Kotite - SHE SHEDS: a room of your own

A ROOM OF YOUR OWN

ERIKA KOTITE

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

The beauty of a she shed is its small footprint, making it easy to fit onto your property and still afford a unique getaway for your creative pursuitsgardening, meditating, reading, painting, or simply hearing yourself think. Most she sheds 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 maybe by 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, household chores, and social obligations. Often we are part of the sandwich generation, in which we take care of both our young ones and our aging parents. Days will go by in which we must ask ourselves, Have I had one minute alone, in the quiet, to myself? She sheds are a refuge of comfort, filled with promise and your treasured possessions. They are 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. If you are fantasizing about building your own she shed, consider this a reality guidebook for gathering ideas and seeing how others brought their sheds to life.

If, on the other hand, you just feel like entering into these tiny homes through the pages of this book as enjoyment and fodder for your dreams, thats fine too.

Whatever your desire, you are welcome here.

If you were to create your own she shed, what would it look like?

Sheds are by definition very 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.

This practical nature is still very present today even in the most stylish sheds, and for good reason. Keeping the sheds inherent function is intrinsic to its appeal as a she shed. Each woman who possesses a she shed has her own personal reasons for using it. Usefulness is the real beauty in these structures, even if that usefulness includes serious naptime.

That being said, a womans 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 your go-to artist brushes.

No matter how your shopping list of must-haves compares to your budget, there are dozens of ways to modify, make do, salvage, and repurpose. Even women with money to spare enjoy the challenge of creating a haven for practically nothing.

So your shed style will evolve from the functional into its ultimate form. There are a few overarching shed styles that you can consider and some building tricks to achieve them that are within reach and affordable.

Most kit shed manufacturers provide a no-frills utility shed that is meant to serve a variety of functions. This is a shed that begins with a simple wall framing construction, a roof that is high enough to allow for a person to walk upright into the shed, and a single window to let in light. It is basic on purpose: the intention is to make it easy for you to customize it as you see fit.

Think of this shed as a starting point. It provides the floor, walls, and roofing that you require, 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, instead of laying flat on the ground, your shed can be raised up and given a specialty floor option, such as vinyl or laminate.

The exterior siding might consist of either basic 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 give it a two-color paint scheme.

The kit window is usually made of thin glass or even plastic, so it can be replaced with a true operating window. Sheds usually have very wide or double doors, but you can opt for a beautiful French door instead.

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 as well. 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.

Another very appealing element to modern style is the removal of barriers between outdoors and indoors. Besides the large windows, many modern-style sheds have single or double glass doors opening out to a front deck.

If Pinterest is any indication, the romantic/ vintage aesthetic is probably the most popular in a she shed. The 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 very well with Victorian architecture, especially Gothic; its also a good choice with a simpler cottage-style shed.