11 Nominees for the ‘She Shed’ Hall of Fame

Last month it was pub sheds sweeping the Internet, but this week it’s all about “she sheds.” As I watched the lady lairs pop up on my Facebook news feed this week, I thought about all of the great backyard sanctuaries women have carved out for themselves that we’ve toured over the years. Some are for pottery wheels, some are for potting, some are simply for taking a midafternoon nap. Here are 11 of the dreamiest she sheds we’ve seen around Houzz.

She Shed FAQs

What exactly is a she shed?
It’s an alliterative way of referring to a woman’s backyard retreat. It can be a potting shed, an art studio, a treehouse, a converted playhouse, a cottage, a greenhouse, a camper, a converted chicken coop — basically any sort of detached outbuilding.

What happens in a she shed?
That stays in the she shed. I’m kidding. Its primary purpose is to serve as an escape from the noise, the projects and the other distractions in the house. Potting plants, throwing pots, reading, napping, blogging, knitting, woodworking, writing, catching up on some old-fashioned letter writing — whatever artistic pursuits or hobbies a woman has, she can complete them in her she shed in peace.

Does a woman have to build and outfit her she shed without any male help?
No. While many women are doing it for themselves, some have had help from their brothers, male friends, contractors and husbands. However, the she shed is always built according to the woman’s vision.

Does a she shed have to be wired and plumbed? No. Sunlight, candlelight and perhaps a garden hose provide all of the technology the basic she shed needs. Anything more elaborate than that is a luxury.

Are men and children allowed in the she shed?
Of course. While these getaways are built to the woman’s vision, some of the builders have done such a thorough job of creating a dream space that now guests actually pay to stay in them!


If there is a goddess of she sheds, it’s Sandra Foster. Her 9- by 14-foot romantic Victorian escape unrolled a thousand yards of ruffles and lace in our dreams. Tucked next to a stream in the Catskills, New York, the shed has a Shabby Chic–style charm that stirred something in so many of us.


Foster’s shed serves as a spot where she can get some quiet, groom her dogs, shoot photos, read, write and more.

See the rest of this she shed


Artist Michelle Stitz converted the garden shed in her Santa Cruz, California, backyard into a space where she can hide out and take a nap, work creatively and host overnight guests. Furnished with secondhand finds and homemade pieces, the building turned out so well that she even rents it out.


Stitz’s shed even comes with an alfresco bathing area, hidden under a willow tree.

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Courtney Hamill and her husband, Jim Crozier, spent three months kicking critters out of their backyard shed and transforming it into a 200-square-foot studio so that she could have a place to pursue turning her passion for ceramics into full-time work.


Their hard work paid off. The West Midtown, Atlanta, shed is now the headquarters of the thriving Honeycomb Studio.

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Across the pond, another ceramic artist found the place for her creative space in her South London backyard. The first thing homeowner Janene Waudby installed in the long garden in her new backyard was not a packet of seeds or a bird feeder, but this studio flooded with natural light.


Waudby had the 84-square-foot structure customized to make the most of the morning light with extra windows. It has enough space for her wheel, a small kiln and shelves, and wall space for pinning her inspirations. She also added a small patio where she can enjoy the fresh air.

See more of this she shed


After a tornado ripped apart Carolyn and Gary Pace’s Centerville, Texas, pole barn, they made the most of the wreckage and used the spot for a 270-square-foot greenhouse, made almost completely from recycled materials.


The couple upcycled a hodgepodge of used windows and doors from relatives to create the greenhouse. Some of the floor is composed of bricks from a neighbor’s chimney. Tending to her plants is a favorite pastime of Carolyn’s.

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This 96-square-foot shed stands out due to its playful style and creative recycling. Bob Krekelberg built it for his wife, Anne, and they shared it on one of my favorite Houzz Calls of all time, Annie Thornton’s for backyard sheds built with love. Used for potting and storing plants, and tending to seeds and cuttings, the shed gets plenty of love, due in part to the vintage glass plates that serve as windows.


This little teahouse in Laguna Niguel, California, helps nurse and homeowner Petra Wirsching catch up on her sleep. She often works early-morning hours and has a different sleep schedule than the rest of her household. The teahouse is a great spot for escaping any disturbances and catching a much-needed afternoon nap after a long shift.


This beautiful Japanese teahouse and its roji garden are part of a larger 3-acre experiential and mystical landscape in Chagrin Falls, Ohio. Designed by Nancy Drobnick, the design incorporates mystical references, such as to numerology, the Kabbalah and the idea of infinity.


If you are interested in a teahouse of your own, Drobnick will help you infuse it with your own special meaning. She will also place it and the surrounding gardens on the site in a way that keeps the spiritual energy of the place intact. That’s some serious custom spirit for a she shed.

Learn more about this she shed


A very different she shed sits about 150 miles southwest of Drobnick’s Japanese teahouse. Homeowner Emma Lyndaker knew the 8- by 14-foot grain storage shed on her Plain City, Ohio, property could be the ultimate hideout. With some help from her husband, Art, she moved the shed across the property to enjoy the best views, took down some interior walls, refinished the floors and gave the whole thing a big power wash.


Lyndaker enjoyed hunting for items for the shed just as much as she now enjoys them in the shed. The antique carved bed was a 50-cent find, and shelves display her collection of jadite.

She added a cozy napping area, a mini kitchen and a dining area. She also crafted a window from sea glass she’d found over the years.

Learn more about this she shed


Valerie Kirves, an owner of Iron Accents in North Georgia, put her she-shed dreams together at work and uses them to inspire others. Working with many salvaged pieces, including some from a dismantled 1890s general store and a chicken coop, she assembled a charming cottage outside of her store.


Designer Terri Winans keeps the decor in the shed constantly rotating to inspire customers, setting up potting benches, gift wrapping stations, collection displays, workspace for putting together holiday decorations and more.

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She sheds are not just for adults. I feel quite confident that young lady Birdie’s playhouse will make her a lifelong she-shedder. Let’s face it, this 55-square-foot structure is a she shed for her mother as well — it’s a place where they can spend quality mother-daughter time.

Located in Kent, Ohio, the classical structure was constructed in a style inspired by the architecture of the main house, Beatrix Potter and MacKenzie-Childs, and is set up for reading, having tea parties, playing and having sleepovers.


The playhouse was constructed so that it can fit on the back of a semi truck and travel with Birdie someday when she has a house and child of her own.

See more of this youngster’s first she shed


Tell us: Do you have a she shed of your own? Please share it with us in the Comments section.

URL: 11 Nominees for the ‘She Shed’ Hall of Fame http://www.decor-ideas.org/cases-view-id-25948.html