Working from home is both a blessing and a curse.
On the one hand, I can get work done on my own hours with as many coffee breaks as I want and, yes, sometimes in my pajamas.
On the other hand, the Internet, radio, refrigerator and, at times, the other person who shares my home office, can be highly distracting – especially for an infamous procrastinator. And I don’t even have kids yet.
My dream solution? The backyard office.
Sunset
When old houses are short on space, sometimes you have to get creative. If I had a bigger backyard, I would refinish a little shed, workshop, mother-in-law quarters, poolhouse – any small outbuilding – into my own cute, private cubicle.
Sunset
Okay, this one’s actually a greenhouse – but I would totally make it into an office.
Sunset
Fresh Dirt Blog - Sunset
Aside from magazines, I haven’t noticed many backyard offices in the U.S. But shed offices are so common in the U.K., there’s a blog devoted to them. Tiny House Blog also features its share of garden offices. With so many people telecommuting today, I think these guys are onto something.
Tiny House Living
Urban Eden
And check out this hunting cabin-turned-Victorian cottage in the New York Times. To be fair, this one isn’t an office either – but it’s inspirational all the same.
The New York Times
I can just see myself now: packing a briefcase, kissing my boyfriend goodbye and whistling as I commute to work – across the lawn.
I Heart Old Houses 
For me, having a lovely little folly in the garden would be more of a distraction from work! I would be closer to the weeds that needed to be pulled, the perennials that needed to be deadheaded, the bird feeder that needed to be filled . . . you get my drift! Looking down on my gardens from my office window is my perfect compromise: too far away to see the blemishes, close enough to be inspirational. But I do covet that lovely red one with the purple door!
Haha….good point!
I love these adorable sheds! What a great idea! It must be so relaxing to have such relaxing retreats in the backyard.
As someone who works from a home office, this looks like a wonderful solution to me! I have a feeling my daughter would be following me out to the backyard “playhouse” every day, though… 🙂
I would rather have a secret one somewhere… that my kids know NOTHING about….