The She-Shed Revolution: Creating Your Own Garden Room

We’ve all heard of a ‘man cave,’ a space built for the private relaxation of the male members of the household, full of all the indulgences they might need in their spare time. However, women, especially mums, are in plenty need of that solo space themselves, more so, if you ask me! While it doesn’t have to be exclusively for your own use, the ‘she-shed,’  a garden room built onto the side of the home, is becoming popular and I’m planning one as I type. I thought I would share my research.

Here’s how you can build your own.

 

Preparing The Space

First of all, you have to decide where you’re going to build it. Since this is an extra room added to the exterior of the home, it does take a little extra work. You might even need to apply for planning permission so do your research. A lot of people skip the process of having to build an extra door by building it around their back door. Either way, you need to prepare the foundation, creating a stable base with options like concrete slabs, paving stones, or treated timber bases depending on your budget and preferences.

 

Constructing The Room

With the foundation laid, you can build the room. There are pre-fabricated kits you can buy, but if you want to ensure the best quality for your garden room, choosing quality materials for the walls like polycarbonate sheets to go with metal frames (often clad in PVC) can ensure that you get the insulation and durability that your room needs. Choosing a robust roof is vital to protect against elements, with shingles and corrugated plastic both being popular options. You need to also consider the size of the doors and materials to ensure privacy and safety.

 

Give It The Comfort It Needs

To make your shed a real retreat, it needs to be comfortable all year round. Aside from choosing materials that offer great protection from the weather and insulation, you need to look at your heating options, whether you use electric heaters, wood stoves, or otherwise. Hiring an electrician to ensure the space is wired properly is important as well, as you’re going to need lighting at the very least. Good lighting design, incorporating task lighting and ambient fixtures, can help the room meet your practical needs while creating a cosy atmosphere.

 

Make It For Purpose

Although furnishing and decorating the room for its chosen purpose might be the last step of its creation, it should be one of the first things you think about. How do you plan to use your garden room and how can you help it best fit that purpose? Is it a home office, requiring ergonomic furniture, organization spaces and bright lighting? For myself, it would be someone I would primarily write without disturbance (my second book and first children’s book is out this September). Or are you planning a relaxation retreat with comfortable seating, soft furnishings and relaxing decorative pieces? Or perhaps an indoor garden, with potting benches and improved ventilation? There’s a lot you can do with your shed, but you have to keep the purpose in mind from the beginning as you design it.

With the steps above, you should be able to start building your own shed, a space that can offer the relaxation, peace, and solitude, and frankly somewhere to escape to, that we all occasionally need.