Often we let our dreams remain just that — a fantasy! A longing etched in the heart and mind, slowly dissipating into oblivion.
One such dream had lightly rested in my spirit for a long time and finally dared to take form within me last spring. For a week or so the idea gently took root, and as always I tried to stomp out the ridiculous notion! It would not obey and instead reached deeper into my consciousness, my dream took on a dramatic design. At last, I could see it! My writing studio!
For another week I pondered the possibilities, the position for such a building in the garden, exploring the numerous different garden offices for sale as well as taking into account the overall cost.
With all the boxes ticked I approached my husband to discuss the plan and his enthusiasm mirrored mine! After much deliberation we settled on a building and time-frame — delivery was organised for the middle of January!
It was wonderful in the midst of this dark and traumatic month here in the UK to have this positive exciting new project underway.
I revelled in planning all the elements of the venture, from the construction to the completion, overseeing all the various stages.
First trees and bushes had to be cleared; I bade a fond sad farewell to a beloved acacia tree and climbing roses. In its place, two super guys laid a cement base and the light and airy feel to the corner lifted my spirits and I could not help but give a little twirl on this temporary perfect outdoor dance floor!
Whilst waiting for the building electricity was an urgent necessity and a professional company explained that this would need to come from the mains in the house. Furthermore, a trench 600 mm (2 feet) deep needed to be dug from the house to the new building for the armoured electrical cable. My husband took on this unenviable task, digging in all weathers, and for all his hard work I happily listened to his descriptive monologues of each varying layer of clay (there are many!)
Soon enough the building arrived and the two guys came back to erect the kit-form building.
Within four days, the piles of wood and building parts had been transformed into a magnificent new garden office. At their suggestion decking was laid all around the building and this complemented the modern sleek design perfectly!
With the exterior completed it was time to tackle the interior and at first I was daunted by the gaps between walls, ceilings and floor. No fear, I was reassured by my husband, as all would be finished beautifully and during the coldest days in the year he filled, painted, added skirting, coving, trims as necessary.
In less than two days the electricity was all put into place and at last there was light and power in the building. All in time for the new carpet and curtains.
An opening ceremony was held one sunny evening and with great aplomb, I cut the ribbon strewn across the handles and we stepped inside. My mother poured the champagne she’d brought and we had a wonderful celebratory time picnicking on the soft carpet!
Finally it was time for a heave and a ho! Three days later all my furniture was in place, which included ‘borrowing’ a bookcase from another room and putting my all-important ornaments, knick knacks and pictures into place.
The pièce de résistance was the most unusual and stunning present from my mother — a beautiful Tiffany lamp. Can you see the dragonflies flitting about?
I have now fully moved in and I am ecstatic. Ensconced within this cosiest of writing retreats I’ve found that creativity has flourished! It is peaceful within, the rain on the roof a mediative tune for my soul, the tap-dancing pigeon gracing me with its presence in-between nibbling seeds below the bird feeder just a metre or so away from me. The light is startlingly sheer and invigorating. Within me the transformation has been astounding, my heart is full of joy and energy, life feels lighter and more positive. Already I feel inspiration bubbling within me!
“Dreams are the illustrations from the book your soul is writing about you.” Marsha Norman
Note: All photographs by & copyright ©Annika Perry
Annika Perry 
Oh I missed this – how could I have missed it? I love your writing studio, Annika. What a cozy place, perfect for writing. I’m so glad you shared this again in your top posts of 2021, Annika. I also enjoyed your celebratory twirl 🙂 Happy writing!
Barbra, so glad you had a chance to visit my writing studio, albeit virtually! 😀 It’s good I shared about it in my ‘Reflections’ post. It was just a year since the concrete base was laid and where I twirled around (in sort of a dance!) 😀
You must be so happy to tuck in there and create!
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Beautiful place 🙂 🙂
It certainly is and I’m loving my new studio! 😀
Annika, I’m glad you took the photos of various stages. It’s fun to see it come together. And what a lovely result! Hugs on the wing!
Teagan, for once I thought of taking photos from the very start of a project instead of remembering half-way through! It was fun to document this visually and I’ve also got a whole folder about information relating to the build. Along the way learnt a lot about electrics and cement! I had a great time!😀 So glad you like the look of my new studio – I am well and truly settled in now! Hugs back to you and hope you’re having a wonderful Sunday. xx
Annika, I wish there was a LOVE button for this post. This is soo wonderful and I’m equally ecstatic for you at what you visualised and brought into creation. It looks wonderful and I just know you’ll have many, many hours of inspired writing in there. Oh, and by the way, I loved your celebratory twirl!!! Enjoy it all. 😊
Bless! ❤️ Miriam, I know what you mean and there have been times I’ve felt just the same – like is not enough. Your wonderful comment means so much to me and thank you for sharing in the joy of my new studio! 😀 It feels amazing and just walking through the doors I leave everything else behind – it’s bliss! (And yeah, here’s to celebratory twirls! We can’t have enough of them!😀)
Congratulations…turning a dream into reality doesn’t come easy to many…I am sure the studio will further your creativity and imagination…stay blessed 🙏😇
Jas, thank you for your lovely comment! 😀 It most definitely wasn’t easy to achieve this dream and I’m still in disbelief that it is actually all completed and I’ve moved in! 😀 I have though, loving it and my mind and creative energy is cleared and more focussed than ever!
Stay blessed Annika…🙏🙏🙏
Fabulous idea & space
Indra, it is incredible and there is a huge range of these type of buildings so it became a matter of finding one just right for the space and my work!
This is such a beautiful cozy little place Annika… I didn’t even realize for how long I was staring at the pic 😄. I really appreciate you to take efforts in converting your dream into reality, this is a very peaceful accomplishment. I can imagine how wonderful the rain on the roof must sound …Enjoy writing in your new nest !!!🤗
Akriti, warmest thanks for your lovely comment! 😀 I’m smiling at how you lost yourself in looking at the photos – it is a very special place for me and a joy to share here with others. You are so right about the peace of the studio and the rain is incredibly soothing! Ahh … I am cosily nestled into my ‘nest’ – such a pretty phrase for my retreat! 😀
I love your twirl, here’s to living your Dream
Thank you so much, Kat! 😀 It was fun to twirl around with sheer joy and excitement as my dream started to take form!
It’s amazing and I am so happy for you.
Wow, that’s lovely. A quiet sanctuary with a view of a garden, that’s a writer’s paradise.
Bless! 😀 Mary, thank you so much for your wonderful comment and for sharing in the joy of my writing sanctuary! It is heavenly to be nestled within the garden!xx
How fabulous! I should have known from your comment about cozying up in your office, but I’m slow on the uptake sometimes 🙂 🙂
Not at all, Jo – I’m just so exuberant about it I can’t help mentioning it everywhere! 😀 It is fantastic and I’m so happy here! 😀
🤗💕
This is so impressive! Now I find myself wanting to build my own writing haven 😂 my husband is a carpentry-whiz so I’m sure we can figure something out a ways in the future!
Welcome to my blog! 😀 I do hope you have a chance to have something similar built and with a husband who is an expert at carpentry that is even easier (and cheaper). This was supposed to be a possible build for two DIY people but my husband and I were most definitely not competent to tackle this and because of restrictions, no one else could help either. Let me know how you get on with the project if you decide to go ahead!
Yess! I definitely will, Annika! 😀
Gorgeous! In all its monstrosity, Covid has truly given us some gemsb
Wise words indeed, Luz and the creativity unleashed during this time has been astonishing and uplifting. This project gave me a real boost during the darkest of times here in the UK and now a wonderful place for my writing!
What a fantastic thing to have, Annika – congratulations! Toni x
Toni, it does feel amazing and is so cosy – I feel very lucky indeed! 😀
I hope you are enjoying your new studio, Annika! ❤ Best wishes!
Cheryl, thank you! I’m LOVING my new haven – my husband says he doesn’t see much of me anymore! 😀 Keep well & safe! xx ❤️
First of all congratulations and I’m also working on something similar. It’s lovely, wishing you all the very best with your writing. I also want a space like this, where I can read and write in solitude.
Deachen, the solitude is key along with beauty of the studio! Thank you for your kind words and I wish you the best in creating your own writing haven and Happy Writing!😀
Thank you dear😊😊
Congratulations on your new writing studio, Annika. It does meld in with the architecture so snugly! Having a dedicated space will no doubt initiate a new wave of writing where you can enter the world of words in peace and quiet. Enjoy!
Amanda, thank you so much and I’m still in awe of my new studio. 😀 Already I’ve noticed a huge difference in my focus, concentration and peace in my mind as I enter to work, ‘enter the world of words’! 😀🙏
Fantastic that you have noticed the positive effects.
Wow, that’s so beautiful!
Vivi, thank you – I find it beautiful too and especially the way it’s nestled within the garden!