Garden rooms have soared in popularity since Covid-19 when homeowners wanted to add space to their house and make their working-from-home lifestyle more manageable.
Six years on, Brits are still investing in garden annexes in Windsor, as they enable people to enhance their property and maximise the space they have.
Here are the four most popular uses of garden rooms in 2026, if you are considering getting one.
1) Home offices
Prior to Covid-19, working from home was not something that was done very often. However, lockdown proved that workers were more than capable of doing their job in the comfort of their own house or flat, and as such, it is a trend that has stuck around.
According to recent figures, 28 per cent of working adults in the UK worked from home at some point between January and March 2025. Hybrid working has now become the norm, with more than a quarter splitting their time between the office and their home.
However, while working at the kitchen table or setting up space in the spare room was manageable for a temporary solution during the pandemic, most people want a permanent space for their hybrid working lifestyle.
As an alternative to going into the loft or building an extension on the house, lots have built garden rooms and turned these into home offices. This is because garden rooms are generally cheaper, faster to build, less disruptive to daily life, and do not require planning permission.
They also enable workers to have a distinct space for their working day, so they can leave their job behind when they close the door and keep the house for their family life.
Garden rooms also enable people to work productively and efficiently, away from the distractions of young children or household chores, while enabling them to have a 30-second commute, so they can achieve a better work-life balance.
2) Wellness suites
Home gyms are also incredibly popular these days, as Brits try to increase their activity and get fitter.
In fact, 23 per cent of those who made New Year’s Resolutions pledged to exercise more, 17 per cent committed to losing weight, and ten per cent said they wanted better health.
By building your own home gym, you can save time and money on the commute and memberships.
There is also no pressure from other gym goers, as you can do your push ups and burpees in privacy, and there is also no excuse not to go, giving homeowners more of a push to achieve their fitness goals.
It isn’t just home gyms that homeowners are setting up in their garden rooms, however, but entire wellness suites. This may include a yoga or pilates studio, meditation room, sauna or ice bath cabin, or even a small pool.
The importance of looking after yourself has definitely risen in recent years, with the British Sauna Society revealing the number of public saunas in the UK increased from 45 in January 2023 to 147 two years later.
3) Creative studios
People certainly appear to be prioritising their mental health, as well as their physical wellbeing, whether by setting up spaces where they can relax or where they can engage in creativity.
That’s why lots of homeowners are choosing to transform their garden room into a studio for music, craft, writing, reading, poetry, or art.
The reason why garden rooms work particularly well for this is because the natural light and green views help to boost creativity, as well as invoke a feeling of calmness.
People can enjoy the peace and quiet away from the hustle and bustle of their house, enabling them to really get into their hobbies and cherish time to themselves.
They also have free reign over the interior design of the garden room, creating an ambience that really boosts their productivity and gets their creative juices flowing.
4) Year-round garden space
We’ve all hosted a barbecue in the pouring rain or cancelled summer events because of the dismal outdoor conditions.
That’s why many people have given up relying on the weather forecast, investing in an indoor area that enables them to enjoy garden gatherings whatever the weather.
Instead of spending money on deckings, patios or verandas, more Brits are building outdoor rooms that allow guests to stay covered if the heavens open.
This allows them to still enjoy the greenery of their garden, their outdoor pizza oven, or garden bar without having to come up with a back-up rain plan.
Not only does an annexe allow them to enjoy the garden all year round, but it also provides an extra entertainment area, so they can have a games room, movie nights, or separate social dining space for when guests come round.