Before the pandemic, working remotely was a minority activity. But for millions, it has become the norm over the last 18 months.
For many, that has made installing garden rooms an extremely smart idea, providing extra space to work in that could be separated from the ‘domestic’ scene indoors. For those with young children especially, this would ensure they could carry on their work without too many distractions.
However, with restrictions lifting, the benefits of vaccines increasingly evident and the government urging people to gradually return to the office, the question arises over what to do with this space.
Of course, some may be content to remain using it, or even install a garden room now as in order to work remotely in the long-term if they have that option.
This would apply, for example, to employees of Google, with 85 per cent of remote working requests being granted according to Bloomberg. That could be significant, for example, for those employed at its London HQ and living in Sussex.
It’s also worth noting that the pressure to return to the office is being placed more on young people, with chancellor Rishi Sunak sparking a lively debate by saying his own experience as a youthful Goldman Sachs employee showed him the value of office working.
However, many older workers may decide now is the time to return to the office. That makes now a great time to think about what else to do with that space.
With a few weeks of summer left, now could be a good time to revamp it as a summer house, especially if it has lots of sun-catching window space. At the same time, assuming it is well-insulated and heated in winter - which it will have to have been to be working in there in December and January - it could provide a cosy winter hideaway.
If you are thinking of getting a new space in your garden, it may be worth considering all these factors. A multi-purpose space where you do have the option to work - but is also useful for leisure -could be the perfect post-pandemic choice.