AJ Odudu's garden summer house is an office, gym and self-care zone all in one!

TV presenter AJ Odudu has extended her outdoor living space with the addition of a fun, flexible and WFH-friendly summer house.

AJ wanted to be able to use her garden all year round, come rain or shine, and in doing so created the perfect outdoor spot in the garden of her London home. The summer house is divided up into several areas:

1. Garden office: This is the ultimate work from home space with pops of colour, cheerful wall art and decor, display shelving and lots of greenery.
2. Self-care corner/ wellness zone: AJ carved out a relaxing 'me' space in the summer house, perfect for yoga & home workouts, meditation and for indulging in a good book in the reading corner.
   
3. Outdoor entertaining: At the front of the summer house is a bright, colourful, summer-ready lounge set up for 'rule of six' garden entertaining.

'I have added insulation, electricity and the Internet into the summer house so that I can maximise its use all year round,' explains AJ, who revamped her outdoor space with the help of design experts at Wayfair. 'It’s a really versatile space, perfect for zoom meetings, workouts or chilling with a drink in the seating area, which can be adapted for 2021 and beyond.'

Take a tour of AJ's summer house below.

AJ has combined uplifting artwork with fun prints and quirky eye-catchers such as the monkey table lamp. 'For wall art you can update easily, hang up magazine clippings, postcards or prints with masking tape,' suggests Nadia McCowan Hill, Wayfair’s resident style expert.

Multi-use furniture is great for small spaces. AJ’s work desk provides enough room for a laptop and notebook whilst offering storage space with its convenient built-in shelves.

Health and fitness was a key consideration for AJ when designing this space. The self-care corner is equipped with a comfy yoga mat, a couple of weights, blankets and some cushions.

AJ loves the calming nature of the summer house, especially the cosy 'wellness corner' where she's able to relax in the statement rattan balloon chair, which she says is her favourite piece of furniture.

A full-length mirror leaning against the wall makes the space look bigger and brighter by reflecting the sunlight streaming in through the floor-to-ceiling windows.

'It was a must-have for me to have a space where I could unwind & do post workout stretches,' explains AJ. 'I'm planning to add some more gym equipment to maximise my workout area but I also want to incorporate a little bar area for summer BBQs – it's all about Yin & Yang.'

AJ, who describes her style as 'bright and bold', takes a lot of inspiration from her wardrobe: 'I figured that if I use bright, strong patterned palettes that I love to wear I will never bore of seeing them in my furnishings.'

'When I first moved in I had the space landscaped and added artificial grass, a patio and a pergola,' says AJ. Now, adding a furnished summer house has really transformed her outdoor space.

AJ also has a dedicated potting station in her garden, perfect for sowing seeds or repotting.

'I added the potting station mainly for my Dad as he is a keen gardener and will be able to come round and grow plants & herbs with me,' she says. 'It's one thing creating a space for yourself but when you get to share it with others it's even better.'

Thinking of getting a summer house for your own garden? AJ says it's a great, cost effective way of upgrading and extending your space.

'A summer house is also really cost effective, as it's ideal for making the most of the outdoors and creating more space in your home without forking out for an extension,' she explains. 'I’m currently renovating my home and so sticking to a budget and thinking outside of the box is a must!'

Follow House Beautiful on Instagram.

Like this article? Sign up to our newsletter to get more articles like this delivered straight to your inbox.

SIGN UP

Love what you’re reading? Enjoy House Beautiful magazine delivered straight to your door every month with Free UK delivery. Buy direct from the publisher for the lowest price and never miss an issue!

SUBSCRIBE