My shed was built 17 years ago and it was always my intention to make it a fun and pretty place to play. But life got in the way on numerous occasions, mostly in the form of my daughter moving back home and using the shed to store all of her furniture. Usually when she moved out, some things were left behind, because Mom had more storage room than she did.
It seems every summer, the goal has been to finish the shed. That was one of last summer’s goals, but an unexpected surgery put an end to those plans. So this spring, after I finished the new side gate and fence, I decided to tackle the shed. Although it didn’t have any furniture in it, it had become a place to gather miscellaneous junk. You can even see the little stool lying in the pile.
So, the first call to order, was just to remove everything, or as much as I could. The rest of the things were moved to one side so I could start working in one area.
The first thing I did was wash the wall to wall shelves I had built in there some years ago, They were covered in a 1/16-inch layer of fine dust from when the chickens had lived in the attached green house. Then everything was painted white and items replaced on the shelves. The top of the walls were painted in the same color as my wooden gates, but the color looks so much darker because it is so dark in the shed.
Once finished with the shelves, I started in one corner and worked my way around the shed, moving the junk in the middle as I went. The pictures in this post are not the best because the room is so small and dark, and don’t come close to doing it justice.
Between each stud, I glued cut sheets of hard beadboard to the wall, topped with a piece of trim, and then painted the wall green above.
On the dividing trim pieces I attached a different style wrought iron hook.
Every section completed was incentive to keep moving my way around the room.
Some sections went quicker than others because accumulations of stuff had to be moved and find a new place to land. Mice had moved into this corner and had made themselves a comfy home behind stacks of extra wood, as evidenced by the stains in the corner. It’s looking much cleaner now.
The other side of the front door is the perfect place to store my outside table chairs, where they are kept clean and handy.
My original goal 17 years ago was to make this a grownup playhouse. But now, it is simply to make it an area to store all things garden related, keep it simple, and keep it clean.
Although the glare and darkness makes it difficult to see, cabinet doors, bought years ago at a flea market, were finally painted and installed below the shelves to store unsightly things. Bins I’ve had were put into use to store potting soil, sand, peat moss, etc.
The side of the shed that is attached to what was once a greenhouse, has a set of French doors. I decided to paint them the same green and it really set them off to become a nice feature in the room.
The ceiling and floor are still in their rough, original state, and will most likely be worked on next year. For now, the floor and ceiling will have to stay as they are, because I’ve had to move on to the huge job of replacing my deck.
It is a huge relief finally, after 17 years, to see it in the condition I had imagined it in my mind so many years ago. It has come a long way during the month of June, and when I walk into it, I finally smile, instead of cringe.
Little useful items have found their home here, including the little stool.
It is a room with a view looking out over my gardens. And sometimes, when the skies actually bless us with rain, I like to pull up one of the chairs from the corner and just sit, watch, and listen to it fall. It is such a peaceful place to be.
My garden shed smiles, as it has finally grown into its intended potential.
Dear Cindy, I love what you have done with the space. I know that feeling of walking inside with a smile on your face and an “ahhh” whispered from your lips… Those French doors are perfect and the shade of green, DIVINE! I can’t wait to see the deck progress!
🍃💖🍃👒🍃💖🍃
Thank you Terie. I know you understand how I feel since you have your Stepback Cottage. They are places that speak of “all things summer” to us.
This is so charming, will you ahh electric? I envision a wonderful flea market ceiling light.
I’ve always yearned for my art studio to be in a place such as this
Thank you Cathy! I have often thought about and coveted having electricity out there, but it would be such a major expense to have an electrician run a line out there, that I most likely will not. It is something that I should have done years ago, but I’m not out there once it gets dark, so I’ll just enjoy it as it is.
I’m in awe of the projects you’ve tackled just in the short time I’ve known you online, Cindy. Your work is always meticulous and inspiring. Adding the green paint you’ve used elsewhere to highlight the bright, clean white was a great move and I love the assorted hooks you also painted white. I’d love to have a shed like that myself but I make do with having my garden “stuff” tucked into (and under) my garden bench, a small part of the garage I’ve carved out of what’s my husband’s domain, and in the narrow area behind the garage.
Thank you Kris. I enjoy carpentry, and doing it myself is really the only way I can afford getting things done. I’d love to hire it all out, but on one income and close to retirement, that’s not going to happen. Most of the expense out in the shed was bought many years ago in my starts and stops of working on it. I needed 3 more sheets of headboard to complete the walls, and I couldn’t find the same kind and took the only 3 sheets I could find in Columbus, even though they were damaged. Other than that, the paint, and 6 more hooks I bought last week at the flea market, that was really all the expense required for this summer. Now the deck will be a different matter, which is what I’m working on now, and I’ve found a few ways to cut costs there too, a lot of which involves ripping it all out and rebuilding it myself. It wouldn’t be so bad, except for this heat. The only time I can handle the heat is between 6-8am and 7:30-9pm. Even at those hours, I’m swimming in sweat. But with no end in sight for the 90 degree days, you just do what you have to do.
It is wonderful Cindy! It looks so pretty and fresh in there. And you bave put so much work into making it like new. 😃 Another great project! Well done. 😃
Thank you Cathy. Projects seem to be on everyone’s agenda this year as we all spend more time at home. This project has been long overdue, and it is a major relief to finally, finally have it done. I seriously doubt at this point in time with all that is going on in the world, if the ceiling or floor will ever get finished, but you realize in times like this, that some things just aren’t important. My biggest challenge now is just to keep it tidy and organized and never revert back to a place where junk collects. My daughter bought her own home with a basement, so the last of her things have finally found a more appropriate landing place.