ComfyPod: A backyard retreat for the new Australian lifestyle

A combination of tiny house, home studio and backyard retreat; the ComfyPods is a versatile outdoor living spacesdesigned to suit the new Australian working-from-home lifestyle.

For many, working from home is quickly becoming the new normal and with this new lifestyle, finding a balance between work and family space has never been more challenging.

It was a dilemma that first inspired a group of Geelong locals to develop the ComfyPod – a custom-made outdoor living spaces that can be used for anything from backyard office to outdoor rumpus room.

According to ComfyPod co-founder Tim Clark, from the moment lockdowns hit, Mr Clark and co-founder Gareth Prime personally experienced the distractions of working from home and set out to seek a solution.

“We both had young families and realised that working inside the house wasn’t perfect,” Mr Clark said.
“We came up with the idea from there.”

The two, along with head carpenter Hugh Hunter, set out to design simple, sustainable and practical extra living spaces to suit this new working-from-home lifestyle and environment.

“You can distinguish between your work and home environment,” Mr Clark said.

“It actually feels like going into your work.”

The pods are custom-designed, built offsite and then installed in customer’s backyards with minimal fuss.

The company has continued to expand, running from their North Geelong workshop, and the group is now installing pods across Greater Geelong, Bellarine and the Surf Coast, with recent projects also extending to West Melbourne regions.

While at-home offices continue to be the primary use of the ComfyPod, Mr Clark said the pods are also used as anything from home studios and teenage retreats to man caves or movie rooms.

“We’re also seeing a lot of families just looking for extra space,” Mr Clark said.

“The cost of doing a renovation and finding trades that can actually do it is getting harder and harder.”

Mr Clark said ComfyPods are cheaper, easier and quicker than renovations, and a great way to give your house extra space.

“Be it a teenage retreat or an art studio or an extra office, people seem to get immediate benefit once they get out in their new space,” he said.
“It’s something that really adds to their home for whatever purpose they’ve chosen it for.”

Building a pod for a client’s backyard begins with a site inspection and comprehensive quote.

Clients choose between two pod sizes, a range of natural Australian timber cladding designs and custom window and door configuration.

Once designed, the pods are tailor made to suit the space, built offsite and then delivered to client’s properties once built, to ensure easy installation and minimal disruption.

Customers are given a clear time frame and kept up-to-date on how the project is going, with the usual timeline being between two to three months for a pod to be built and installed.

The company also offers installation of decks surrounding the pods, to further enhance the surrounding space.

ComfyPods are designed to be economically friendly, made using sustainable materials and built with suitable insulation.

The company carefully selects suppliers whose products are developed with the Australian environment in mind and is connected with partners who can help clients ensure their pods are energy efficient.

The pods are built by qualified carpenters and materials designed to sustain weather and wear, with a 10-year warranty guaranteed on all builds.

For a quote on a ComfyPod build go to comfypod.com.au or call 03 5244 4555.