ZenSpace · 18 sqm

ZenSpace Garden Studio

An 18sqm Studio That Makes More of a Smaller Backyard Footprint

ZenSpace gives you 18sqm of dedicated backyard space for work, hobbies, creativity or quiet time away from the main house. Its more compact footprint helps you create a functional extra room without using more of your backyard than you need.

  • 18sqm space-conscious footprint
  • Bathroom included in the current specification
  • Choice of wardrobe or kitchenette to suit your intended use
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ZenSpace by Backyard Oasis is an 18sqm garden studio in Melbourne designed for homeowners who want a functional backyard room within a more compact footprint. With a finished bathroom and a choice of wardrobe or kitchenette, it can be configured around work, hobbies, creativity, or personal space.

10 YEARS

Structural warranty

25 YEARS

Foundation warranty

PERMITS & ENGINEERING

Coordinated by Experts

SUREFOOT

Foundation System

Who Is the ZenSpace Garden Studio Best Suited To?

ZenSpace suits homeowners who want a dedicated room outside the main house but do not need the floor area of a larger 25sqm or 30sqm studio.

Its 18sqm footprint can work well when you are creating:

  • A dedicated home office with space to separate work from home life
  • A creative or hobby room where equipment and projects can have their own place
  • A quiet personal space for reading, study or time away from household activity
  • A compact multipurpose studio that can adapt to different uses
  • Extra backyard space with amenities, including a bathroom and your choice of wardrobe or kitchenette

ZenSpace can also be a useful starting point when retaining more usable garden area is an important part of your decision.

Explore Our Garden Studios

Why Choose an 18sqm Garden Studio?

Bigger is not automatically better when it comes to a backyard studio. The right size depends on what you need inside the room and how much of your existing backyard you want to retain.

Keep the Footprint More Compact

At 18sqm, ZenSpace provides a dedicated indoor space without moving into the larger footprint of the 24.5sqm to 30sqm studios in the Backyard Oasis collection.

Create a Separate Place to Work

Move your workstation out of a bedroom or shared living area and create a more defined separation between work and home.

Give Hobbies Their Own Room

Use ZenSpace for art, craft, music or other interests that need a dedicated space without taking over a room inside your house.

Configure It Around Your Priorities

The choice of a wardrobe or kitchenette gives you another way to plan the studio around how you expect to use it.

What’s Included in a ZenSpace Garden Studio?

ZenSpace combines a prefabricated steel structural system with a finished bathroom, insulated construction and completed interior, bringing practical amenities into its compact 18sqm footprint.

Prefabricated Steel Structure

The current ZenSpace specification includes prefabricated steel subfloors, walls and roof, forming the structural framework of the studio.

Insulated Construction

The walls and roof are fully insulated to help support a more comfortable internal environment throughout Melbourne’s changing seasons.

Weathertex & Colorbond Exterior

Weathertex cladding forms the façade, with Colorbond corrugated sheeting to the other sides and Colorbond gutters and downpipes at the rear.

Windows & Sliding Door

The current specification includes a single-glazed sliding door, awning windows with flyscreens and a translucent bathroom window with a flyscreen.

Finished Bathroom & Interior

A tiled and waterproofed bathroom with fittings and fixtures is included. Internal finishes include plastered and painted walls, hybrid flooring, 67mm architraves and skirting, and timber tri-quad cornice.

Wardrobe or Kitchenette

Choose between a wardrobe or kitchenette, depending on how you plan to configure and use your ZenSpace. Specified electrical inclusions include double GPOs, switches, internal and external lighting and a smoke detector.

View Full ZenSpace Specifications

What Approvals Will I Need for ZenSpace?

An 18sqm garden studio should not be assumed to be permit-free. A building permit will generally be required for a structure of this size, while any planning requirements depend on your individual property, proposed siting and intended use. Factors, including your lot size, planning zone, overlays, setbacks, and other site-specific factors can affect the approval pathway.

The inclusion of a bathroom or kitchenette also does not automatically determine the building’s classification or permitted use. If you intend to use ZenSpace for independent residential accommodation, that needs to be discussed from the outset so the appropriate design and regulatory requirements can be considered.

Backyard Oasis can review your property and intended use and help coordinate the relevant documentation, engineering and applicable approvals.

Learn more about Planning & Building Permits for Garden Studios in Victoria.

Check What Applies to My Property

Is ZenSpace the Right Garden Studio for Your Backyard?

ZenSpace’s 18sqm footprint makes it one of the more compact options in the Backyard Oasis Garden Studios collection, but available area alone does not determine whether it will suit your property.

Installation access, boundaries and setbacks, existing structures, trees, services, privacy, orientation, planning controls and how much garden you want to retain can all affect where the studio can go and what the project requires.

Considering these factors early can help you determine whether 18sqm gives you the right balance between useful indoor space and the backyard around it.

Visit our Carrum Downs display location to experience Backyard Oasis spaces, materials and finishes in person and discuss what may work for your property.

Check If ZenSpace Suits My Backyard

Need a little more studio space?

PureForm provides a 24.5sqm alternative when you need additional room for your work, hobbies or multipurpose setup.

Explore PureForm Garden Studio

Only need a dedicated home office?

If your main priority is focused work and you need less space than ZenSpace provides, a compact backyard office pod may be worth considering.

Explore Workpods Melbourne

How it works

Step-by-step with Backyard Oasis

From your first idea to handing over the keys, our six-stage process keeps things simple and locally managed.

01

Site & Project Review

Start with what’s possible. We discuss your property, intended use, site access, budget and the key factors that may shape your project.

02

Design & Quote

A practical design that works for your site. We refine the layout, finishes and specifications around your needs to clearly define the project scope.

03

Permits & Documentation

We help you navigate the approvals. The required documentation, building permit process, planning or council requirements – we coordinate everything.

04

Build & Site Preparation

Your project starts taking shape. The modular space is prepared for installation. Minimum disruption, organised process.

05

Installation & Fit-Out

Ready for final inspection. Your new space is installed and completed with the desired fittings, finishes, and service connections.

06

Handover

Ready for use. We walk you through the completed space and finalise the handover requirements before you actually move in.

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Other garden studios you might like

    Ready when you are

    Ready to see what could work in your backyard?

    Tell us about your property and what you want to create. We’ll review the details and recommend the next step.

    Book a discovery call
    Get a free quote

    ZenSpace FAQs

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What can I use an 18sqm ZenSpace garden studio for?

    ZenSpace can suit a home office, hobby room, creative studio or multipurpose backyard room. Its 18sqm footprint is designed for homeowners who want useful separation from the main house without choosing one of the larger garden studio options. Your intended use should be considered when planning the fit-out and project requirements.

    Does ZenSpace include a bathroom?

    Yes. The current ZenSpace specification includes a tiled and waterproofed bathroom with fittings and fixtures, together with a translucent bathroom window and flyscreen. Final selections, services and project-specific requirements should be confirmed as part of your individual design, quote and agreed project scope.

    Can I choose a kitchenette or a wardrobe in ZenSpace?

    Yes. The current ZenSpace specification provides a choice of wardrobe or kitchenette, allowing the fit-out to better reflect how you intend to use the room. Discuss your preferred configuration early so any associated layout, service and project requirements can be considered before the final scope is agreed.

    Does an 18sqm garden studio need a building permit in Victoria?

    An 18sqm ZenSpace should generally be expected to require a building permit in Victoria. Exemptions that can apply to certain small non-habitable structures should not be assumed to apply because ZenSpace exceeds the commonly relevant 10sqm threshold. Property conditions and the proposed design and use should still be assessed.

    Does ZenSpace need a planning permit in Melbourne?

    Whether a planning permit is required cannot be determined from the ZenSpace model alone. Your lot size, planning zone, overlays, proposed siting, intended use and other property-specific controls can affect the approval pathway. Backyard Oasis can review these factors and help establish what applies to your property.

    Can ZenSpace be used as a granny flat?

    ZenSpace being fitted with a bathroom or optional kitchenette does not automatically make it a granny flat or small second dwelling. If you intend to use the studio for independent residential accommodation, tell Backyard Oasis from the outset so the proposed use, design and property can be assessed against the appropriate Victorian requirements.

    Australian-made modular granny flats, garden studios and office pods, built across Melbourne.

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    Get in Touch

    Phone:
    1300 230 324

    Email:
    enquiries@backyardoasis.au

    Our Address:
    14/13 Gateway Dr, Carrum Downs VIC 3201

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