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Sheds With Style

To eliminate backyard clutter, confine it in a small outbuilding with panache

We love sheds for their practical value. There’s no better way to eliminate backyard clutter than to confine it in a small outbuilding. But these small shelters also can provide plenty of aesthetic appeal. If you’d like to apply Rick Arnold’s shed-building shortcuts to your own project, try some of these design ideas. You’ll also find a wealth of information in Joseph Truini’s Building a Shed (The Taunton Press, 2003), where some of these structures are featured.

A sheltered getaway. Tucked into the woods, this cottagelike shed was converted into a children’s playhouse. A porch, a Dutch door, and a cupola add visual interest and practicality. Window boxes connect the building to the landscape. Photo courtesy of Walpole Woodworkers.

Ample access. With three sets of double doors, the gable end of this shed provides quick, easy access to storage space. Decorative eave brackets, cedar shingles, and diagonal door panels contribute to the character. A paved extension off the driveway connects the shed to the house and yard. Photo by Crandall & Crandall.

Green siding. Mounted 4 in. off the sidewall panels, a cedar trellis supports vines that grow up from surrounding flower beds. Photo by Crandall & Crandall.

Lots of light. Wrapped with rough-sawn board-andbatten siding, this timber-frame shed shows off some of its joinery beneath an extended gable roof, where a king-post truss is supported by a pair of brackets. Four skylights (two per side) flood the interior with daylight. Photo by Roe A. Osborn.

Playhouse and storage in an old garage. Double-hung windows, dormers, and a cupola transform this detached garage into an outbuilding with character and purpose. An attached ladder provides access to a small hideout. Photo by Tom O’Brien.

From Fine Homebuilding194, pp. 86-87

March 5, 2008