More and more homeowners are looking for ways to expand their living space without the disruption, cost, or planning constraints of a traditional extension. One of our recent projects in Oxfordshire shows just how impactful a contemporary garden room for summer—and all seasons—can be. For this growing family, we designed and built a beautifully tailored insulated garden office and leisure pod, which now serves as a multifunctional retreat for parents and children alike.
This case study explores how we transformed a simple brief into a fully realised, high-performance Glide Pod that blends practicality, design excellence and long-term durability. From early design consultations through to fine-tuned finishing touches, the project demonstrates what’s possible when a garden building is thoughtfully designed and meticulously crafted.
Like many Pod Space clients, this Oxfordshire family approached us with a clear vision and a strong appreciation for detail. Their goal was to create a contemporary garden home office that would sit harmoniously within their landscaped garden while offering enough space for a gym, a seating area, and a separate retreat for their older children.
What they needed was more than just a typical outbuilding. They wanted:
Their brief summed it up perfectly: “A garden home office that fits our contemporary garden, gives us space for a gym, a seating area, a shower room, and is built to an exceptionally high standard.”
Our response: “No problem!”
The design process began with an in-depth consultation where we explored the clients’ ideas, style preferences, and overall objectives for the project. We reviewed previous Pod Space builds to identify elements they were drawn to and used this to establish a design direction.
Next, we assessed the exact dimensions of the available garden space. This allowed us to develop a sketch scheme that made the best possible use of the footprint while ensuring there was enough room to incorporate all key functions: a garden home office, gym area, and flexible leisure zone.
During this stage, we also discussed optional features to enhance comfort, privacy and usability. One standout choice was the addition of a sliding screen on the front elevation, offering a perfect blend of shading and visual privacy—ideal for a building used for both workouts and downtime.
The shower room was another natural inclusion, especially given its use as a gym space. Adding it at this stage future-proofed the Pod, ensuring it could serve the family’s evolving needs over the years.
Through thoughtful planning, we created a design that balanced aesthetics with functionality, ensuring that every inch of the space provided value.
With the core design agreed, we moved onto the finer details—the part of the process where the personality of a Pod really begins to emerge.
Interior Customisation
The clients selected a coordinated palette for the internal finishes, choosing colours for:
These choices allowed them to tailor the space so it blended seamlessly with both their garden environment and interior style preferences.
Year-Round Comfort With Integrated Climate Control
To ensure the Pod performed as a true insulated garden office, we installed high-performance insulation throughout the structure. However, the family also wanted exceptional climate control—particularly for gym use—so we added an integrated air-source heating and cooling system.
This provides:
It’s an ideal feature for any garden building intended for regular use, and particularly valuable for a multi-purpose garden home office.
Exterior Design Choices
Externally, the clients selected grey trims that worked beautifully with the warm natural tones of the hardwood cladding. The combination created a contemporary yet timeless look that reflected their garden aesthetic.
Additionally, the soffit lighting added sophistication to the pod’s exterior, making it visually striking at night and enhancing the sense of the Pod as an integral part of the garden design—not simply an add-on.
One of the defining features of this Glide Pod is the use of full-height glazing in both the insulated garden office and gym/leisure zones. These floor-to-ceiling windows serve several key benefits:
Positioned to look across the garden toward the main house, the glazing provides a beautiful, calming view while still maintaining the essential separation needed for focus and relaxation.
This design approach ensures that the building feels bright, open and inviting in every season—one of the reasons it serves perfectly as a garden room for summer but also performs exceptionally throughout winter.
The completed Glide Pod is a perfect embodiment of multifunctional family living. With its generous layout, tailored zoning and high-quality finishes, it now functions as the heart of the garden—an inviting space that enhances the family’s lifestyle in countless ways.
On the outside, the Pod’s natural hardwood cladding, grey detailing and soft lighting blend beautifully with the greenery of the surrounding garden. It appears both architectural and welcoming, making it a striking focal point within the landscape.
On the inside, the Pod transitions effortlessly between uses:
Every element of the design supports the family’s current lifestyle while also allowing for future adaptability as their needs evolve.
This project is a shining example of what a modern garden room for summer—and all seasons—can achieve. Beyond providing extra space, it brings new functionality, privacy and enjoyment to family life.
A well-designed garden home office or leisure pod can transform the way you use your home—especially when built with the same attention to detail, quality materials and architectural care shown in this project. Whether you need a workspace, a gym, a relaxation area, or a combination of everything, a bespoke Pod Space garden building can deliver a beautiful, durable and incredibly functional extension of your home.
If this Oxfordshire Glide Pod has inspired your own project ideas, our team would love to help bring them to life.
Get in touch today to discuss your vision or explore more of our completed garden rooms.
.svg)
