I've been working from home since March 2020, due to the UK Covid-19 lockdown. During this time, I've been able to demonstrate that Working from Home is effective, and if anything more productive due to lack of commute, increase flexibility of working day etc - and I'm lucky to have a hugely supportive boss at DGDESIGN whose been happy to make Working From Home a more permanent feature going forward.
However, my home setup has been a bit improvised - using end of dining table, packing away each night - or just leaving it out, and staring at a laptop and thinking of work in my "relaxation" space.
So - by August I was starting to climb the walls, and wanted to look at the possibility of doing a partial garage conversion - to give me a small space to call my own.
I've been lucky enough to work with a really talented and adaptable local joiner on various home improvement projects over the years - Phil Allseybrook of Mickleover Joinery.
mickleoverjoinery.co.uk
When I outlined the job to him, he made it clear he could take on the whole project - which gave me the peace of mind and confidence I needed to commit to the project.
Although it's tail-end of the year, and the weather has been fairly lousy, meaning that things have taken WAY longer than expected to dry - in a few short months we've covered a lot of ground.
Images below summarise the main steps of the build.
Still more to do before it's fully sorted - but I'm absolutely delighted with the result and am really looking forward to developing this space, and making the most of it.
With UK lockdown conditions getting ever more strict on a daily basis, it feels really reassuring to now have a decent and sustainable working environment at home.
2020-09-06 planned layout for the office.
2020-09-26 Before things got started - clearing out the space.
2020-10-21 Work begins - stud walls going up.
2020-11-13 Getting plastered
2020-11-19 New Door and full height picture window going in.
2020-11-29 First coat of paint - and a splash of RAL 2008
2020-12-02 Underfloor heating mat going in
2020-12-03 Who let the Dogs out?!! . . oh dear. Slight mishap with the screed.
2020-12-18 Rubber Flooring being fitted
2020-12-20 Just about operational.
Still lots to finish off and add - Security sensors, blinds, wall art, decent audio, beefier wifi connection, big coffee machine etc - but it's off to a great start.
Feels great to have a decent space to call my own where I can concentrate when I need to get my head down.
A debt of thanks owed to Phil at Mickleover Joinery for doing the bulk of the hard graft to let this micro-studio project happen.
http://www.mickleoverjoinery.co.uk/
2020-12-22 Getting settled in.
