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Shed Roof Maintenance for Winter
September 12, 2017Shed Usability with Style
Usually we talk about how to improve your shed’s utility, but what about your shed’s style factor? Some people are content with a plain, utilitarian looking shed in their backyard. But you don’t want your shed to turn into an eyesore, and why not make it an attractive feature of your backyard? If you use your shed to help in any kind of outdoor entertaining, you should especially consider the following tips on adding finishing touches to your shed. We’re going to go over a few iconic shed styles, and discuss what finishing touches we can add to create that create style for your outdoor shed. Have fun choosing a style that fits your style and budget.
Classic Cottage Shed
The cottage shed is a timeless and ubiquitous shed style. Part of this classic look is the garden around the shed. If you have a planter shed with a garden, this style shed is perfect. To nail this look, think of a quaint, cozy cottage you would find in a fairytale forest. Install a classic white picket fence around the border of your shed and garden.
Organize your garden so that it is a whimsical mix of unique flowers and bushes. Keep your garden well maintained, but keep a little bit of that “overgrown” look. Structures covered in vines also look great with this style. Install an arbor in the entrance to your garden, and plant climbing vines around it. You can also buy decorative wooden or metal trellis structures to place anywhere in your garden and cover with climbing vines.
For the actual shed, choose a light pastel color scheme. White trim is a must with this style, but any pastel color will do for the main exterior. Consider adding some scalloped fascia to your roof overhang. Window planters are a great way to meld your garden and shed together for that classic cottage look. Make an outdoor space somewhere in the garden or on your shed’s porch, if it has one, for some antique wooden chairs and table. Every cottage needs a cute spot to have afternoon tea!
Barn Style Shed
Another classic shed style is the barn shed. Of course, the most iconic looking barn shed has a red exterior with white trim, but you can get the same barn look with any color. Consider trying dark stained natural wood, or even different paint colors like blue or yellow. A sliding barn door gives the immediate impression of a barn, but dutch doors also work really well with this style. Adding hardware accents like long barn door style hinges and intricate filigree locking mechanisms will complete the look. A cupola, a venting structure on top of the shed, is both functional and stylish. Adding one will increase the ventilation of hot air from your shed, as well as adding to the barn look. You can even garnish your cupola with a weathervane on top.
To give your barn style shed a rustic, salvaged look, shop around for reclaimed wood doors and accessories. You can also look for salvaged galvanized metal sheeting to use on the roof or porch overhang on your shed.
Rustic Cabin Shed
Maybe you live in a colder climate, where cabin style buildings are common, or you just love rustic wooden cabins! The cabin style is all about natural woods and natural forest tones, like greens and the occasional burgundy accent. Cedar siding goes a long way towards making this style happen. You can either use cedar shake siding or cedar panels.
If you use cedar panels, consider choosing panels of different widths to give a rustic, natural look. If your shed has a porch, use natural, unshaped wood for the columns and fencing. Incorporate as many natural wood carvings and signs into your cabin and surrounding yard as you please! Polish off this look with a dark wood shingled roof.
Antique Victorian Shed
This is the most whimsical style you could choose for your shed. Think of your shed as the location for a wild tea party, a la Alice in Wonderland! The Victorian style looks best on sheds that are already architecturally similar to Victorian homes; maybe your shed has two stories, with peaked roofs and clapboard siding. Try a three toned color palette for the exterior paint. Choose one neutral color, like white or grey, and two vibrant colors, like red and green. Install small, mismatched, and oddly shaped windows to increase the whimsy of your shed.
If you have already added windows to your shed, consider adding exterior wooden shutters in fun complementary colors. To add to the antique look of your shed, sand off some of the paint finish on the shutters. You can also do this with the door of your shed or the trim. Be sure to seal any natural wood you’ve exposed, so that your shed is still protected from bugs and the elements. The Victorian look can go with or without a garden, but if you do have garden space around your shed, start collecting odd, whimsical garden decorations. You could collect a variety of wind chimes, or fountains, or metal sculptures.
These are just a few styles to choose from for your shed. You can do a combination of styles if you want, or create your own style.
Play around with the window treatments, door and gate hardware, and the surrounding yard area to make your shed both a functional space and pleasing to the eyes.
shed Windows and More has a large selection:
You can use all of these as finishing touches on your outdoor shed to give it your own personal style. You can also ways count on Shed Windows and More for those hard to find sizes of windows to door hinges for your backyard shed DIY project.
