting volumes, and maximised daylight and views with full areas of glazing.

"We also worked to knit the new structure tight into existing planting

and right up to the edge of the terrace and the pond to give the feeling it belonged and had always been part of the garden.

"The existing curving cobble path just lent itself to following and the angled design of the building evolved, which was a devil to build.

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"Mark has made it look like such a natural structure it belies the millimetric setting-out and careful carpentry that went into the frame and all the exposed timber. It is something more akin to a piece of furniture than a garden building."

The timber framed building sits over a deep insulated foundation raft of concrete, set low into the garden turf to minimise the overall height.

Mark excavated the site, cutting back the turf only six inches beyond the footprint required. So straight away there was an instant meld with the garden and no ugly patched grass after construction.

The timber frame is a minimum of six inches deep, created space for super insulation. The cavity is filled with insulation made from recycled plastic bottles. It creates a polyester-type quilt similar to a high tog duvet. With high performance breather and vapour control membranes, the insulation values of the walls and roof are boosted to standards beyond those found in most modern houses.

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Externally, Mark boarded the walls with a larch smooth-faced horizontal board, that he stained before fixing, so there are no bare wood joints or cracks.

The windows were predominantly three sets of folding sliding doors in solid oak, with gasket seals like a car door – making them storm proof.

Nick says: "Insulation was really important. The site gets hit by the weather and Mark should know. While working on the roof the building was iced up several times during the freak winter at the beginning of the year. "Mark was bare-handed trimming each of the cedar shingles that are delivered in bundles from northern Europe, so that each 'tile' fits snug and true like a fish scale."

Internally, the walls are plaster and the ceilings a clear grain pine with a light natural oil finish, reflecting the planked oak flooring. All the structural beams are clear oil coated after being hand finished in situ. The lighting is all low energy LED pinpoint and feature spotlights.

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Although the floor space is 4.5m by 8m overall, it feels much bigger thanks to the double height space.

"It looks and feels fantastic and an immense amount of work went into it," says Shaun.

"Nothing was standard, every piece of timber in the roof was a different angle and different size, but that's what gives it character. It's a great achievement thanks to Nick and Mark. They work brilliantly together and they are both incredibly talented."

The building and the internal fit-out, including the stove and sofa, cost about 40,000 – on a par with an extension. It took five months to create from design stage to finished product. Shaun adds, "I use it a lot and for me it's excellent value. If we ever did come to sell I know I'd get the money back. It adds value to the house, but it also adds saleability." He is one of the few people looking forward to winter and the coldest weather the season can throw at him. "I can't wait. It means I get to light that wood burning stove."

Nick Midgley Design Associates (NMDA) Architecture, tel: 01422 255818 or 07711182313. www. architecturegroup.co.uk

Mark Almond, builder, tel: 079705 48096.

YP MAG 30/10/10

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