Daylight designed in, not just a big window
Painters and photographers have wanted north light for good reason for centuries - it's consistent through the day and doesn't throw hard shadows or colour casts the way direct south light does. Where the plot allows it, we orient glazing to catch that steady, even light rather than defaulting to the biggest window on the sunniest wall.
For yoga, movement or therapy work the priority shifts to control - glazing that can be shaded or screened, and a layout with an unbroken run of floor rather than light dictating where furniture has to go.
Built for year-round, not just fair-weather use
A studio that's only usable April to September isn't earning its keep. Every studio we build is a fully insulated envelope - floor, walls and roof insulated to a consistent standard, taped airtightness, and double-glazed doors - so a therapy practice or a life-drawing class can run through a Sussex winter without the room feeling like an outbuilding.
We fit low-profile electric heating sized to the insulated envelope, so the room reaches temperature quickly rather than needing an hour's warm-up before a client arrives.
- Insulated floor, wall and warm-roof build-up matched for consistent performance
- Glazing oriented and screened for the work, not just the view
- Built-in storage for materials, mats, instruments or equipment
- Acoustic-friendly internal lining option for music or spoken-word use
Cost and what's included
A fully finished, fully insulated studio starts from around £25,000 for a compact 12-16m² room, which includes groundworks, insulation, certified electrics, heating, flooring and a decorated interior. Larger studios with additional storage, a sink for art materials, or acoustic treatment for music typically run £32,000 to £48,000.
If your studio is client-facing - therapy, tuition or treatments - we can also price a small separate waiting area or a private access route from the side of the house, which many clients ask for once they see the plot.
Where we build garden studios
We design and build studios across Mid Sussex, the wider Sussex counties, Surrey and west Kent, visiting each plot to work out how the light falls across the day before we draw the room.
- Haywards Heath
- Cuckfield
- Lindfield
- Burgess Hill
- Horsham
- East Grinstead
- Reigate
- Oxted
- Tunbridge Wells
- Sevenoaks
Garden studio questions
- Can a garden studio be used for a therapy or tuition business?
- Yes, and it's one of the most common uses we build for. We design in a separate entrance where the plot allows, and check with you whether your mortgage or insurance provider needs notifying of a small home-business use - most don't for occasional client visits.
- Do I need north-facing light for an art studio?
- It helps for painting and photography because the light stays even through the day, but it isn't essential. Where a plot doesn't allow it, we use rooflights or high-level glazing with diffusing blinds to get a similar, controllable result.
- Is a garden studio warm enough for winter classes?
- Yes, provided it's built as a genuinely insulated envelope with taped airtightness and proper heating, which is standard on every studio we build - not an option you have to ask for.
- How much storage can you fit in?
- We design fitted storage into the layout from the start, sized to what you're storing - canvases, mats, instrument cases or client files - rather than leaving it to freestanding furniture that eats floor space.
- How long does a studio build take?
- Typically two to four weeks on site, with six to ten weeks of design and lead time beforehand depending on the season and specification.
What our clients say
Reviews from homeowners across Sussex, Surrey and Kent.
"Best in class. None of my specific requests were any trouble at all. The team were polite, professional, smart, and accommodating throughout. A perfect example of how professional tradespeople should be."
"Alistair understood exactly how we wanted to use the garden. The finished space feels like a private retreat and we use it every day."
"Our garden office has completely transformed how we work from home. The quality is outstanding and the process was seamless."
Areas we cover
Designed and built by our own team across Sussex, Surrey and Kent.
West Sussex
East Sussex
Not on the list? See the full coverage map - we travel further for larger projects.
Read next
- How an insulated garden room is actually built
- Garden offices: spec, costs and planning
- Soundproof garden music studios
- Garden design that works with your new room
Planning a studio for your work?
Tell us what happens in the room - light, sound, storage - and we'll design a studio that suits the work, not a generic box.