The Garden Shed; A Fixture In Every Backyard

19.06.22 06:57 PM By Carson Arthur

More than a spot to store your shovel

The garden shed has made an amazing transformation over the last few years. No longer are homeowners satisfied with a little wooden shed in the back corner of the yard. Sheds now have to look good, as they are becoming a focal point in our outdoor living spaces with faux finishes, painted trims and decorative window boxes!

  


There are two reasons why this is happening. The first, backyards are getting smaller as homes are getting bigger. The available space outside is shrinking, which means that we can’t hide our beat-up tins sheds behind a large bush anymore. The other main reason has to do with our need for more. With all of the fantastic tools, backyard games and outdoor furniture available, our need for storage has increased dramatically as we acquire more things. This means that our sheds are getting larger, making them even harder to keep discrete. 

 

Instead of helping my clients hide their sheds, I am bringing them front and centre. Here are two perfect examples of how sheds can be so much more in your backyard space than a spot to put the wheel barrow or the lawn mower.

 

Tracy’s shed

 


I used this saltbox roof styled shed to both anchor Tracy’s backyard, but also to hide the neighbour’s 2-storey house which towered over the back fence. The average height of a peaked roof on these new sheds is 12-15’ and by adding a pair of lattice panels topped with a decorative arbour, I was able to create instant privacy that is beautiful and functional at the same time. My favourite part of this transformation is that the shed not only holds all of the tools, but Tracy’s kids have hijacked the space as their playhouse, making it multi-purpose for the whole family.

 

Shoana’s shed

 


Shoana, like Tracy, wanted a shed at the back of her property but for a very different reason. Shoana wanted to use her shed as a backdrop for a long and linear space. With a modern aesthetic, Shoana wanted her shed to blend with the grey tones of her patio and fire pit, but also to have character and personality that is often lacking in modern design. In this case, I covered a simple asymmetrical panel shed with a stone veneer. The stone took about 5 hours to install, but completely changed the look of the shed. 

 

With so many ways to make your shed more than a storage space, why wouldn’t you want to make a change? Try something different this summer and make sure you send me a picture. I’d love to see what you are able to create with a little imagination.

Carson Arthur