Couple create £8k garden office using shipping container

Abbie and her husband Matthew Newton from Ipsden in South Oxfordshire, have transformed a bright blue 20ft-long shipping container into a stylish garden office and studio.

As an extension to their 70s bungalow was out of budget, so they came up with a quirky alternative that perfectly aligned with their tiny living obsession.

The bright blue 20ft-long shipping container is now a stylish multi-functional garden office and studio (Image: Abbie Newton)

Mrs Newton said the couple had always had a fascination with tiny homes and had already converted a van into a camper van.

She said: “We wanted to free up an extra bedroom in the house for a working space, but the cost of an extension wasn’t something we could entertain.

“A DIY garden office seemed like the best way to capitalise on space at a more affordable cost.”

Mrs Newton, a product photographer, and Mr Newton, who works in the film industry, were fortunate to know someone who was selling a shipping container.

The once blue, now black, 20ft shipping container which was converted into a garden office and studio (Image: Abbie Newton)

The ground was muddy and the winter weather was miserable when it first arrived in December2024. But now, they are completing the finishing touches to their garden building.

She said: “The container fitted in perfectly with the garden and painting it black matched the black barn of our neighbours just behind it. It feels like it’s blended in with the surrounding farm buildings and countryside so well.

“The first steps were to insulate it and board it up, which we hired someone local to do. Then it was all about getting electricity to it, which we luckily had a friend who could help.”

Natural light was “going to make or break the project”, so they replaced the heavy contained door with stylish black French doors from Leader Online.

She said: “We made sure to place the office right where the sun hits, and it’s glorious when the sunset light floods in. It’s a beautiful place to work and great for photography if I ever want to play with natural light.

“Plus, the double patio doors let us take in the countryside views that made us buy this property.”

The couple’s 70s bungalow add-on, equipped with stylish black French doors (Image: Abbie Newton)

The space is now a multi-functional dream for the creative couple, also including DJ decks, a computer set-up, and a photography studio.

She added: “The best thing about a renovation journey is being able to put your own stamp on all parts of your home and garden.

“Using a container as a starting point has allowed us to do that while being cheaper than buying a large garden office or going ahead with a loft conversion or extension.”