Make a mark with your choice of windows
We've talked about how your choice of doors can enhance the connection between your office and the garden it sits in. Windows work hand in hand with the doors, playing a significant role in the style and feel of the building.
Casement Windows
Casement windows where the opening leaf is hinged on the side, are the traditional choice for a garden office. They have a lot going for them. They are positioned at desk height, so can frame a view as you work. Casement windows come in different heights, so some designs the window may be lower than in this example.
They are also very easy to open, allowing you to let air into the room. People forget how important it is to incorporate and an opening window into an office. Often opting for just a door and fixed pane windows. They are limiting their option and the long-term usability.
Depending on the size of the building, you can incorporate more than one casement window, as this Smart Garden Office shows. By choosing to fit windows on more than one wall, like this, the owner has ensured good natural light as the sun moves throughout the day.
Awning Windows
Awning windows like casement windows are easy to open. Instead of being hinged on the side, they are hinged at the top, meaning you push the window out at the bottom.
Some people consider them a more modern alternative to a casement window. They come in long rectangular and square shapes, but it is the horizontal rectangular shape that has become most popular in garden office design.
Sliding Windows
Sliding window are another option from some companies. They work like sliding doors, with the window leaf sliding from one side to another.
Whilst we have seen sliding windows used in contemporary house design, we haven't seen them used often in garden office design. Maybe you will be the first!
Rectangular Windows
Rectangular windows, whether they be awning windows or fixed pane designs, are a big trend in garden office design. They are often used on the side or rear walls, where the view might not be as good, but you want to let in light.
Different companies have different names for this style of window. Some call them rectangular windows, others lozenge windows and a few calling them letterbox windows.
They come in different heights, from about 300mm high to about 600mm high. This SIPS Garden Room showcases a fixed narrow window. On the other hand, this Swift Garden Room features a much deeper rectangular window. You do have to bear in mind though when choosing a narrow design the proportion of frame to the glass. In some cases, the frame can be much more evident than the glass, hence them being known as letterbox windows!
Garden office companies can be quite flexible in the height they are positioned. They can be fitted at desk height which can create a cockpit-like view as you work, or much higher in the wall, like a picture. This position does not obstruct you from placing furniture underneath, as this Green Studios design shows.
Long Windows
Long windows are perhaps the most popular option used in garden office design, particularly in more contemporary styles.
These long windows are typically fixed pane, although some bespoke companies do offer a tilt and turn option.
Long windows are commonly mixed with doors to create whole walls of glazing as this Booths Garden Studios shows, or spaced with sections of wall in-between.
In many cases, long windows are fitted floor to ceiling, as this Warwick Building shows. You also have the option of positioning them +/- 300mm from the floor, like in this Crusoe Garden Room, which can be equally effective.
Porthole Windows
You are not limited to square and rectangular windows when planning your garden office. A few companies offer the option of incorporating a round porthole style window. Smart Garden Offices offer them on their pitched roof designs. The round window being positioned high in the gable end. A great way of letting in some high-level light.
Swift Garden Rooms are another company who offer round windows. They are not limited to using just one. Mixing three round windows either side of the door, they created a unique design feature for one of their bespoke offices.
Glazed Gable Ends
Pitched roof garden offices open up the opportunity to make a design statement with your glazing. The extra height offers the option of creating a section of high-level glazing or a whole wall of glazing, cathedral style.
Bespoke windows are normally made to maximise the space and emphasise the shape of the gable. This SIPS Garden Room has large triangular windows fitted into the top of the gable end.
Garden2Office, on the other hand, have mixed a set of bi-fold doors with triangular windows above to create a feature of the gable wall.
Garden2Office
Roof Windows
Don't underestimate the benefits of top light in a garden office. The addition of a roof window can ensure your office is full of natural light.
Roof windows can be fitted in both pitched roof and flat roof designs. Velux windows are commonly used, as in this pitched roof Garden2Office design.
Velux also offers designs for flatter roof pitches. Executive Garden Rooms for instance often use a model that can be controlled by remote control and have rain sensors fitted so that they close themselves should it start raining.
Some designers will suggest using a roof window in designs which could otherwise be dark at the back of the room. This trick is often suggested when you are limited to focusing glazing on the front wall.
Examples of different windows styles used in garden office design:
Use the buttons to filter the photos by window style. Click images to open a bigger version in a lightbox.
Talk with a
Garden Office
Expert
Has this page given you ideas for your garden office project? Well, the next stage is to talk to a few garden office experts who specialise in creating personalised garden workspaces. They will work closely with you to turn your vision into a reality.