For generations (if you believe the sitcoms on the telly), the shed at the bottom of the garden has been a male domain. A man cave. Somewhere for the hen-pecked to escape the nagging, down a couple of beers, and read the paper. Well, no more. The shed has become the She Shed. A quiet place for the lady of the house to get away from it all. And more often than not (because us women are more industrious, she says tongue firmly in cheek), the She Shed is a place to unleash a creative spirit. Relax, dream, make a mess if you like, and then lock the door and leave it until next time.
Seriously though, if you’ve ever loved the idea of having a room of your own (a bit removed from the house but not too far), She Sheds by Erika Kotite might just inspire you to turn that dream into reality. The book has dozens of in-depth examples of these private spaces. Some of the sheds are dedicated to making art or music, some to gardening, writing, or reading. The activities are as varied as the women who created them. But they all share one thing in common – they began as a dream and blossomed into a small slice of heaven.
And once inspired, there are sections full of practical advice to help you turn that dream into reality. Together with step-by-step case studies. And finally a gallery of ideas and impressions – compiled to give you lots more inspiration for your research and to help you decide the essential elements of your own She Shed.
All of the images here are of the She Shed belonging to Paige Morse. It was originally going to be a styling and photography studio but in the end she hatched a plan to turn it into a sleep-over cottage, which she moves into when her own home is rented out to Airbnb guests. The structure was plumbed and wired so that it has a fully functional bathroom and kitchen and she furnished it in a clean, simple Scandinavian style. Everything that is inside the cottage is her own, or given to her, or repurposed. I think it’s lovely.
Photographs: Cody Ulrich
She Sheds: A Room of Your Own by Erika Kotite.
Published by Cool Springs Press, an imprint of The Quarto Group (£16.99).
The post Book Review – She Sheds – A Room of Your Own by Erika Kotite appeared first on Dear Designer.
from Dear Designer http://deardesigner.co.uk/book-review-she-sheds-a-room-of-your-own-by-erika-kotite/
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