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 wanted to share the story of its beginnings and highlight some of my favorite details that make it so special to me.

How it Started

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 very functional.

I wanted a space where I could create. Somewhere to express myself and my love for vintage treasures 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 shed and began construction on my soon-to-be She Shed in 2017.

Upcycled Materials

Since we live in a historical house, I wanted the shed to reflect the age of the house.

To help achieve this, we used some fascinating materials that were all upcycled from their previous life.

We incorporated old doors from our home into the sides and back of the shed and some vintage windows we purchased.

I bought the front doors and sidelights at an architectural salvage yard, and we purchased the exterior barn wood from a mill in Paso Robles that tears down old barns and repurposes the wood.

For another upcycle, I collected a unique assortment of chair spindles that we used for the transom.

I also added some fun architectural pieces to the exterior and used old gardening tools for decoration.

Using upcycled materials not only limits waste, but it adds such a unique charm to a space that is hard to achieve when using new materials.

Inside The She Shed

To help the shed feel more spacious, the inside of the shed has an open beam design and is painted white.

We also added a mirror behind the windows along the back wall to make the shed feel more significant than it is.

All of the furnishings are pieces I have collected from estate sales. I love hunting for 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 décor.

There is no electricity or running water in the shed. However, we have run cords out to the shed to run market lights inside and out and an extra extension cord for my glue gun – that was a must!

Vintage Details

What makes my Shed extra special is all the unique vintage details that we added throughout. The She Shed is a functional space but also a creative space. So it was important to me to create a beautiful space full of my favorite things where I can relax, feel at home, and be inspired to create.

I use an old chicken cage to store all of 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 and as a place to hang my flowers to dry them. This piece is perfect for storing and hanging wreaths as well.

I use old metal tool cabinets to store my tools and supplies. In addition, I have several wood crates underneath my worktable for storage.

The décor of the shed has pretty much remained the same over the years.

It is the perfect space to display a few of my collections. I collect vintage flower frogs, old gardening tools, galvanized buckets, and watering cans. Oh, and I love to collect clay pots. Honestly, I love to collect a lot of things!

Other vintage details include a vintage pie safe that sits on top of the chicken cage, which works great for added storage or display.

I also have a vintage scale that hangs and holds flowers, old books, and birdhouses my husband has made.

She Shed Seasonal Décor

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

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

Spring in The She Shed

Living in Southern California, I am fortunate to enjoy my shed and my outdoor spaces all year long.

Springtime brings lots of beautiful fresh flowers, open doors, and planting. In addition, I enjoy adding a bit of Valentine’s Day decor and a few bunnies during Easter.

Fall in The She Shed

I think fall and Halloween are my favorite seasons to decorate the shed.

There is something cozy about cornstalks, pumpkins, and pretty mums in warm autumn hues. Add a few lanterns and candles, and you have a picture-perfect fall scene.

When it comes to Halloween décor, I can’t resist having some spooky fun. I had fun creating these jack-o-lantern tea lights and using long tapered candles displayed in front of a vintage mirror.

Decorating for the winter season and Christmas holiday is always memorable. I love to extend my holiday décor to my shed, which looks magical, draped in greenery and white twinkle lights or surrounded by red poinsettias.

It’s also the perfect place to display some of my holiday collections, like this vintage tinsel tree with birdhouse ornaments that add a bit of sparkle to my workspace.

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

For more fun in The She Shed, tune in to my weekly program called “Meet Me in the She Shed,” where I teach and demonstrate gardening and craft ideas for the home. You can see it live on Instagram on Thursdays, and the time varies each week. However, I post the time in my stories on Wednesdays. Hope to see you there!

If you love vintage treasures as much as I do, check out my SHOP MY FINDS page for a few things I pick up and sell on my site.