It’s been a popular idea for a while now, and as I watch my neighbours build a new summer-house at the bottom of the garden, my mind is again drawn to how we should be creating the perfect she shed. What is this new fangled thing I speak of, I hear you say. Well the ‘she shed’ is the girls’ equivalent of the man cave. Forget all about bicycle parts, drills and tools and boxes of nails, and think cool, calm, comfortable space for drinking sparkling wine as the sun goes down. If that doesn’t work for you how about a sewing room, a craft room, a reading den or more. There are so many possibilities, let’s look at some of my tips for getting this space just right.
Top Tips for Creating the Perfect She Shed:
Many of these tips are just like those you would use to decorate the inside of your home, but she sheds do require a few specific tips in order that you maximise their potential.
Make the Most of the Light:
As the space will be quite small, design the interior to make the best use of the available natural light. Paint the interior walls in a light colour, stain the floor or add a lightly colour rug, hang a mirror and keep the furniture and accessories as light as you can. All these tricks will help make the space feel bigger.
Be Clever with the Space:
Give yourself some time to research how to utilise the space. Maybe you need a home office, or perhaps a craft room, or just a space in which to relax away from the daily grind. However you want to use your perfect she shed, don’t be afraid to lay out the plan on the floor and hunt around for furniture that fits the space well. Don’t go for oversized pieces as you’ll drown the room, but search charity shops and eBay for preloved items that fit the room’s dimensions.
Choose the Building Wisely:
If you’re buying with the specific idea of creating a perfect she shed in the first place, then choose wisely. An angled summer-house might not be the best idea if you want a desk for an office space, but might work for a den or reading room. Wood is good and can be painted but there’s maintenance involved, concrete garden rooms are more permanent and quite on trend at the moment, and make for a stunning yoga studio, above.
Stick to One Theme:
Whether that’s a certain colour, a particular look, or the actual use of the room. As it isn’t a big space you need to make it clear what it’s about, don’t over clutter and keep it simple. Shots of red and a geometric theme make this above room a cool and contemporary den, but if you like a coastal theme or want something more shabby chic, do that and stick to it.
Keep it Green:
Always recognise that this is an outdoor space, and add plants and flowers to help it blend with the garden. From an aesthetic point of view, they’ll also soften the room and add a relaxing element however you choose to use the area.
Images: Heart Home Mag || John Lewis || HGTV || John Lewis || Lowes
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Jen is an interiors writer and blogger and has an insatiable love of home style and decor
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Would love a she shed! A friend has one with a log burner in it so she can be in there in the winter too……! Tres chic and a million miles away from home life as a Wife and Mum
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That sounds perfect Rachel, what a great idea. Just need a little prosecco fridge now too 😉
wow..lovely 🙂
Just loved all the stuffs you put here. Great idea mam.
I would love a shed of my own. I’ve been coveting Amanda’s from afar and trying to pick spot in my garden for something similar. It would be so nice to have a place to escape the chaos of living with three boys.
Arg! I love this!!! I’ve been trying to work out what to do with our shed. It needs to be functional to store all the outdoorsy bits and bobs but as we do a lot of growing our own fruit and veg I’d like it to be a proper room that we can spend time in potting our plants etc. I definitely want to bring in more windows and double fronted doors. Can’t wait for my summer project