The prospect of retirement doesn’t just signal the end of a career; it offers the chance to recalibrate and re-prioritize in life.
7 Backyard Escapes and Retreats We Love
June 10, 2015
From studios, to guest rooms, lounge areas, and practice spaces, these space-efficient backyard structures provide a small sojourn from the everyday, just steps away from home.
To create this inexpensive garden shed in Belgium, architect Indra Janda handcut sheets of polycarbonate into 15¾-inch square shingles and clad the entire timber structure with a geometric, tesselated pattern. With a semi-transparent envelope, the gabled roof and walls take on a life of their own: The shed appears opaque during the day, and glows in the evenings when illuminated from inside.
Photo by
Originally appeared in This Garden Shed Stays Cool in Belgium
An angled deck transforms a backyard in Menlo Park, California, into a welcoming gathering spot. Made of ipe, the structure slopes sharply skyward to create a secluded backyard getaway that feels like an extension of the living room.
Photo by
Originally appeared in A Family Retreats to Their Ipe-Clad Backyard for an Easy Getaway
A polychrome facade made of salvaged, 100-year-old barnwood gives this small, lofted cottage space its unique character. Its copper roof is also reclaimed, a lucky Craigslist find from a local remodel. Though the structure has a footprint of just 11' x 14', it provides a useful space to entertain, catch up on work, or relax.
In making this backyard fort for his children, a New Zealand architect riffed on toy building blocks and classic midcentury Case Study houses. The resulting structure is framed in timber and clad in alternating modules of stained plywood and colorful, semitransparent polycarbonate.
Photo by
Originally appeared in Modular Backyard Playhouse in New Zealand
Architects Lester Rozario and Smruti Kamat carved a rectangle out of the pre-existing lot of a garden residence in Bangalore, India to create this backyard oasis. Drawing upon the Fibonacci series, a classic mathematical pattern that finds expression in nature, the sculptural wall alternates russet bricks and tan blocks in a one-one-two-three-five sequence.
Originally appeared in Inventive Garden Home in India
A sustainable company, Studio Shed, offers quick-to-assemble backyard buildings that can function as a home office, practice space, or guest room. Each shed is customizable via the company's interactive online tool, and range from $120-150 per square foot.
Originally appeared in Studio Shed: An Easy Backyard Storage Solution
Architect Jim Poteet helped Stacey Hill, who lives in an artists’ community in San Antonio, Texas, wrangle an empty steel shipping container into a structure that serves as a playhouse, garden retreat, and guesthouse for visiting creatives. Measuring a narrow and long 8 by 40 feet, it features floor-to-ceiling glass doors and windows, heating and air-conditioning, a green roof, bamboo flooring and wallcovering, a small sink and shower, as well as a composting toilet.
Photo by
Originally appeared in Smaller in Texas
To create this inexpensive garden shed in Belgium, architect Indra Janda handcut sheets of polycarbonate into 15¾-inch square shingles and clad the entire timber structure with a geometric, tesselated pattern. With a semi-transparent envelope, the gabled roof and walls take on a life of their own: The shed appears opaque during the day, and glows in the evenings when illuminated from inside.
Photo by Tim Van de Velde.
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