EcoWatch

The best of EcoWatch right in your inbox. Sign up for our email newsletter!

    Facebook 573k Twitter 238k Instagram 37k
    Facebook 573k Twitter 238k Instagram 37k

    The Hot New Trend Home-Based Businesses Are Loving

     EcoWatch
    Mar 16, 2016 2:12AM EDT Home

    With a growing number of Americans working from home, “shedquarters” are a new home design trend that lets you work right from the convenience of your backyard.

    https://instagram.com/p/8lYSKlO2LL

    According to Global Workplace Analytics’ research, 50 percent of the U.S. workforce holds a job that’s at least partially compatible with telework, and another 80-90 percent of folks saying they’d like to work from home at least part time. Coupled with that, a recovering economy means independent businesses and start-ups are popping up with higher frequency, making it likely that we’ll see more and more shedquarters dotting the country’s backyards.

    A shedquarter is appealing because they are space-efficient, highly customizable, easy to install and potentially costs less than carving out a whole new room in your house. Many modern design companies and DIY builders are creating these cozy outdoor extensions for a range of uses, including a home office, artist’s studio, a guest room—and, yes, storage space. Take a tour of some of our favorite shedquarters.

    1. Sett Studio

    The Austin-based designers create sustainable, pre-fabricated and site-built homes.

    “Built with Structurally Insulated Panels (SIPs), [the studios] deliver maximum energy efficiency, minimal material waste, minimize labor costs and provide a beautiful and purposeful space that will add flexibility to your current living and/or working space,” the company says.

    https://instagram.com/p/BBn9oslon9c

    2. Modern-Shed

    Lighter Side of Real Estate notes that the Seattle-based company creates flat-packed, pre-fabricated structures with a basic 8×10-foot shed starting at $6,900. Modern-Shed uses eco-friendly building materials such as denim insulation which contains 85 percent post-industrial recycled fibers; a GreenGrid roof, which is a modular vegetative roof system that reduces energy costs, regulates structure temperature and helps manage rainwater runoff; they also partner with a solar panel company for their off-grid customers.

    EcoWatch Daily Newsletter
    Related Articles from EcoWatch
    Recent Stories from EcoWatch