Welcome to The She Shed: Inside My Design Studio

Most of you probably know that my creative studio, where I bring all my gardening and craft ideas to life, is lovingly referred to as “The She Shed.”

But you may be wondering how The She Shed came to be. So, I am sharing the story of its beginnings and highlight some of my favorite details that make it so special to me.

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From Storage Space to She Shed Sanctuary: How it All Began

In the space where the She Shed is now, we had an old shed on our property that was being used for storage. It wasn’t pretty, and it wasn’t functional.

I wanted a space where I could create. Somewhere to express myself and my love for all the vintage garden decor I collect.

I envisioned a garden shed that I could also use as a creative studio—a beautiful space to work and find design inspiration. So, we tore down the old garden shed, drew up some plans, and began construction on my soon-to-be She Shed in 2017.

From Dream to Reality: Our She Shed Design

Since we live in a historical house, I wanted the She Shed design to reflect the age of our home.

But beyond being beautiful and complementing the style of our existing home, the She Shed needed to be multi-functional.

We dreamed of a space that could double as both a room for crafts and a garden shed to hold all our gardening essentials. This would create a seamless blend of functionality and creative inspiration.

She Shed Ideas: Upcycled Materials for a One-of-a-Kind Retreat

To build a She Shed that perfectly captured our vision, we started by scouring for salvaged materials and vintage architectural pieces.

These unique finds, along with some creative She Shed design plans, allowed us to build a one-of-a-kind space that perfectly suited our needs.

First, we incorporated a touch of history into the exterior of the She Shed by using old doors from our home for the sides and back. To complement them, we added some beautiful vintage windows we purchased from an old warehouse that was going to be torn down.

To create a truly unique entrance, I sourced the shed’s front doors and flanking sidelights from an architectural salvage yard. The exterior barn wood that clads the shed came from a mill in Paso Robles that specializes in repurposing wood from dismantled barns.

Continuing the theme of upcycling, I collected an assortment of vintage chair spindles. Then, we repurposed them to create a a transom window above the She Shed’s entrance.

Adding Vintage Charm: Whimsical Garden Decor

Once the exterior design of the She Shed was finalized, I added some architectural pieces for a touch of whimsy.

When it came to decorating the She Shed, I knew I wanted to include pieces that highlighted my love of vintage garden decor. So, of course, I couldn’t resist incorporating a few DIY garden crafts.

Over the years, I have given new life to everyday items by turning them into unique garden planters and one-of-a-kind floral arrangements.

You name it, I have probably planted in it! Retro strainers, sifters, colanders, dustpans, tool boxes, and even furniture! My cottage garden and She Shed boasts a collection of upcycled planters.

I transformed rusty old garden tools into succulent planters. I simply flipped them upside down and added some wire baskets with a bit of Sphagnum moss. My garden shed decor was even featured in Better Homes and Gardens magazine!

Love the idea of upcycled furniture or unique planters? Take inspiration from this DIY vintage chair planter, which I transformed into a beautiful piece of garden art by filling with succulents.

You can find more tips and tricks for crafting beautiful succulent arrangements on this post.

Lastly, to complement the rest of the She Shed decor, I created this functional clock from vintage garden tools. This fun project was easy to complete. Even more, it added some extra character and personality to the exterior of our shed.  

Peek Inside My Design Studio: A Tour of Our Shed

To help our charming little shed feel more light and airy, we opted for an open beam design paired with crisp white paint on the walls and ceiling. I adore how these two design ideas come together to create a warm and inviting atmosphere in the She Shed.

Along the back wall, we hung a large mirror. It not only looks like vintage windows (whichI love!), but it helps make the interior of the She Shed feel more spacious. The mirror also reflects natural light from the nearby windows in the shed, further enhancing the bright and airy feeling.

Since the She Shed does not have electricity or running water we did run some extension cords to make the space more usable.

To provide some extra lighting, we hung vintage-looking string lights with large Edison bulbs around the interior of the shed. And I had to add an extra cord for my glue gun – that was a must!

All of the decor pieces in the She Shed are items I have collected from estate sales. I love the hunt and finding hidden treasures to give a new life.

My large worktable, where I do most of my crafting, came from a restaurant. It has a great wood work surface on top and looks perfectly at home alongside my eclectic and vintage decor.

Dream It, Do It: Inspiring She Shed Interior Ideas

What makes my She Shed extra special is all the unique vintage details that we added throughout.

Since our shed serves double duty for gardening and crafting, creating a beautiful space filled with my favorite things was important to me. Here, I can relax, feel at home, and be inspired to create.

An old chicken cage serves as storage for all my pots. The aesthetic is perfect and has a great metal top that creates a second workspace for me.

I hung an old ladder from the ceiling to create extra storage. It also doubles as a place to hang and dry cut flowers from my garden or store seasonal wreaths as well.

Old metal tool cabinets are perfect for organizing my tools and supplies. In addition, I have several wood crates underneath my worktable for even more added storage.

Beyond gardening and crafting, the She Shed is the perfect space to display a few of my favorite collections. Specifically, I collect vintage flower frogs, old gardening tools, galvanized buckets, and watering cans.

Honestly, I love to collect a lot of things!

Other vintage details include an old pie safe that sits on top of the chicken cage, which works great for displaying my growing collection of aged terra cotta flower pots.

I also have a vintage scale that hangs from an old rusty decorative hook. I like to style the scoop with flowers, old books, and birdhouses that my husband has made.

Seasonal Decor Ideas: Our She Shed Throughout the Year

Just like in my home, I love to change out the decor in The She Shed for each season or holiday.

To keep it interesting, I also change it up from year to year. There is always some new seasonal decorative element to create and appreciate in my space.

Spring

Living in Southern California, I am fortunate to enjoy our She Shed and our entertaining spaces all year long.

Springtime brings lots of beautiful fresh flowers, open doors, and planting.

If I am not working on a new spring craft, you are almost guaranteed to find me here in the shed planting seeds and planning my cut flower garden or working on floral arrangements.

Summer

In the summer, we deck out the exterior of the shed with festive red, white and blue buntings and a few vintage red decor pieces that I have collected from estate sales.

I enjoy adding pops of patriotic decor throughout the She Shed early in May, and the decorations last all the way through Independence Day in July!

I adorn the She Shed with Simple 4th of July decorations like this red, white, and blue gingham rag wreath. Additionally, flower planters filled with red summer annuals add to the festive feel.

The She Shed also serves as a charming backdrop for our outdoor entertaining area which is perfect for both Memorial Day and Fourth of July celebrations.

Fresh flowers add instant beauty to any celebration! I love using vibrant blooms like red geraniums and red and white petunias for my summer table centerpieces.

Fall

I think fall is my favorite seasons to decorate the She Shed. There is something cozy about cornstalks, pumpkins, and pretty mums in warm autumn hues.

The changing leaves and crisp air are perfect for curling up with a good book or enjoying a warm drink. Just add a few lanterns and candles, and you have a picture-perfect fall scene!

When it comes to Halloween decor, I can not resist having some spooky fun. DIY Halloween crafts like this witch hat wreath and witch’s broom made with twigs bring the spirit of the season to life! 

Of course, the interior of the She Shed gets the spooky treatment too. These glowing jack-o-lanterns and flameless pillar candles, create a warm glow and eerie Halloween ambiance.

But, the She Shed is not the only outdoor space that gets a Halloween makeover. A “spook-takular” tablescape featuring a DIY Halloween tree creates an elegant yet festive setting for a fall dinner party.

Winter

Decorating for the winter season and Christmas holiday is always memorable. I love to extend my holiday decorating to my She shed, which looks magical draped in greenery and white twinkle lights.

It is also the perfect place to display some of my holiday collections.

As I said, I have a soft spot for vintage decor. So pieces like this vintage tinsel tree with birdhouse ornaments add a bit of sparkle to my workspace.

But that is not the only Christmas decor in the She Shed! As you can see, Christmas is my favorite time of the year, and I especially adore Christmas trees! Honestly, I do not think one can have too many.

Just do not ask my husband, LOL. Undoubtedly, he may not agree with me.

Closing Thoughts

I hope you enjoyed this behind-the-scenes glimpse into my beloved She Shed!

What is your favorite part of the shed? Or maybe you are planning to build your own? I would love to hear from you, so leave your questions or comments below.

Thank you for visiting today. Until next time!