Creating a Personalized Shed

Perhaps you wish for a creative retreat, a place where you can paint, write and pursue other hobbies, or maybe you want a cozy second living room to spend quality time with your friends and family.

Think sheds. No, not a dusty shed filled with discarded garden tools and stiff, 30-year-old paint brushes. We’re talking personalized sheds, intimate covered spaces that serve as places to pursue hobbies, rejuvenate, retreat or socialize. 

Outdoor sheds come in all shapes, sizes and can be personalized to reflect a variety of themes. From fun-filled “tapsheds,” where friends gather for mojitos and grilled fish, to an intimate “she shed” stocked with wine and cheese or even a hobby shed for the family to play cards and board games, sheds can cover it all.

Consider these tips to help you create your ideal outdoor oasis:

Have a plan: Are you starting from scratch and building one or reinventing an existing shed? What’s the budget? What’s the goal? How much room do you have to work with? You may be eager to jump right in, but it’s actually easier to follow a plan than to decide on the fly.

Stick to a theme: Do you want a craft shed, a relaxation shed, a party shed? Figure out your theme and tailor decisions around it. For example, if you decide to go with a relaxation shed, choose calming colors, such as light shades of green and blue and bring in a good reading chair or rocker. Decorations and accessories should be peaceful, such as a tabletop fountain and wind chimes. Conversely, if you want your shed to be a social hub, select more vibrant shades and colors for an upbeat atmosphere. 

Utilize your resources: Utilize all the free beauty that your property has to offer. Build your shed under your favorite tree to offer natural shade or decorate your existing shed with vines from your backyard.

Less is more: When designing an outdoor shed, it is easy to go overboard with spending. Keeping things minimal will also ensure you stay within your budget. (This is especially important if you are already trying to get rid of clutter in your main home. If so, why bring more clutter into your sanctuary?)

Think storage: When working with a small area, you can expand usable space by adding a wall-mounted cabinet to contain items. Ottomans with storage inside can do double-duty, too, by letting you put your feet up while storing books and magazines. 

A custom exterior: A quick way to customize your shed is with a coat or two of paint. You can use one color or combine several and you can go laid-back or bold (it’s your shed, remember?). Invite friends and family over for a day of painting and reward them with cold beverages and tasty snacks.