8 different ways to use a shed

Find out the different ways that a shed could be used in your garden to extend your living area and create more space to work, play or relax.

A shed can come in really handy when looking for extra storage space especially if you do not have a garage or an abundance of indoor storage space. They offer the ideal spot to pack away the BBQ in the winter, store away bikes, garden furniture and tools. But, let’s be honest, there are a fair few of us who are guilty of turning our sheds into a bit of dead space, full of clutter, cobwebs and things we forgot we ever had!

Whilst many typically associate sheds with garden and household storage, there are so many alternative ways of using shed space. Gone are the days when sheds were bought for storage uses only. Many homeowners have realised the potential that a shed can bring and have experimented with all kinds of different uses of their shed space.

And why? Because essentially a shed is a blank canvas that can be used in any way you wish.

Sheds offer the ideal solution to extending your indoor living space for bespoke use without – pardon the pun – shedding out a small fortune to do so. We’ve put together a list of weird, wonderful and innovative ways that sheds can be used.

Home office shed

When the pandemic hit, working from home became a necessity. But even as lockdown restrictions have lifted, many have opted to continue working from home, either on a full or part-time basis.

Anyone working from home will understand that it’s key to strike a healthy balance between home living and work. Many find that setting up a separate home working space, such as a home office, where they can work undistracted from other goings-on in the household is essential for getting the balance right. But, let’s be realistic. We don’t all have the luxury to spare space to do that.

This is where garden space steps in. A garden offers the perfect opportunity to extend your living area into the garden with great ease and little expense. With a shed, you can set up your very own home office in your garden.

Turning a shed into an office

The shed can be as big or as small as it needs to be. You can decorate it to give it a professional look and feel. Extend the electricity and WiFi into the garden, and kits out with a desk, chair, cabinets, a storage heater for colder days and maybe even a kettle and fridge. It’s your space to play with and customised to your needs.

Studios, salons and suites

It doesn’t have to be an office. Many businesses owners and entrepreneurs have found viable means of setting up new ventures from their back garden, simply by transforming a garden shed into a fully functional workspace.

From home-based beauty salons and dog grooming parlours to fitness and yoga studios and workshops, a shed offers the perfect space to create a back garden business.

Outdoor shed kitchen

There are plenty of people out there who love to cook. For many, it’s a relaxing past-time and highly rewarding to see your nearest and dearest tasting your culinary creation.

But cooking doesn’t have to be restricted to the traditional indoor household kitchen. A shed kitchen strikes a fun and innovative balance between indoor and outdoor cooking, providing a space where you’re free to get your cook on in a relaxing space, away from the everyday hustle and bustle of a busy household.

Design the perfect shed kitchen

You’ve got a great deal of freedom and flexibility on the design of your shed kitchen – it can be as basic or as high-tech and fancy as you like. You’ll likely need a worktop, some lighting, and an electric hob as well as somewhere to wash dirty pots and pans and some kitchen-style cabinets. When decked out with all of your utensils and equipment, a shed kitchen provides the ideal space to hide away for a few hours and get your cook on.

Get cooking

Your shed could be purpose-built, such as a jam or sauce making shed, baking hub or simply somewhere to prep meals that can be enjoyed alfresco, And if you grow your own fruits and vegetables, you don’t have to go too far to find the freshest produce and ingredients. Alternatively, you could use the space to create a gin lab. Mixing up your own creations using freshly picked fruits and botanicals grown in your back garden, sloe berries, elderflower, rosemary, mint, strawberries, blackcurrants, rhubarb and even celery. And if you’re more of an ale or cider drinker, why not look up a recipe on how to brew your own?

Outdoor pantry

If you’re not quite ready to turn your kitchen into a shed, instead, you could create an outdoor pantry. For this, you’ll need to ensure that the shed is kept dry and well insulated. Then, you can use your new outdoor pantry space to store long-life food such as tins, pasta, rice as well as beer, wine, juice, potatoes, onions and garlic.

Potting shed

For anyone with green fingers, a potting shed is often a gardeners dream. And, for good reason. They offer the perfect, all-in-one space for gardeners to organise their plants. Rain or shine, the shed can be used, providing a space for avid gardeners to get out into the outdoors and do what they do best!

A shed offers an amicable space to grow a range of plants and flowers from seedlings. And, for those with a particular interest in botany, the ideal place to experiment with growing different plant varieties. You can grow and nurture your plants before putting them inside your house, gifting them to friends and family or even selling them to other gardeners and indoor house plant enthusiasts.

An organised space

A potting shed is also a superb place to store away a wide selection of tools, soil, grow bags and seeds away from the elements in an organised space whilst keeping them ready to hand. Hooks and shelves are a handy addition and good use of vertical storage space.

Shed workshop

If you know someone or are someone who always has a DIY, restoration or repair project on the go, a shed workshop could be just what you need. It creates the perfect space to get lost in deep thought and concentrate on the job at hand.

Using a shed is a really easy and cost-effective way of creating a workshop. You can deck the workshop out with a range of equipment, and work the space around the types of work you do. Keep your tools and materials close to hand and showcase some of your finest work.

Why not bring down a kettle, a few snacks to keep you fueled and a speaker or radio where you can let the tunes roll out as you work away. The fantastic thing about a shed workshop is that you don’t have to lose garage space. Plus, it can be used throughout the seasons, whether it’s pouring down with rain or blazing hot sunshine and you can still enjoy the feeling of being outdoors and taking in some fresh air.

Mini gym

For many gym-goers and fitness enthusiasts, the ultimate dream is to have a home gym. To do this, you need space, and quite that means losing a room in the house. However, there is a different approach.

You can create a mini gym in your back garden by using a shed. Whilst, realistically, a shed doesn’t offer as much space as you would find in a typical gym, depending on the size you choose, you should still be able to fit some core equipment inside of the area.

Training for a running or cycling event? Why not create your very own running or cycling room. Put a TV on the wall, a speaker for music and even a fan or air-con unit to keep you cool as you train away.

If it’s strength training you’re into, a shed offers amicable space for a bench and weight area. And, if it’s pilates or yoga that’s your thing, all you need is a space for your mat and a few weights. The whole idea is that a mini shed gym is completely achievable and a space that can be completely adapted to your interests and exercise routines.

What’s more, if you fancy training in the fresh air during the summer months, then you can store all of your equipment in the shed and you don’t have to go too far to bring your equipment outdoors.

Artist’s studio

An artist’s studio is one of the most common alternative uses for sheds. And it’s a fantastic idea. Whatever your medium, whether that be painting, pottery, sewing, drawing, crafts and even writing, a shed studio offers the ideal space to break away from home and work away doing something that you love in a quiet and relaxed environment.

Listen to the birds, the wind blow, and on rainy days, the pitter-patter of raindrops falling on the shed, whilst staying cosy and warm. The beauty of studio sheds is that you can make as much mess as you need and want, without worrying about ruining furniture or cluttering the house.
It’s your space to let the creative juices flow.

Many who are musically talented have also transformed shed space into music rooms and recording studios. Now, you may be thinking that this may cause some bother amongst the neighbours, and you’d be right! However, you can buy soundproofing materials to reduce the level of noise being emitted out of the shed

Personalise it as you wish. You could paint the walls with fun and vibrant colours, add lighting, a heater and somewhere comfortable to sit. And of course, the studio shed can also double-up as a storage space for all of your work, materials, equipment and tools.

Quiet space

Sometimes, there’s nothing like just a spot of peace and quiet. It’s important to take time to rest and recuperate. Something as simple as putting your feet up for half an hour, enjoying a cup of tea and flicking through a newspaper is a good way to recharge the batteries.

But, if you live in a busy household – maybe you have a large family, or multiple family members working or studying from home, it can be difficult to find a quiet spot. We’ve all heard of ‘man caves’ and ‘she sheds’, and that’s exactly what these spaces are designed for – relaxation.
A shed is an ideal way to create your very own spot of tranquillity from the comfort of your back garden. And the very best thing is, you can design a chill-out space that is totally and utterly tailored to your tastes.

Feature a comfy sofa or bench seating, a sound system and maybe a TV. You could include a fridge, stocked with your favourite snacks or drinks as well as a coffee machine or even a smoothie maker. If you’re a gamer, you could transform your chill out shed into a games room. And for the decor – well again that’s down to you. For a calming feel, you could feature some indoor plants and artwork. A chillout shed is also the perfect place to showcase trinkets, memorabilia and collectables such as movie posters and artwork.

Mini bar

And last, but not least, the garden shed bar – made most popular during the events of 2020. There has been a rise in the number of people who have opted to transform or buy a new shed to create a garden bar.

Using a shed is one of the quickest and easiest ways to create your own garden minibar. There’s tonnes of things that you can do both on the inside and outside of the shed to make a purpose-built bar. You may wish to add a serving hatch with a few bar stools or keep your bar enclosed.

Add a fridge and even beer pumps and stock up on your favourite beverages. Your mini-bar could be specifically designed for cocktail making, gin mixing or simply stocked with a variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Don’t forget to ensure you’ve got plenty of storage space for glasses and as well as somewhere to store ice!

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