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Overview
It’s no secret that the she shed revolution is underway and gaining steam. What is a she shed? It’s simply any outbuilding that has been renovated, outfitted, redesigned, or otherwise reassigned into service as a refuge from the intense pace of modern life. Consider it a woman’s response to the “man cave” craze.
Whether you already have that sought-after shed or are still in the dreaming phase, home and lifestyle expert Erika Kotite—author of the best-selling She Sheds: A Room of Your Own—will help you on your journey.
- Browse gorgeous photos of a variety of sheds and shed interiors, which range from modern and eclectic to rustic and shabby chic.
- Learn what architectural details play into a shed’s look and consider how these elements work with your preferred decor.
- Explore dozens of DIY projects: breathe new life into old furniture, install a track door, or craft a custom neon sign for your shed.
- Find hundreds of tips and ideas from some of the most creative she shed owners around the world.
So get started and create your own she shed style!
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780760360996 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Cool Springs Press |
| Publication date: | 10/02/2018 |
| Pages: | 176 |
| Sales rank: | 916,725 |
| Product dimensions: | 8.60(w) x 10.10(h) x 0.80(d) |
About the Author
Read an Excerpt
CHAPTER 1
She Sheds: The Elements of Style
For most of your life, the backyard shed was a barely noticed, plain little structure that housed Dad's yard tools and maybe the family's plastic kiddie pool. It was ugly, boring, and ignored. Who would have ever predicted that this ordinary little utility shed of childhood would become a celebrated woman's place of beauty and repose?
It's incredible to see how in just a few years, sheds have earned a lofty status, offering potential for an enhanced property, extra room for living and working, and an attractive element that adds to rather than detracts from the backyard landscape.
Now is the time of the she shed. Women have discovered a convenient and practical solution to their problem: how to procure their own space conveniently and affordably. Sheds are truly the new frontier for discovering creative potential and recapturing sanity in a busy life. Turning a no-frills structure made for inanimate objects into a living space encompasses a journey of innovation and vision.
A shed becomes a she shed when it is created, used, and loved by a woman. It can be an old shed given a new life, or a brand-new studio designed by one of the many specialty shed companies, arriving preassembled in the backyard. A woman can build it herself or she may have lots of help. The important point comes with the addition of personal style. Your she shed style will emerge as you consider how you'll be using your shed and the important things you want to surround yourself with. This chapter explores the wonderful ways women are using and styling their she sheds.
Functional and Fabulous
The raison d'être of a she shed is as unique as the woman who owns it. Nevertheless, sheds lend themselves to several specific work and leisure pursuits. Enchanted by the beautiful spaces found online, we each say to ourselves, "I've got to have one of these," without really thinking through what we'd use it for. However, you should get serious with yourself and truthfully answer the following question: "Will I really use a she shed?"
The she shed is a commitment, not only in the time and resources spent building it but also in its continuous use and upkeep. Structures will languish quickly if they don't have regular human habitation; no one is around to see the problems and take care of them. If you have a special place in your home already or few distractions to pull you outdoors, then think long and hard about your decision. Keep in mind, however, that there are other ways to use a she shed even if the house is your domain. Would you like to enhance your backyard so that it is a more welcoming hangout for you and your friends? A she shed will contribute to a new backyard design, but it still should be used and well tended.
What follows are the most common ways she sheds are used and enjoyed, but there are many others; a shed makes a great yoga or meditation room, a pottery-making studio, or even a sound studio for musicians.
Artistry
The artist's atelier has a reserved space in the collective imagination. There are good reasons why artists need their space — creating art is messy, demanding, and often a solitary pursuit. Whether you paint on canvas or do mixed media, a separate studio is valuable because it gives you room and a quiet space to work. Another huge benefit is the ability to leave your work and supplies out instead of cleaning up at the end of each day.
Artistry need not be confined to "fine art." It may take the form of other creative pursuits, such as sewing, quilting, jewelry making, or ceramics. These all require a certain amount of space to work, organize, and store supplies — and, of course, to display the finished work.
A shed tends to work well for artwork. It can be adapted to offer plentiful natural light, if needed. Its practical and durable surfaces are meant to get dirty and clean up easily. (Chalk that one up to potting shed ancestry.) And, finally, a shed's simplicity is harmonious with the relatively stimulating activity of making art.
Extra Room
Cozy shed-style rooms are the latest movement in the country's most popular online short-term lodging companies. Considering your backyard as a place to create extra revenue is a significant endeavor. Many people have successfully converted old sheds or built new ones as adjunct lodging with great success, but there are many zoning rules and restrictions to follow.
The she shed is by definition a personal space, so the ins and outs of commercial lodging will not be covered here. Instead, let's discuss the function of a she shed as a de facto guest house for those times when you are short on rooms for overnight (non-paying) guests. (Of course, the shed can also double as a built-in nap room for yourself!)
The restful she shed has a daybed or a comfortable sofa as its dominant feature. You may consider laying plumbing for a bathroom, and sheds are usually wired for light and power. If a bathroom isn't possible, then the shed should be positioned close enough to the main house to make using the bathroom convenient. Think about cabinets to store bedding and a small closet area for guests' clothing.
Make it comfortable for others, and make it wonderful for yourself.
Gardening
The humble potting shed, ubiquitous within the allotments of the United Kingdom and in the rambling yards of the East, South, and Midwest, is no doubt the grandmother of she sheds. The potting shed often had a modicum of charm even in the midst of dirt and plant cuttings. Most are spacious enough to house a potting bench and a place to sit down. Potted seedlings and houseplants needing a bit of nursing add their own style to the place.
Chicken coops were not designed for humans, and yet they too helped identify the she shed style. Caring for chickens often has been the woman's responsibility in a farm family. She strives to make the structure a cheery place, painting it barn red, perhaps, or making a pretty sign. The interplay of form and function in the outbuildings used by women has a long history.
Home Office
For a woman running a business or telecommuting, the shed provides many of the advantages a separate office does, with some additional benefits. In a shed, the office is close to home without being as prone to distractions or interruption. It is an affordable alternative to leasing a space (although you will need to get it wired up for electricity and Wi-Fi, as well as installing heating and air-conditioning). It is private and quiet, and it lets you keep an eye on your house, even while you're at the office.
Using the shed as an office space will require careful planning. Ideally, the workspace — consisting of a worktop, file drawers, shelves, and cabinets — will be versatile enough to serve double duty as a creative area on weekends.
Being inside the shed for a full workday calls for optimum comfort, which includes investing in an ergonomic chair, perhaps a stand-up desk platform, plenty of natural light and/or task and overhead lighting, and well-placed wall sockets for a computer, printer, and other appliances, such as a coffee maker or electric tea kettle.
Social Space
Yes, it's personal and private, but the well-appointed she shed is going to attract attention — and visitors. People fall in love with these backyard structures and want to be around them. This is a good thing and doesn't mean you've lost your privacy. The shed acts more as a backdrop than a party house; it's very useful as a makeshift bar, and the area surrounding it makes for an attractive, defined gathering spot.
Another way to go is to embrace your shed as a friend magnet and a wonderful, small private club. Opening your doors to happy hour with friends, or tea parties with the grandchildren, will get an enthusiastic response. A she shed as entertaining space, then, will be light, bright, and spacious. It should offer a welcoming transition between indoors and outdoors, such as a deck and double doors that open wide.
Plan for storage cabinets and (if possible) a food prep area. This kind of social shed should be somewhat close to the house for conveniently transporting dishware and food.
The social shed easily turns back into a private space once the party's over. Just know that it will be more difficult to recapture that "it's all mine" feeling when you let others into the she shed. Sharing the joy of the shed versus keeping it sacred at all times? Listen to your heart.
Writing
Whether you are a professional writer or someone who en- joys journaling in the late afternoon, the act of writing calls for intense concentration. Minutes will swirl past as you craft and rework your paragraphs, until the rude thud of a door flung open signals your quiet time is over. Writing in a shed provides hours of alone time, not to mention pretty views of the yard to inspire and refresh the mind.
The shed is completely detached from the house; not only does that discourage needless interruptions from children and other family members, but it also keeps you away from impulsive chore-hopping. Your time will be managed more wisely if you have the physical detachment that a writing shed provides.
A desk or table is typically used for writing, although some writers have their own unique places and ways to practice their craft. That might be prone on the floor, stomach down, or it could be feet up on a favorite sofa, laptop on lap. As a writer, you'll want to think about your favorite working position and make that a priority when designing the shed. Perhaps a comfortable area rug is more important than a desk.
You Are the Designer
Women are geniuses for identifying sheds as the new lifestyle frontier. No other building marries scale, convenience, usefulness, affordability, and charm in quite the same way as this humble little outbuilding. That's why building a style genre around the livability of a shed is so exciting.
Being the designer of your she shed should feel thrilling and liberating — there should be no fear whatsoever. So, the moment things start feeling too formal or restrictive, sit down on the nearest comfortable chair and say to yourself, "It is only a shed, but it is my shed." Take a deep breath and peruse your favorite Instagram or Pinterest she shed feeds to get the joy back.
If you strive to keep fun and personal satisfaction at the forefront of everything you do, then your shed's style will fall into place. Use the advice and design categories in the chapters ahead for navigation only; they are tools, not rules. Keeping your "buckets" organized is just a way to make the styling job less overwhelming.
Every Inch Counts
Scale is a vital topic that will be covered substantially from an architectural standpoint in Chapter 2. But it's going to be so important in the design and decorating of your shed. The dimensions of a shed are pretty close to the size of a single room in a house, and yet that room needs to feel like a complete home. It needs to satisfy all the necessities of a human being who is living in that place and undertaking some specific activities. If you are familiar with the principles of tiny house living, you'll see the similarities. Tiny home design has become very sophisticated, using space-saving techniques inspired by recreational vehicles and ship galleys.
Sheds have lower ceilings and smaller footprints, so the lamp that looks fabulous near an oversized sectional is going to overtake a small shed. On the other hand, sometimes a single large "statement" piece is a much better design decision than lots of little ones. Keep scale in mind and measure carefully when building or furnishing, but let your creative intuition speak to you as well.
Design for Comfort
Comfort is strongly connected to scale and space planning, because your shed needs to allow for ease of movement. De- pending on the size of a she shed, there will either be plenty of space for all the furnishings, or you might have trouble getting it all positioned without tripping over table legs.
For the generous-sized shed, it's still a good idea to do some careful space planning. A larger shed allows you to build in a comfortable sitting/lounging area that will be well situated for light and view. Face the daybed or loveseat toward a French door or opposite a wall with a large window. Most sheds aren't big enough to have a central area for grouping furniture, so it is very important to use wall space wisely. Keep one wall windowless to use for taller furniture, or design windows higher up near the roof.
Refined or Rough around the Edges?
Choosing the kind of shed you'll build can go in two directions: refined or rough. A refined shed is one that mimics a home build in the sense that it is completely finished and trimmed out with standard materials. This shed is completely sealed and has insulation and drywall, baseboards and other finish trim, electrical hardwiring, contractor-grade doors and windows, rain gutters, and vents. New sheds, made from a kit or using all new materials and contractor-level building techniques, are refined sheds. They will be more expensive, but they will exude a very sophisticated sense of permanence. They will also be very comfortable year-round.
The sheds I call "rough around the edges" are most often built by hand and from scratch, often using a lot of mismatched salvaged materials. A lot of love and care are put into the construction, and of course proper measures are taken to ensure a sturdy structure — solid foundation, good building techniques using the right load-bearing lumber, and secure doors and windows. But the walls are not drywalled, and a few things may not be perfectly sealed or level. Rough sheds have the charm of being handcrafted, with the unique feel of outbuildings from long ago.
These are two completely different looks that come with their own pros and cons. Sometimes the decision is made for you by building code laws or the type of weather in your area. Still, you can design with the refined or rough sensibility in mind, using that vision to inform your decisions.
Adding Style to a Kit Shed
Kit shed manufacturers have come a long way in the last few years. Recognizing that many of their customers were buying sheds for small backyard getaways, some companies have started to market their larger and fancier sheds as she sheds. While this is good news, keep in mind that a kit shed only goes so far in its aesthetic and quality level. The sheds are fabricated for a mass market as well as for affordability and efficient transport — they often lack the more substantial details you have in mind.
A kit shed is a great way to get the basic size and shape shed that you want. It's up to you to furnish the stylish add-ons and details. On the next page are some key ways to do this.
• Change out the windows. The number one improvement for maximum impact is upgrading and/ or adding windows to a kit shed. Gather your windows and then modify the framework to fit them in. On the inside, building windowsills will add interest to plain walls.
• Invest in a great door. If your kit door needs improvement, consider adding small window panels. Make sure the door can allow the necessary framing and support for windows. Otherwise, swap out the kit doors for French doors or a track door.
• Anchor the shed. The trouble with plain boxy sheds is that they seem awkward and detached from the rest of the landscape. There are lots of ways to make a shed harmonious with its surroundings. First, choose the site carefully so that the shed connects to a landscape element-perhaps on a slight rise, at the end of a natural pathway, or nestled in a copse of trees. Connect the shed visually to its site using architectural additions, such as a pergola or finished porch. Always make an extra effort to create an attractive front entrance. Bank the shed with plenty of flowerbeds, raised planter boxes, and interesting sculpture.
• Upgrade the trim. Customize your trim to a wider or narrower width around windows, corners, and doors. For a unique rustic look, use a better-quality wood and stain it to complement the siding color.
• Add exciting siding. Kit shed siding usually consists of thin pre-painted panels that can appear more like vinyl than wood. Substantial trim profiles will improve the look of this siding, as will a couple coats of your own paint. Another great look is shingle siding; it works for many architectural styles, from modern to rustic. You can also invest in clapboard or board and batten siding for a complete makeover.
• Install a custom floor. Most kits do not come with flooring material; they'll only provide a frame for it. The simplest of floors would be 3/4" or ‡" plywood that you can paint decoratively. A plain kit shed gets a terrific boost from a stylish floor, whether it's laminate that looks like wood, vinyl plank flooring, or real wood planks.
(Continues…)
Excerpted from "She Sheds Style"
by .
Copyright © 2018 Erika Kotite.
Excerpted by permission of The Quarto Group.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
Introduction, 5,
1 | She Sheds: The Elements of Style, 7,
2 | The Architecture of a She Shed, 21,
3 | What Color Is Your She Shed?, 57,
4 | Interior Design: Shed Style Defined, 81,
5 | Doorways & Entryways, 117,
6 | Important Details, 147,
She Shed Space Plan, 171,
Acknowledgments, 172,
Resources, 173,
Photo Credits, 173,
Index, 174,
About the Author, 176,
