There is a growing trend for hairdressers to operate from their homes. Or, more specifically, their gardens. One might make an appointment with a local hairdresser to then be invited to their garden shed. While this might seem strange, this new trend of businesses being hosted in a garden space is actually a positive and exciting trend, one that goes beyond the hairdressing industry.
Consider, for example, the options that face an enterprising hairdresser. Without having the clientele or finances to open up their own high street business, they are likely to rent a chair from an established hairdresser. This process sees them building a customer base while paying the shop owner a rental charge. While they could simply ask clients to come to their homes instead, this doesn’t always work and can cause a problematic overlap of professional and personal space.
This is where the garden shed comes in. With a simple renovation, garden sheds, or other outbuildings such as log cabins and summer houses, can be transformed into an ideal space for a business to begin.
Separated from the rest of the home, outbuildings in a garden space can be created or redesigned to host an enterprise. This could be in the form of an office space, helping residents to separate their professional and personal lives with the division of a garden space. Or, more intricately, outbuildings can be customised to accommodate the needs of more diverse professions. Influencers, chefs, yoga instructors, and artists are all beginning to see the possibilities and advantages of hosting their professional endeavours in an outbuilding.
Others are considering a more passive approach to their income, using an outbuilding space as a guest house. With the market for rented spaces and assets growing, websites like Airbnb and Booking.com are prompting many homeowners to consider establishing an outbuilding as a way of hosting guests throughout the year, generating income simply by opening their garden gate.
Few things are needed to begin utilising a garden shed, or similar outbuilding, for the purpose of business and much of the endeavour’s requirements depend on the needs of the business. Remote working offices will, for example, need good WiFi coverage and reliable utilities, ensuring that professional tasks can be completed without hindrance. Whereas guest houses are more likely to need insulated and storage solutions.
Overall, this transition of small businesses away from the high street and into gardens is a positive landscape and it is making more businesses possible. This is partly the reason why garden spaces are in such high demand on the housing market, with outdoor spaces adding a significant amount of value to a home.
With the growing number of remote workers, properties that have a preestablished outdoor space for teleworking purposes are likely to see significant demand too. So, those looking to see a greater return on their investment or encourage a quicker sale of their home would do well to embrace the trend of outbuildings and renovate their garden shed or purchase a new cabin.
