Simple ideas to style your garden shed

by | May 8, 2018 | DIY Tips, Outdoor

If your house has even a modestly sized garden, chances are that you also have a garden shed to hold all the tools and equipment needed to maintain your garden. While most of us are very particular about our gardens looking well spruced, neatly organized and welcoming, we often tend to sideline our garden sheds because no one will take a look inside them, right?

Having recently tidied up and reorganized my shed, I have come to realize that a neglected, dilapidated garden shed is just wasted real estate – you can do so much more with a garden shed: If it has a large window with a view (or a sunroof) and enough space, you can turn it into a sunroom to relax in with a book and a glass of wine over the weekend. Even if it is a simple closed up wooden shed, it can be turned into a cozy little room to display souvenirs from your outdoor escapades.

The point is that it can be a lot more than a dumping ground for your gardening stuff. Here are some ideas to style it up:

Clean house

Before you start working on the aesthetics in earnest, you should go through the items that are already present in your garden shed. This could be stuff left over from last year’s Christmas, heavy duty gardening tools that don’t see much use (hedge cutters, axes etc.), regularly used tools (e.g. as lawn mowers, spades, watering cans), and as with any dump, stuff that you don’t have any use for but have not gotten around to throwing out yet.

It is this latter category that needs to be dealt with forthwith: if there is stuff that is broken beyond repair, toss it in the trash (unless it has sentimental value, in which case you can turn it into a decoration item). If there are articles that are not damaged but you don’t see any use for them in the foreseeable future, try auctioning them off at a yard sale – or you may even donate them to a friend or family member who could find a better use for them.

Organized storage

Now that you’ve categorized stuff according to its frequency of use (and, indeed, usefulness), you can start storing it accordingly. Seldom used stuff can be tucked away in a closet or trunk in a far corner of the shed. Things that see use once every few months or so may be hung on walls from where they may not be readily accessible but are nevertheless visible – so that you can find them when they are needed.

However, for the most frequently used items, I would recommend setting up a few shelves that are within arms reach as soon as you enter the shed. Depending on how much room you have left, you could also devote a shelf or two to hold décor items.

Decorate

While we’re on the subject of décor, you can do more than just put a few broken mementos on a shelf. You can craft entirely new ones that showcase your creativity and your love for nature simultaneously. Woodcarving is an excellent pastime that can be used to create anything from animal figurines to practical furniture for your shed – just make sure you’ve got the best chainsaw for the job!

If dainty handiwork isn’t really your thing, you can boost the aesthetic appeal of your garden shed simply by giving it a fresh coat of paint. Bright sunny colors tend to go well with most gardens; you could go with a uniform shade throughout, or choose separate colors for the doors, walls and, windows. You may also plant some climbers next to the walls, and in time, they will cover them entirely, lending the shed a very organic, aged aesthetic.

Keep It Well Maintained

Once you’ve transformed your old, broken garden shed into a vibrant outdoor extension of your home, remember that you cannot let it fall into disrepair like before. You’ll need to check on the condition of the wood from time to time and perform adequate repairs. If you live in a place where termite infestations are common, it may be a smart move to invest in a proper treatment that keeps them at bay.

Make sure the bolts and locks on the doors and windows are rust-free, and if you’ve used any plants to decorate the inside or outside of the shed, remember to trim them once in a while. I will also advise you to invest in a padlock to secure the shed when you’re not using it – besides deterring human miscreants, it will also prevent stray animals from shacking up and/or wreaking havoc with the interior!

These are but a few ideas to get the most out of your garden shed – much of it is just common sense mixed with a dash of creativity. I am certain that with some motivation, you’ll come up with dozens more.

Read through our useful guide for more information

Let us get you started with your own self build