We know writers have some weird habits and that a sense of place is often one of the most important aspects of a story. Considering these qualities, it seems natural that writers usually yearn for their own private sanctuaries. For the wordsmiths currently drafting their latest and greatest, but with no literary oasis to call home, let these stunning writing studios serve as inspiration to transform your corner of the world into a personal retreat.
Bellport, New York is the site of this modern writing studio addition to the home of a historian. Authors would never want for natural light at this desk, encased by an expansive window with a view of the surrounding woods and stream. The amber-accented room also doubles as a library and lounge.
This early 20th-century tobacco curing barn in Durham, North Carolina was given new life, reinvented as a writing studio. Arrowhead Designs helped with the revamp, honoring the structure’s past, while adding modern touches. Raw wood built-ins, beams, and desks add brightness and beauty. Vintage objects (a military cot turned daybed and typewriter, for starters) reference the history of the barn.
The family that designs together, stays together. Watershed is the name of a writing studio in the Willamette Valley region of Oregon. It belongs to a philosophy professor and well-known nature writer, and was designed by her daughter. The studio is located along the Marys River, uphill from riparian wetlands. Architectural research and design group FLOAT (the designer’s firm) writes:
The writing studio is designed to reveal the ecological complexity of the site to visitors and in this way it is successful: Small tunnels under the studio bring rare reptiles and amphibians into view through the floor-level window. The water collection basin that doubles as the front step draws in birds and deer. At midday, the silhouettes of these animals project from the water onto the interior ceiling. Windows on the west and north sides frame different bird habitats—the tops of fence row trees and the patch of sky at a hilltop updraft. The roof diaphragm amplifies rain sounds and the collection basin is a measure of past rainfall.
Anthropologist, ethnobotanist, author, and photographer Wade Davis displays his prized books in a dome-shaped library hovering over his eclectic writing studio. The space was designed to resemble the rotunda of the ancient oracle’s temple at Delphi. The unique shape of the room is an inspiring backdrop to display Davis’ fascinating objects from his travels.
The Wisconsin countryside is the perfect spot for this rusted steel writing and recording studio for a local country western artist. Tucked amongst the trees, the minimalist structure looks at one with nature — the design giving a nod to traditional Midwestern rural architecture. Weathered wood, glass facades, and a planked deck keep it simple, but stunning.
You’ll be spending a lot more time in the backyard with this homey writing retreat just steps away from your front door. Desk-height windows allow you to keep an eye on things at home, but you won’t want to return after lounging on the private rooftop observation deck with your notepad and pen scribbling the afternoon away.
Hemingway types would be drawn to this minimalist, masculine writing studio. The coal exterior blends effortlessly into the surrounding woods. A vintage-style chimney hints at the warmth of the interior walnut floors and roaring fireplace. Frameless windows showcase the gorgeous view.
Why yes, this design layout shows a writer’s studio that is suspended from a complex of sculptural steel columns, nestled near the Alps. No big deal. “Writers who enjoy solitude will locate areas for lifestyle and function. In all sorts of other places, they will uncover areas for exchanges and for sharing life… with this, we feel that we have produced a room that offers the perfect ‘climate for writing. . . .’”
Petition For More Tiny Backyard Writing Sheds in Urban Spaces. This one is in London.
This private writing room in a residence located in Moriguchi City, Japan houses a large collection of books on Islamic history, which is echoed in its design. Lined with laminated pine shelving units and interlocking boards, crowned by a pyramid-shaped ceiling, the latticed study provides plenty of nooks and crannies to put pen to paper.