Friday Fun: Pod or Shed?

If you don’t have enough rooms in your house, then these sheds (or, currently all the rage, ‘pods’ which you can just drop in your back garden) offer a real alternative for a home office or writing retreat.

Armadilla garden pod has all the mod cons, from Ideal Home.

A bit exposed: they might catch you napping instead of working… from Building Projects.

This Rolls Roycel of sheds is bigger than many a house… or garden. From Roomsoutdoor.co.uk

Inside a Fatpod from Archipod.com

Saw these simple pods at the University of Lancaster – study spaces for students to book. Great idea!

These floating pods at the University of York are intended more for meetings than individual study, but I could work in there for hours!

More like a conservatory extension than a shed, but I’ll take it. From cotemaison.fr

Friday Fun: Shedworking

One day, when I forget just how cold it gets in the conservatory in winter and how boiling in the summer, and if I will still have a garden, I will also have the perfect little garden shed for my creative endeavours.

This one can apparently be assembled easily, from Leroy Merlin in France.

This one is more atmospheric – I like that semicircular window. From jellysundae.tumblr

Not a shed as such, more of a passageway between two houses or a picturesque way to bridge a gap.

This is very similar to an old tumbledown tools shed that my mother-in-law had adjacent to her house in Athens – except this is the cleaned up version.

Another more romantic treatment of the lowly shed, from purewow.com

Futuristic shed treatment, complete with a patio for lounging or dining. From seloger.fr

Who needs a shed if you have a pergola – especially if it has hanging vines and grapes? My relatives had the right idea all along, although it wasn’t always as gorgeously decadent. From postris.com

 

Friday Fun: Dreamy Spaces for Escapologists

Well, we all know where people who have an impregnably clear conscience go, don’t we? Even after they mess up an entire country? To a shepherd’s hut in the back garden, of course.

Not David Cameron’s hut but very similar, to be found at Melody Farm in Cornwall.

Here are some alternative places to hide from public scrutiny. All come with a beautiful view, if you feel like scanning the horizon. Nothing to disturb your peace of mind or make you think of the people you left behind. Very photogenic, too, for when you hire photographers to take pictures of you signing your resignation letters.

The Scholars’ Library in the Forest, designed by Gluck, from Designboom.

This rooftop study gives ivory towers a run for their money. From 6sqft.com

Endless space to create or pace around. From Ancram, NY.

Sail away, sail away, sail away… From Decoist.

The modest country house retreat, from Homedit.com

Proving once again that minimalism is a luxury, from Itchban.com

Another place on your isolated island, where no one will ever reach you. From Youtube.

Friday Fun: Retreat to the Writing Havens

Any of these writing nooks seem like the perfect haven to hone your art and clarify your thoughts. Some are perhaps cosier than others, some may be more conducive to procrastination, while others are a no-no for tall people. But they all make me dream…

Traditional luxury desk with not enough space for computers and notebooks, from http://www.traditionalhome.com

A nod to craft workshops, from The Black Workshop on Tumblr.

The hidden chalet look, from spacearchitection.ru

The mezzanine study, so you can see all the comings and goings and eavesdrop on conversations. From Pacific Home Studio.

The Sturm und Drang office, from Joachim Guanzon Photography.

The inside outside study, from Jeremylevine.com

Beware of the beams, tall people! From Copybloggermedia.com

Friday Fun: Studios and Studies

This summer, I’ve promised myself, I will get to finish the second draft of my novel. The outcome would, of course, be guaranteed if I had one of the creative spaces below at my disposal. If any wealthy patron of the arts is listening…

The Duke of Devonshire asleep in his library at Chatsworth, picture credit Christopher Simon.

Studio in Devon, from The Telegraph.

Studio in rural United States, from Lonny Magazine.

Little dream cottage on the Isle of Wight, from House of Turquoise.

Light-filled study – there might be a problem with glare on a computer screen though – designed by Michael Haverland.

Japanese study and library, from Flavorwire. No problem with screen glare here. Plus, room to make endless cups of tea.

Study in a porch, from New England Home. The decorative plates might hinder my writing prowess somewhat…

 

Friday Fun: Writing in Your Bedroom

I believe in separating your working and sleeping space, but I’ve heard of plenty of writers and readers who feel at their most comfortable (or most inspired) in their bedrooms. And what about if you have no other space for writing? So here are some elegant solutions to this quandary. Which don’t involve lying propped up on cushions in bed (although that is perfect for reading).

The elegant townie, from Decoist.com

The occasional scribbler, from The Design Chaser.

The teenage artist, from You Tube.

The one designed by the interior designer, from Gravity Home.

The one designed by your mother, from Decoist.

The professional writer (or the writer on holiday), from Architecture Art Designs.

Friday Fun: What About Your Own Study?

It’s all fine and dandy to look at all those palaces and glorious home libraries or artists’ studios, but what does your own writing space look like? I am mildly obsessed with writer’s studies, as you might have gathered, and a couple of years back could not get enough of the Periscope #whereiwrite initiative. So, while this might not qualify as escapist, I’ll show you mine if you show me yours…

Busy? Maybe, but I like inspiration on my walls.

The bookshelves are starting to groan…

Map of Japan from 1745 (the original, not my print).

French dog and Japanese cat living in perfect harmony.

The messy side of the room and armchair filing system

Not quite outside the study window, but this camellia bush is one of the great delights of my garden.

And a special late addition for Lady Fancifull, who was disappointed at the lack of real cats… Here is Zoe in her favourite position when I am working at my desk.

Friday Fun: Home Offices, Home Libraries

Now that my book collection is officially overflowing from the shelves, here are some useful tips for decorating and organising your office/library space.

Have a ladder close to hand to search for that elusive reference book. From aestate.tumblr

A clear, well-lit place for assassins to target you will improve your productivity no end! From aestate.tumblr

Double the size of your room with clever reflecting windows! From seabloggessato.com

Use the colours of nostalgia to make it look like your books have been there for generations (you didn’t buy them yourself). From lifeinsugarhollow.com

Hide it well away from the main house and there’s a good chance the family won’t even notice… From TJ Tomlin/Shantylife.

Just buy, borrow, beg or steal a bigger (or at least a taller) house! From mediabookbub.com

Friday Fun: Writer’s Rooms

So busy writing at the moment, that all I can think about are the most comfortable writing rooms or sheds possible, anything that will add to your ability to stick that bum on the chair and keep those fingers or pens moving (or that brain thinking).

First up, two American beauties:

Siri Hustvedt’s desk, from The Guardian.

Laura Silverman’s writing terrace, from An Afternoon With.

The British contingent prefers history and a lived-in look:

Ian Rankin’s study, from The Guardian. I like the handcuffs!

You can keep any mess far away from the house, of course, with a shed. Luxury version first.

HIgh spec garden shed, from Garden Room Studio.

And the version that might actually fit into your garden:

More modest version, also from Garden Room Studio.

And, finally, below is one that I came across on a walk through the forest yesterday. Adorable caravan conversion, wouldn’t you agree?

For more peeks into writers’ rooms, I can recommend the website http://www.whereiwrite.tv. I try not to indulge too frequently, but writers I’ve ‘stalked’ there include: Joanne Harris, Jenny Eclaire, Val McDermid, Clare Mackintosh, Jodi Picault, Linwood Barclay, Mark Billingham and – yes – Ian Rankin again.

 

 

Friday Fun: Writers and their Writing Dens

A day early, but just in time to build up a little book(shelf) envy for the weekend: a peek around the studies or home libraries of famous writers. Some impress us with their tidiness…

American novelist Colson Whitehead in his study. From New York Times website.

British writer Ali Smith takes a more relaxed approach to bookshelves…

Ali Smith at home. From The New Statesman.

Others excel in collecting precious items not just in the kitchen, but also in their study.

Food writer Nigella Lawson at work. From Buzzfeed.

One might expect Karl Ove Knausgård to dedicate a lot of time and thought to his books. Sure enough… and he smokes too!

Knausgaard in his studio. From The Guardian.

Of course, you expect a trendy office for fashion journalist and co-founder of Clique Media, Hilary Kerr.

Hilary Kerr’s office redesign. From Domaine Home.

But then again, simplicity is best. Here is Louis de Bernière’s garden shed – things don’t get much simpler than this! Proving that all you need to write is willpower.

Louis de Berniere’s outdoor study. From The Guardian.