Erika Kotite - She Sheds (mini edition): a Room of Your Own

Photography: Rebecca Ittner

SHE SHED. HEN HUT. LADY LAIR. Call it what you want, the newest iteration of a womans private space often looks like a small-but-splendid room built in the backyard. She sheds are mushrooming everywhere in a wonderful array of sizes, styles, and uses. From Australia to Alaska, Texas to Ukraine, women are staking claim to a personal space to call their own.

A she sheds small footprint makes it easy to fit onto your property, affording a unique getaway for your creative pursuitsgardening, meditating, reading, painting, or simply hearing yourself think. Most are built with simplicity at the forefront. They are often not insulated but stocked instead with cozy quilts and pillows. Light is supplied by the sun or a few battery-operated lights. The idea is to be free of responsibility, using the space to unwind and to do exactly what you want.

Part of the fun of a she shed is using salvage and recycled finds. Youll finally have a perfect use for that wonderful carved door you bought at an estate sale five years ago. Your shed provides the space for that collection of old clocks or tinted seltzer bottles buried in the closet.

As women, we handle a heavy load of responsibility: jobs, marriage, children, aging parents, household chores, and social obligations. Days will go by after which we ask ourselves, Have I had one minute alone, in the quiet, to myself? She sheds are a refuge of comfort, there for however you want to use them. A she shed is for you and you alone.

In this book, youll discover she sheds from around the world, exquisite in their uniqueness, all owned, designed, and enjoyed by women. Are you fantasizing about building your own she shed? Consider this a guidebook for gathering ideas and seeing how others brought their sheds to fruition.

If, however, you just feel like entering the tiny homes in this book as enjoyment and fodder for your dreams, thats fine too. Whatever your desire, you are welcome here.

Photography: Sarah Greenman

1

WHATS YOUR SHED STYLE?

Sheds are by definition practical, no-nonsense little structures. Derived from the Middle English word shade, a shed exists primarily for protectiona dry, sheltered place to keep things safe.

Keeping the sheds inherent practicality is intrinsic to its appeal as a she shed. Each woman who possesses a she shed has her own reasons for using it, and usefulness is the real beauty in these structures.

That said, joy comes not so much from the architectural style of the sheds exterior as from the soul of its interior. Windows and French doors bring in the light of a spring day. Shelving provides a long-awaited place to put family photos or keep jars containing go-to artist brushes.

No matter how your list of must-haves compares to your budget, there are dozens of ways to modify, make do, salvage, and repurpose. So your shed style will evolve from the functional into its ultimate form. The following are five overarching shed styles that you can consider when creating your own she shed.

Photography: Rebecca Ittner

MODIFIED UTILITY SHED

MOST KIT SHED manufacturers provide a no-frills utility shed with simple wall framing construction, a roof high enough to allow a person to walk upright, and a single window to let in light. It is basic on purpose: to make it easy for you to customize it.

Think of this shed as a starting point. It provides the required floor, walls, and roofing, but it needs your imagination and elbow grease to bring it into full she shed mode. From foundation to rooftop, there are dozens of ways to upgrade and personalize the structure.

For example, your shed can be raised up and given a specialty floor option, such as vinyl or laminate.

The exterior siding might consist of flat plywood panels or shiplap siding. Shiplap siding is often installed vertically (think about a barn), but it can also be turned on its side to create a sleeker, more modern look. You can also add decorative trim and a two-color paint scheme.

The kit window is usually made of thin glass or plastic, which you can replace with a true operating window. Sheds usually have wide or double doors, but you can opt for a beautiful French door instead.

Photography: Jeff Doubet

MODERN

THE MODERN LOOK is most often equated with minimalismstraight lines, no frills, and a restrained palette with maybe one bright note of color here and there to keep things interesting.

Modern-style sheds are often built of horizontal wood siding or larger rectangular panelsaluminum, acrylic, and other modern materials are common. The roofline is flat or minimally sloped. Windows are large, single pane, and simply framed; upper-level clerestory windows and skylights satisfy the styles natural light requirement. Decorative elements might include abstract sculpture or a tapestry of native or geometric design.

Besides the large windows, many modern-style sheds have single or double glass doors opening out to a front deck.

Photography: Studio Shed

ROMANTIC/VINTAGE

THE POPULAR ROMANTIC/VINTAGE aesthetic look is deeply feminine, borrowing from the still-thriving shabby chic tenets of muslin slipcovers, distressed antique furnishings, cabbage roses, and sparkling chandeliers. This style goes well with Victorian architecture, especially Gothic; its also a good choice with a simpler cottage-style shed.

A romantic style accommodates women who collect china, art, fabrics, jewelry, or antique silver pieces. The collections become part of the design. Women with romantic-style she sheds experience a deep satisfaction in finally having a place of their own to decorate that doesnt have to take into account anyone elses opinion or style.

Photography: Shirlie Kemp

CLASSIC

THE CLASSIC STYLE varies from country to country. It is essentially the home style that we each imagine in our minds, an etched impression weve had since childhood.