The She Shed
Suzanne’s she shed is designed as fun outdoor living space where you can relax and enjoy the beauty of the garden. It’s a wonderful place to drink your morning coffee and watch the birds and butterflies. In the late afternoon, we open the French doors and relax inside under the ceiling fan with a cold drink.
The she shed in December, 2022.
The shed structure is 12’ x 12’ square, with a 6’ x 12’ front porch. The front of the shed faces East, so the porch is shaded until mid-afternoon. The structure has a wood floor supported by six concrete piers. The walls are eight feet tall, and the roof has a 12/12 pitch. The roof pitch, shingles, paint and trim colors were selected to match those of our home.
The newly constructed she shed front porch.
The shed has two sets of French doors and four windows. We purchased both sets of French doors from Facebook marketplace. The two doors facing the garden came from a mid-1850s Victorian style home in Fredericksburg, Virginia. They are a bit rickety but they have lots of character. The other two French doors are in beautiful condition as the couple we purchased them from took great care of them.
The two windows facing the front porch were purchased from a home accessories store in nearby Vint Hill. We wanted something fun and whimsical and these windows fit the bill! They were designed to be decorative, not functional, but I managed to put glass in them to keep out wind & rain. They are both fixed windows and do not open.
The north entrance to the she shed.
The two small windows in the front and back of the she shed were added for light and ventilation. Both windows are old single-pane windows we purchased from the Habitat for Humanity store in Warrenton. Only the rear window is functional. It remains open during the summer months to allow heat to escape. There are gutters only on the north side of the shed and they were necessary to keep rain water from the roof from splashing off of the steps and onto the doors. The gutter and the front porch allow us to keep the doors open during mild summer rains.
The shed has electricity, several electrical outlets, an indoor ceiling fan, and an outdoor ceiling fan on the front porch. The walls and ceiling are insulated and drywalled. The insulation keeps out the heat during the summer (from the black roof), and during the winter we keep houseplants and tender annuals from freezing by using a small space heater. An electrical outlet on the front porch allows us to power a wireless speaker and a bubbler fountain located inside the garden area next to the shed.
Ladder bookshelves on the back wall of the shed.
Inside, the ceiling is painted white to make the room bright, and the walls are painted Ballet White (Benjamin Moore). Suzanne’s decorating makes the space comfortable, cute and inviting.
Vintage garden posters adorn the west wall; Pottery Barn chairs; Farm house jute rug.
Looking towards the garden (in winter).
The mermaid adds some flare over the doorway.
In conclusion, we love our she-shed, and it has greatly extended the amount of time we spend outside enjoying the garden. The dogs and cats love it, too, as they relax in the shade and watch us work in the garden.
Moose (left) and Mowgli relaxing inside the she shed.
Moose (left) and Tonka enjoying the breeze from the ceiling fan.
Relaxing on a hot afternoon.