Minimalist Garden Room's Compact Design Caters to Work and Wellness Needs with Features like Cold Plunge, Sauna, and Home Office
A Tranquil Oasis: Toronto's Minimalist Garden Room
In the heart of Toronto, behind Queen Street West, a unique garden room has been created, serving as a peaceful retreat for its inhabitants. Designed by Simone Ferkul, this space combines a home office and wellness area, seamlessly integrating with its natural surroundings.
The initial vision for the project was to create a tranquil, multifunctional space that could serve both as a workspace and a wellness retreat. To overcome the challenges of fitting all desired programming into a small footprint, thoughtful spatial planning, functional built-ins, and a minimalist approach were employed.
The balance in the design of the garden room was achieved by using minimalist design principles, natural materials, and a carefully curated palette. The interior features light oak, chosen for its calming presence and visual warmth, and deep green marble, selected for its ability to introduce a touch of refined luxury. A petite side table mirrors the deep green marble of the desk in the garden room.
The green marble element serves as a focal point in the garden room, while the exterior is clad in black wood, blending into its surroundings. The design of the garden room evolves into a refined sanctuary that fosters productivity, restores, and reflects, deepening its connection with nature and serenity.
The space offers the opportunity to improve daily routines, providing a dedicated space for wellness practices. The garden room's design prioritizes indoor-outdoor living, with large openings facilitating this connection.
The design of this garden room was inspired by nature, minimalism, wellness-oriented architecture, saunas of Finland, and contemplative architecture of Japan's best spas. Examples of similar multifunctional garden rooms include bespoke designs combining a home office with a wellness area featuring a sauna and cold plunge, modern timber-framed garden rooms with flexible spaces, and nature-inspired yoga studio garden rooms.
These examples emphasize seamless integration with natural surroundings, minimalist architecture, use of premium woods and finishes, thoughtful spatial planning with built-in furniture, and adaptable layouts supporting both productivity and relaxation in garden rooms. The garden room in Toronto aims to enhance life and support the lifestyle of its users, becoming an integral part of their daily routine.
- The minimalist approach, evident in the design, embodies a trend in interior design that prioritizes functionality and tranquility.
- The furniture in the garden room, along with the decor, reflects the Scandinavian style, characterized by simplicity and rural influences.
- The color scheme of light oak and deep green marble reinforces the minimalist aesthetic while introducing a touch of color to the space.
- The garden room, being a sanctuary for health-and-wellness practices, aligns with the current focus on fitness-and-exercise and overall lifestyle improvements.
- In line with outdoor living, the design promotes a connection between the indoors and outdoors through large openings.
- The art of minimalist design found in the Toronto garden room can be traced back to influences such as contemplative Japanese architecture and Scandinavian saunas.
- Science suggests that minimalist design elements promote mental clarity and well-being, making it an ideal choice for a workspace and wellness retreat.
- The versatile and adaptable layout of the garden room supports the home-and-garden lifestyle by offering multi-functional spaces for both work and relaxation.
