Everyone loves some alone time, some, a little more than others. While she sheds may seem like just another modern-day fad, it is a concept that has been a long time coming.
You see, men have always had man caves to retreat to. Manly spaces where they are free to just be men without disturbing “the family’s” (read woman’s) sensibility about home décor or design.
And it’s not just about the man really.
Kids too also crave their own personal space, and they have been escaping to their little tree houses for as long as we can remember.
But the woman was always sentenced to the garden tub (albeit with candles and a glass of wine) whenever she needed to get away from it all.
Not anymore.
Recently, the concept of she sheds – a female version of man caves – has emerged, allowing women to finally carve out their own quiet spaces away from the demands of family and children with sticky fingers.
Storage Sheds make the best She Sheds
Okay, while she sheds may be the answer to man caves, they are not the exact opposite of man caves where the design and style is filled with girly pink stuff.
Rather, these woman caves are simply sanctuaries where the woman can get some much needed peace and quiet. A place where she can let her hair down and allow her creativity and personality to run free. A place to read, and work, and focus on personal projects.
Detached sheds in the yard make for the most ideal place to carve out a woman cave.
The problem with having your personal space attached to the house is it can be hard to get across the message that you need to be left alone. There is always the risk of kids kicking down the door to get to mom.
On the flipside, a detached space allows you to draw the boundaries more clearly. Not that you need to stick a “Keep Away” sign on the shed door per se, but it helps you better define your space by sending out the message that when mom is in her shed, she should not be disturbed.
Detached sheds are your archetypal she sheds, hence the name.
It’s good to point out that you don’t need to convert the existing shed in your backyard into a she shed or construct a new one from scratch. She sheds are readily available for sale, but if a full-blown version sounds too big or costly, consider investing in a garden shed instead. It costs a fraction of what a full shed goes for.
Alternative Spaces
Not everyone has the luxury of setting up their personal space in the backyard.
But the cool thing about she sheds is that, just like man caves, they can be located in various sections of the house, particularly those spaces with minimal traffic. Well, assuming that territory has not been marked yet!
Here are a couple of ideas that make for a great alternative setting.
- Garage
The garage may sound more like a man cave’s setting than a woman’s. However, with a bit of remodeling and decorating, it is possible to make it beautiful and feminine.
The garage can especially work out great if you are looking into doing some rougher work, but its downside is that you might have to share the space with the car.
- Basement
The basement is one of the more common areas to set up a she shed (or man cave). And for obvious reasons: it guarantees lots of space and seclusion.
The basement can be customized to your personal preferences without the worry of interfering with the home décor. And the beauty of this area of the house is that it is soundproof, creating a conducive environment to set up a personal sanctuary.
The one notable downside with the basement is that it might need quite some bit of work to bring it up to scratch.
- Spare room
For those who would rather avoid the arduous (and often costly) work of remodeling, a spare room can make for a quick and wonderful option. The one thing that remains is decorating.
But spare rooms can be inconvenient in that they may not be as secluded as one would wish for.
- Walk-in closet
Another great space to set up a woman cave, a walk-in closet promises the seclusion and peace of mind requisite for an ideal she shed, and more so if it is unutilized.
Their main problem is lack of sufficient space “to be”. But if you are just looking to have some space to yourself to get some creative work done, this shouldn’t be much of an issue.
- Attic
An attic is not the best place to set up a she shed, but if you really need one and are short of options, it might as well do.
The one thing that makes it unsuitable is the construction challenges it poses, so if you are going to use the attic, make sure to bring in a good contractor to refashion it nicely.
Picking a Theme
And now comes the fun part.
Now that you have the structure in place, a she shed is not really complete without the décor. It needs to be tailored to your own unique tastes and preferences because guess what? – this is your own personal space and you can do whatever you like with it!
There are numerous themes you can design the space along, so feel free to do some detailed research to get some interesting ideas.
Whether you love it shabby chic, prefer a nautical design or are into Scandinavian simplicity, the space is all yours baby – whatever suits your fancy. You can even make it a zen retreat. Or fun diner. A garden oasis. Or craft shack. Your creativity is your only limit.