5 creative ways to transform your storage shed
Today, storage sheds have become a hideaway from busy lives - a place for adults to create and work on hobbies in peace.
Everyone has a want for a secret space.
Today, storage sheds have become a hideaway from busy lives - a place for adults to create and work on hobbies in peace. Man caves, she sheds, liveable sheds, personal gyms, art studios and even teenager dens and kid’s playhouses serve as a getaway for everyone in the family. They’re also a perfect excuse to commission innovative and stylish architecture.
If you have an unutilised space in the backyard, a transformed shed can help you provide a better return on investment. Turn the area at the bottom of the garden into a functional and welcoming environment.
From DIY to custom-built, these creative ideas will help you convert a neglected structure into a sustainable garden hideaway with purpose.
1. Backyard office
As more people work from home, homeowners are replacing the traditional shed with flexible workspaces.
These work pods encourage quiet time. A home-away-from-home to personalise and work in privacy without distractions. Sheds that serve as work pods pack the comforts of home including insulation, lighting, power and heating options. Ideal for smaller properties to create a separate workspace, ‘shedworking’ adds new functionality to the house.
2. Shed home
Enjoy your garden for extended periods via the seclusion of a backyard room.
Homes that crave extra space benefit from turning the shed into an additional living room. Use it as a guest room, entertaining area, backyard retreat or extra room to soak up garden views.
Liveable sheds or shed homes are a popular option if you plan to pull down your existing shed. Replacing the old one may be more cost-effective and gives you the freedom to build a new shed to unique specifications.
In Australia, it’s illegal to live in a shed until it meets proper building codes. It must be engineered, designed and built right. Alternatively, shed home kits are a more efficient process.
Backyard rooms and liveable sheds can standalone in design or be connected to the main property via indoor-outdoor flow. When achieved well, a shed room is a cost-effective and achievable way to add value to property.
The tiny house movement has also made liveable sheds a smart choice. Small-space homes are good for people looking to downsize or can act as a home if you’ve bought land and need to live on it whilst you build.
Tip: Shed homes and shed living areas are an extension without having to extend your actual home. But they’re still an outside room – consider heating and cooling needs for comfort. Add windows and roofing fan to help with cooling and ventilation, as fumes quickly build up in small spaces.
3. Garden studio
Use your shed as a storage place for garden tools, but turn it into a centrepiece in the garden.
Paint it a colour that blends with the surrounding plant scheme, with boldly-coloured window trims, shutters and door. Use salvaged materials, add a potting bench, window boxes and shelves for storage.
Tip: Old ladders make great storage shelves indoors or out.
4. Green shed
Take your green thumb to the next level with a green shed.
In the right conditions, you can use the space to grow vegetables and herb gardens. Convert the shed into one that resembles a greenhouse. Reclaim old window frames with glass panels and use pallets to plant garden beds of crops like tomatoes, eggplants, potatoes, beans and beets. Keeping edible plants and herbs inside a green shed protects them from bad weather and pests, and gives you more growing control.
5. Library or movie house shed
Sometimes it’s hard to find a spot at home for books, movies, vinyl or other collectable items.
Creating a home library or movie house in your shed is a smart solution. Include wall-to-wall bookshelves to maximise space and move in a comfy armchair. For a movie house inspired shed, set up a projector and surround sound with large lounges. Add insulation, heating and cooling to create a practical and effective shed room.
The corner of your backyard doesn’t have to be a forgotten space. Instead, get creative and convert the traditional shed into a useful room with these tips.
