Beth’s modern, single-story house sits on a long narrow San Francisco lot.

Though only 952 square feet, the house features nicely proportioned spaces and a desirable location. For three years, living there, all was good. Then Beth changed jobs and began working from home.

“I’m a very organized person,” said Beth, who found it disruptive to work without a dedicated office space. “Every day, I had to pack up my work, stow it out of the way, then bring it out the next day.”

Quickly Beth and her wife agreed on a plan to expand their living space. It seemed logical to add a second level to the house. They met with an architect who put together an appealing proposal. Appealing, that is, except for its staggering cost and the fact that they’d have to move out — for a really long time.

At this point, ads for pre-fab structures in Dwell and Sunset caught their interest. Though initially drawn by ads for other pre-fab sheds, when Beth went online she also found Studio Shed. She submitted inquiries through the individual websites.

Studio Shed got back to her immediately. “They were really on it,” said Beth. “In my business, event planning, everything rides on immediate response. We make things happen. That’s the kind of people I want to work with. Their pricing was most competitive too.”
Using Studio Shed’s 3D Shed Configurator tool, the couple quickly calculated what it would cost to install a freestanding structure in their backyard. “Studio Shed gave us all the space we needed at 1/5^th the cost of a home addition, with no disruption at all,” said Beth. “Plus they made everything easy to do: to design, to order, to plan.”

Under San Francisco codes, they could build a 10-foot by 10-foot studio without needing any city permitting. A shed that size would fit into their space, though snugly, as the yard is deep but only 15 feet wide. In the end, they chose an 8-foot by 10-foot structure as it gave them all the interior space they needed, while providing exterior space around the back for tool storage and a fun circuit for their dog to run.
Studio Shed’s certified local installation team completed the shed in six days flat, from start to interior finish, after carrying the pre-fab pieces from the street right through their house into the backyard.

The couple chose a full glass façade and positioned it to face down the walk to the house for privacy. For the rear wall, they went windowless to block the view of the tennis club behind them. For exterior trim, they picked dark metallic detailing to accent the glass façade. They echoed this crisp clean look in the shed’s adjacent fencing and throughout their garden décor.

Beth’s daily work commute now is approximately 30 seconds. She loves having dedicated office space at home and finds the backyard arrangement to be comfortable, convenient and time-saving.

Best of all, it’s a space that lends itself to multiple uses.
“When we have parties, we convert my studio to a party station. Our backyard becomes a small urban oasis that feels surprisingly spacious. For the 4^th of July we set up our after-dinner drinks bar here. It was such fun to be outside in the garden, drink in hand, enjoying the fireworks. Of course, in San Francisco it’s usually foggy so you’re actually hearing the fireworks not seeing them,” she said.

“It’s funny how much interest my office creates. Of the 30 friends there for the 4^th, three emailed the next morning for details. Studio Shed gave us real value for the money,” Beth noted. “The other day, our real estate agent was showing a house across the street. I invited him over. When he saw my office, he said ‘This totally adds to the value of your house.’ We agree. It’s some of the best money we’ve ever spent.”