Anthony wanted one building that could do two things at once. This is how his bespoke Crown Sandringham came together.
Anthony is a committed gym-goer who also plays in several bands. He wanted a single building that could do both: a gym on one side, a soundproofed rehearsal studio on the other. When the family moved house, they chose a garden with room to build a bespoke Crown Sandringham — and he now trains there three or four times a week.
| The building | Bespoke Crown Sandringham |
| The brief | Gym & soundproofed studio |
| Design priority | High ceiling for overhead lifts |
| Now in use | Three or four times a week |
Why put a gym in the garden?
The project was years in the making, and took a fair amount of planning and saving. When the family began looking for a new house, a garden big enough for the building was one of their requirements.
Anthony had spent much of the pandemic training outdoors and seeing friends in the park, with gyms and studios shut. For his music, he had been renting commercial studios around South East London, but he wanted a space of his own. Now he has both, a few steps from the back door.
It's now a privilege to have them both in the garden.
Choosing Crown Pavilions
Anthony first found Crown Pavilions through a Google search, and did his homework from there. He read through the website and the catalogue of previous builds, and looked at other providers too. By his account, none of them matched Crown on build quality.
Cost wasn't irrelevant — it rarely is — but the priority was a building made properly, and Crown was the company that could deliver it.
No one had the same build quality as Crown.
Designing the Sandringham around overhead lifts
Because Anthony wanted to press weights overhead, a high ceiling was an early priority, and the design was worked out around it. He first worked with Carl, who put together the drawings and ran through options for materials and finishes. Carl then visited the property, measured the space and took photographs, before producing 3D designs showing how the building would sit in the garden.
What they landed on is a Crown Sandringham, built bespoke to his brief — the standard model, adapted around how he wanted to use it. A partition divides it into two rooms, and the walls were reinforced for the gym mirrors. Every build in the range includes triple glazing, smart air conditioning and high-performance insulation as standard, so the space stays comfortable through the year. For the rehearsal studio side, acoustic wall tiles and an upgraded soundproof door keep the sound contained.
The build
Groundwork came first, with the main build beginning three to four weeks after the foundations were in. The decorator, Stuart, spent around six weeks on the interior, and the finish was first-class. He insisted that Anthony walk in for the first time to get the full effect — and, by Anthony's account, it landed.
Stephanie managed the project from start to finish. The family were away for part of the build, so access had to be arranged, and she handled the logistics without fuss. She was always contactable, and nothing was too much trouble.
She was amazing throughout the process — nothing was too difficult for her to manage.
How the room is used
The building earns its keep. One side holds the gym, with bifold doors that let the light in. The other is a fully soundproofed studio, kitted out with drums, amplifiers and speakers.
Anthony trains three or four times a week, and his wife does personal-training sessions there too. His bands come round to rehearse — the studio comfortably takes three or four people with all their equipment — and his children play music in there as well. The whole set-up is plug-and-play, so it's easy to use on a whim.
"Everyone who has seen the building is flabbergasted at how beautiful and well equipped it is."
— Anthony, Crown Sandringham owner
Anthony and his wife were thrilled with how it came together: a lovely feature at the end of the garden, and one that gets used every week.
A few common questions
Can you use a garden room as a home gym?
Yes. A garden room makes a practical home gym — a dedicated, insulated space a few steps from the house that you can use all year. The layout can be built around your training, as Anthony's was: his has a raised ceiling for overhead lifts, bifold doors for natural light, and a solid floor that takes the weight of a full rack.
Can a garden room be soundproofed for music?
Yes. With acoustic wall tiling, a soundproof door and a well-sealed build, a garden room can be specified to contain sound. Anthony's Crown Sandringham has a fully soundproofed studio on one side, used for drums and band rehearsals. If music is a main use, it's worth raising it early, so the design and finishes suit it.
Thinking about a garden room of your own?
The Crown Sandringham is built for exactly this kind of brief — a gym, a studio, an office, or something entirely your own. See the specification, or visit a showsite to judge the build quality for yourself.
