Garden Studio Design in Gipsy Hill, South London

This garden studio sits at the bottom of a leafy garden in Gipsy Hill, South London, behind a period house. The clients wanted a separate space they could use for yoga and work, with some storage built in as well, but there was one important thing the design had to work around from the beginning: a much-loved bay tree that they wanted to keep untouched.

Rather than removing the tree or forcing a standard rectangular building into the space, I designed the studio in an L-shape, with one wider section and one narrower section so the building could sit around the tree. That decision ended up giving the studio much more character, because the tree became part of the experience of the building rather than something we had to work against.

The Brief for This Gipsy Hill Garden Studio

The clients wanted somewhere quiet they could retreat to at the bottom of the garden, with enough space for yoga and work without the studio feeling like a single-purpose room. They also wanted it to sit comfortably within the garden, so the materials and overall feel of the building needed to suit the leafy setting rather than look too polished or separate from it.

Because the studio would also be used by the family, it needed to feel warm and relaxed inside, while still being practical enough for everyday use.

Designing the Studio Around the Bay Tree

The bay tree was the main influence on the layout. It was already established and important to the clients, so the studio had to be shaped around it rather than asking the garden to adapt to the building.

That is why the studio became L-shaped instead of rectangular. One section is wider and the other narrower, which allowed the tree to remain untouched while still giving the clients the internal space they needed.

Working around the tree also made the building feel more connected to the garden. Instead of sitting as a separate box at the end of the plot, the studio fits into the space that was already there and feels much more settled because of it.

Materials for a South London Garden Studio

The exterior was clad in charred larch battens, which gave the building a dark finish that helped it sit back within the planting. Inside, the walls were lined with birch plywood, which brought warmth into the space and made the studio feel more like a simple woodland room than a conventional garden office.

The roof was finished with sedum, which softened the top of the building and helped it sit more naturally within the garden when viewed from the house. Copper panels were also set into the façade, adding a warmer detail that becomes more noticeable when the studio is lit in the evening.

A Studio for Work, Yoga and Everyday Use

Inside, the shape of the building creates different areas naturally, so the studio can be used in more than one way without feeling cramped. One part works well for exercise, while the other gives the clients a quieter place to work, with storage built into the overall layout.

The L-shape also means the studio does not read as one long rectangular room, which helps each area feel slightly more separate while still being part of the same space.

A Gipsy Hill Studio That Feels Part of the Garden

What worked especially well was keeping the bay tree and allowing the building to respond to it. That one decision influenced the shape of the studio and gave the whole project a more natural feel. The charred larch outside keeps the building visually quiet, while the birch ply inside makes it feel warm once you step in. With the sedum roof and the existing tree still in place, the studio feels properly settled into the garden rather than added on afterwards.