Garden shed is new British hideaway

Rather than just a place to store the lawnmower or the bike, growing numbers of Britons are using their garden shed as a retreat from the pressures of life, a new survey shows.

Research from Saga Insurance found that with 57 per cent of Britons owning one, the garden shed was more popular than ever, even proving a hit with the younger generation, with 42 per cent of 18 to 29-year-olds buying one in the last five years.

Around one in ten of the shed-owing population use their shed as a workshop or a home office, while 33 per cent of Britons say that their dream shed would be somewhere for them to relax or be creative in.

A Feng Shui expert said that people should make their sheds accessible, warm and comfy so that they could be enjoyed all year round and by positioning them in the right location, shed-owners could make their garden hideaways something special. According to Feng Shui principles, positioning a shed in the north is good for storage, while the east represents growth, so a shed here is good for a family summer house or a place to grow seedlings. South-positioned sheds are good for socialising and activity and should be painted fiery red or bright green, while sheds in the west are great for practising creative hobbies.

Home improvements are among the most popular reasons for taking out a personal loan.