Designing Our Shed (+ Some Readymade Options)
If you follow along on Instagram, you probably already know (via stories) that Emmett and I are in the beginning stages of a shed build. This project was honestly a spontaneous one. In an effort to gain more green space in the fenced section of our backyard (gotta make the doggos happy), we decided to move our existing shed to another location in our yard, outside of the fence. After talking through the logistics, we decided our existing shed is pretty old, is beginning to show wear & tear, plus it’s not super aesthetically pleasing to begin with. Since the ideal location for the shed is at the back of our yard, with plenty of negative space (aka- all eyes on the shed because it’s no longer hidden), we decided building a shed that better fit our style and needs was probably a better idea and good investment. Click through to read all about it, check out our progress so far, see the rough design idea I came up with- and if you’re in the market for your own shed, I gathered up some readymade options as well.
Funny enough, I was talking to the homeowners who built the house (and installed the existing shed), and their daughter mentioned it never fit quite right and always felt awkward stuffed into the fenced portion of the yard. Check out the image below to see how our setup currently looks. I know it will make our yard look much larger and will be better use of space.
Here’s the plan… build the new shed over the course of the next month or so, lay a paver path, and landscape around it to make it feel like it belongs at the edge of our property. We don’t want it to feel like an afterthought (even though it was exactly that). Once the new shed is installed, we’ll be removing the old one, and will install sod in its place!
As for my quick design plan, sheds aren’t something that really excite me (go figure!), but Emmett is really pumped about this project. We honestly use our current shed all the time. It houses garden, patio, and seasonal items… as well as landscaping tools and equipment. I wanted to design a shed that felt cohesive with our home exterior (or at least our future plans for it), met Emmett’s size requirements to store all our aforementioned items, and felt integrated into the landscaping. This is not a “she shed”, studio, or any type of fancy living space… it’s strictly for outdoor storage, so we didn’t want to make it too over the top. We’re also doing this on on a budget, so we tried to stick with basic materials. Obviously things will evolve as we get into the project, but for now- this gives us a good starting point. We’ll also add gutters, figure out better landscaping, and really try to make it feel intentional.
Emmett marked everything and has started digging and leveling the ground. Next weekend, we’ll pour the concrete pad that it will rest on. Can you tell this was totally his idea? I think he just likes playing around on the tractor… and here we are- building a shed. Haha! Although I’d rather be working on interior projects, I know this will actually be really nice once it’s finished and will make our fenced backyard feel so much better. It’s all good!
If you’re in the market for a shed, I had no idea there were readymade options you can buy online?! It’s too bad I just discovered this before he started digging. They come in all price points, but you’ll have to use your imagination for the color… many of these could be painted in a really nice way! Visualize some landscaping, exterior sconces, and a neutral paint job- and it just might fit your exterior and budget. Hope it’s helpful for someone- especially if you’re not interested in taking the total DIY approach, like we are.
