ABOUT US
Bonni Outbuildings was created from a love of architecture, honest building, and the pleasure of having a room of one’s own.
Our timber framed buildings are designed to feel like natural extensions of the home - thoughtful, well-proportioned spaces that sit comfortably in the garden and become part of everyday life. A Bonni is made to be lived in throughout the year.
Each building combines traditional craftsmanship with considered modern design. Materials are chosen with care and built with close attention to the details that allow a building to breathe and age gracefully over time. At the heart of Bonni is the simple idea that extra space should feel as thoughtfully designed and built as the house itself.
A SHARED VISION
Bonni was founded by Denny and Koo, who shared the belief that a garden building could be something more than a temporary structure. Drawing on a love of English architecture and timeless design, they set out to create buildings that feel permanent, purposeful and beautifully at home in the garden.
Today Bonnis can be found in gardens across the country, from traditional country houses to contemporary homes and London gardens. Each building forms part of a carefully designed collection, while finishes are chosen together with each client so that every Bonni feels entirely its own.
From the first sketch to the final installation, our team looks after the entire process, ensuring each building is made with precision before arriving at its new home.
The result is a space that quietly enhances both the house and the way it is lived in.
WHAT MAKES US UNIQUE
Drawing on Passivhaus principles, we design and build each Bonni as a small house, combining traditional construction with considered design.
Built with the same care and solidity, and using high-quality materials and proper building methods, Bonnis are carefully insulated, with breathable membranes and natural materials that allow each building to perform efficiently – remaining cool in summer and warm in winter. Each Bonni is a permanent building, made to stand the test of time, designed to sit comfortably within the garden and offer a true extension of your home without the disruption and cost of a conventional build.
WORDS FROM THE FOUNDERS
In building our own home, we began to understand what felt right.
We had lived in old houses for many years, in buildings with age and character, which had a way of making you feel something the moment you walked through the door. We decided to build a new house of our own, bringing together everything we had learned - the comfort and practicality of something modern, with the warmth and familiarity of something older.
Alongside the house, we began designing the garden, and the rooms that would sit within it.
At the time, we couldn’t find garden buildings that felt in keeping with the house, in their proportions, their materials, or the way they were made. Most felt temporary, or separate from everyday life.
So we built our own.
The first was simple – timber framed, with a corrugated roof, carefully proportioned and made using natural materials. It began as a log store.
We then designed something more permanent. With an interest in sustainability and Passivhaus principles, we created a building designed to stand the test of time, with minimal impact on the environment.
It was warm in winter and cool in summer and quickly became part of how we lived.
It was used for work, for meetings, and for sitting at the end of the day - a place to step into, but not away from things entirely. We watched the house being built from within it.
Over time, we built a pool house, and what is now the Bonni HQ office.
What began as something practical became something we valued deeply - spaces that felt calm, useful and connected to both house and garden, built with care, integrity and craftsmanship.
Bonni grew from that experience.
There was no grand plan, just a simple idea: that a garden building should be made with the same care, thought and permanence as the house itself - something beautiful, and truly at home in its setting.
Denny and Koo Akers
Founders
(BONNI HQ)
