She Sheds gallery
Where readers share photos of their She Sheds
The gallery pages are very popular, and viewed by readers looking for inspiration. We love adding new She Sheds – the very simple guidelines for submission are at the bottom of the page.
‘This is our garden office, or The Shedoffice that my partner Peter built in our garden in Newquay, Cornwall. I run my business, Alison Bick Design, from here. I sell my illustrated giftware, prints and greeting cards, and it’s a wonderful space to focus and get creative in. We picked up the orange Kartell Form chair from a mid century shop in Redruth, and it is our labradoodle Rufus’s top hang out spot when I’m working. We have a great view from the garden office over the top of our bungalow roof looking across to the Gannel estuary. The commute is not too bad either.’
Alison Bick, illustrator and digital designer
‘Sadly my mother sadly passed away in 2014, but I knew exactly what to do in her memory. I’ve named my ‘Wendy House’ in her honour. I chose two skylights and four double glazed windows, to let in as much natural light as possible, and a small wood burning stove. One end is fitted with shabby chic shelves, a work bench and moveable work lamps, for my craft work. The other end has a comfy, leather sofa for reading and relaxing, and there’s a bookcase from my childhood bedroom that has been upcycled to make shelving. The shelves are full of treasures from my mother’s house.’
Catherine Simpson, crafter
‘I started Kathryn’s Homemade Cakes in 2007, when my daughter started nursery. The business has grown so much it was taking over the house! My husband suggested that we build a garden workshop, as we didn’t want to move house. We had the fencing replaced and the concrete pad put in by a local company. My husband has fitted it all out for me (see below), using Ikea kitchen units.
We’ve added a fab 1950s larder cupboard and wall cabinet that were Ebay finds, and rain gutter makes a fantastic ribbon rack. I am still baking the cakes in my kitchen, but I then take them down the garden to my workshop, where I decorate them. The shed cake was the first cake I decorated in my workshop. This is the second week it’s been in use and I am loving having a separate workspace!’
Kathryn Matthews, Kathryn’s Homemade Cakes
‘Im a happy mum-preneur and in 2009 I became a Waveriders Widow. Honestly, its not all bad, days spent on the beach watching and waiting for my wave rider to get out of the water, is a pleasure. I get the opportunity to enjoy many a picnic with my family & friends. I thoroughly enjoy checking out the local boutique shops and trendy beach cafes so much so Im now in the process of blogging and writing a book about my beach life! More than anything, I am lucky enough to have a shed office at the bottom of my garden. The wave rider has his board shaping workshop at the other end and joins me now and again for posh coffee and banter. Work life is a beach! To all the other waverider widows I hope you enjoy and are able to share with me the good times of life on the beach! My blog is simply a platform for me to share all my beach life finds and promote other like-minded resources and websites.’
Tanya Brooks-Dowsett, blogger, www.thewaveriderswidow.wordpress.com/
Thermal blind maker Katy Duke has now moved from the workshop she created from a row of old school toilets (see the Garden Offices Gallery) into her purpose-built She Shed. With Demelza, her part-time seamstress and multi-tasker, she makes draught-stopping blinds for all kinds of windows, camper vans and narrowboats. The building is so well insulated that only an electric convector heater is needed, even on the coldest winter days. She stops heat escaping through the doors by attaching the ‘space blanket’ foil she uses in her blinds, peeling it off when she needs more light.
Katy Duke, The Thermal Blind Company
‘I love my Shed of Words. We’ve been together now since the 1st October and its going well. Who am I kidding; I wouldn’t leave if I didn’t have to! For the first time in my writing career I have a space that is entirely my own (apart from the cat invasions!) My favourite time of day is early morning (around 5am) when it’s just me and my creativity working the world’s next best seller.’
Catherine Yaffe, freelance writer & journalist, blogger
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‘I love my writing room as it is my refuge, my thinking space and the place that houses all my books. The shelves are decorated with precious mementos such as my collection of china cats, and my mother’s little Chinese and Japanese pieces. The walls have family photographs and paintings by my mother and my niece. Through the windows I can watch birds feeding on peanuts – blue tits and great tits, woodpeckers and nut hatches. And I can see the seasons change in the garden outside as the year passes. Plenty of inspiration all around!’
Mary, coach, www.daretoblossom.co.uk
‘This is my home office that provides me the space to get away from the household chores. It’s great having somewhere to go – not only do I have to get dressed to make my way to the other end of the garden but I can be focussed on the many tasks at hand – and on a lovely summers day can open both doors wide to look back at the house and soak in the fresh air. It arrived flat pack and my husband spent a weekend putting it up by hand. As you can see there is still some work to do in getting the approach to ‘The Cabin’ right – but one small step at a time as they say!…’
Natalie Andrews, virtual assistant, www.nabusiness.co.uk
Do you have a garden room for work or relaxation that you’d like to add to our She Sheds gallery?
Just email us your photo(s) of the interior or exterior, along with about 100 words on what you like about it, how it was built, where the inspiration came from etc.
We will add it to the top of the She Sheds gallery and share it on social media.
