The Shed
This is not a huge house here, people. And it came with a one car garage. That’s not a big deal in this area, we don’t get horrific winter weather for long periods of time. Yes it would be nice to walk out into my warm, dry garage and hit a button to drive away, but such is life.
When we added a laundry room in place of a portion of the huge screen porch and it encroached into the garage, the one car garage became a 3/4 garage. I needed more room for garden and yard stuff.
Enter the shed.
My wonderful builder and brother, Ridgeline Construction, built us this gorgeous shed for that purpose. Let me get this straight right away - IT’S NOT A SHE SHED. I have a sign that says it is, and I have a fridge, and a cute light fixture, but this is a working building ladies. Ain’t no wine and books being enjoyed out here. The best thing I do is get a drink out of the mini fridge and sit on a stool in front of the fan on a scorching day.
But I love it just the same and am thankful to have it. I’m thankful my hubby let me build what I wanted, and I’m thankful my brother and his crew did such a gorgeous job. (Shoutout - Yo Miles! 👍🏻)
So I am showing you the Durings and Afters. I couldn’t find any of the yard before. Let’s just say it was the edge of the woods. I never planted anything there, hoping I would build the shed. Some are my pics and some are from a photo shoot here last year.
It is a 12 x 12 structure - I wanted a 10 X 10 but they said it would be easier and faster to go 12 x 12 - boards come in that size and I would be happy I upsized. I was.
The wonderful huge finial we had custom made for the roof. Geez I need to paint it.
The shed after it was finished. I now have some plantings in front, but am very limited as to what I can plant.
This is the brand new work table, before I moved all my stuff in here. I asked for a zinc topped table, for ease in cleaning, when potting. I love it. There’s only one thing - my pots are too damn big to drag in here and put on that!? I do use it, but not for “potting”.
PS - YES! I did paint and poly the floor. I wanted a checkerboard floor, okay?
Also taken today. There is a bottom shelf for storage (for the pots I’m not filling up 🤪) and my two stools. I think I got them from Wayfair - they are Tolix stool knockoffs.
More storage. Rows of wooden hooks to hang stuff. Mostly garden rings to hold up peonies and anemones and others.
The old folk art was inside my house back in the day. I painted it with bright colors and put it out here for fun.
Spring is coming!
I modeled it after the outbuildings in nearby Williamsburg, with a hip roof and finial. My house is a traditional Colonial so it works.
The right side of the shed. These windows are old and beat up - they came from a local architectural salvage business - Caravati’s. the birdhouse is from Lazy Hill, which closed its’ retail business, but you can find them here now. I would love to have beautiful trellises with vines and flowers surrounding, but the deer make that impossible.
When doing the budget, I decided I could have running water or electricity, but not both. I picked electricity. Here’s my cute lantern. When we entertain outside, I turn this on.
Taken today. The reclaimed windows work and you can see it’s not insulated.
The doors were also from Caravati’s - they are old double doors - probably interior.
Storage. These are willow garden structures. The arches I got from Terrain, mucho $$$. The tall ones pull apart and can be taller and skinnier or shorter and wider. Great for unruly bushes, or keeping the deer from decimating something. I found those on Spring Hill, for much less than they had them on Terrain.
Birdseed in trashcans to keep critters out. And a sprayer for homemade weed killer. I no longer use Roundup unless something just will not die. (i’m looking at you monkey grass) Because you know, cancer and stuff. I make my own - see below…
one gallon white vinegar
two cups epsom salts
1/4 cup Dawn detergent
Let it brew for a few hours. Costs about the same. You may have to spray tough things twice. Doesn’t kill you or poison the water supply. 😬
