Store Houses: 12 Purpose-Built Backyard Sheds
Keep your stuff in a shed specifically built to store your special things safely away
As a little boy, I was fascinated by the tiny garden storage shed at the rear of our home. For me, it was a place of amazement and discovery. I would escape there to find old treasures and other fascinating ‘stuff’. This small building filled with all manner of old things was an escape pod, separate to the house, where I could be and pretend to be whatever I wanted. Grown-ups have rediscovered that a shed is the new must-have addition to build at the back of their properties. Let’s take a look at 12 purpose-built backyard sheds that store stuff in style.
2. Handsome high-and-dry firewood keep
In this neat shed with loft openings, wood can benefit from an airing but at the same time be stored up and away from a damp ground. The timber is easily accessible, too. You don’t have to actually enter the space, but can stand on the outside of the shelter and collect the wood through sliding doors. This is a great design detail as it maximises the storage space inside.
Displaying stacked firewood
In this neat shed with loft openings, wood can benefit from an airing but at the same time be stored up and away from a damp ground. The timber is easily accessible, too. You don’t have to actually enter the space, but can stand on the outside of the shelter and collect the wood through sliding doors. This is a great design detail as it maximises the storage space inside.
Displaying stacked firewood
3. Retro tool store
My dad’s tool shed looked nothing like this great space by Smith & Sons Renovations & Extensions Ashgrove, but nostalgic feelings are stirred up when I look at it. The awe I felt as a little boy entering his workshop is captured in the retro design. If you want to conjure up a similar feeling, consider using specific materials to reinforce that notion. Here, the use of timber floors and exposed timber studwork show off the shed’s low-tech sensibility. You can also immediately see the benches and tools required to be a serious handyman. A further surprise is hidden underground – a wine cellar accessed via a trap door in the floor.
See more of this project
My dad’s tool shed looked nothing like this great space by Smith & Sons Renovations & Extensions Ashgrove, but nostalgic feelings are stirred up when I look at it. The awe I felt as a little boy entering his workshop is captured in the retro design. If you want to conjure up a similar feeling, consider using specific materials to reinforce that notion. Here, the use of timber floors and exposed timber studwork show off the shed’s low-tech sensibility. You can also immediately see the benches and tools required to be a serious handyman. A further surprise is hidden underground – a wine cellar accessed via a trap door in the floor.
See more of this project
4. Top-shelf home office
The advent of computers has allowed many of us to work from home, but I am sure some will agree that we are at our most productive when we do so in a designated work zone. A separate office on your property and away from the house is ideal. Where possible it should be self-contained, with a kitchenette, a toilet, a work area and the luxury of a spot for your very own cosy chair.
The advent of computers has allowed many of us to work from home, but I am sure some will agree that we are at our most productive when we do so in a designated work zone. A separate office on your property and away from the house is ideal. Where possible it should be self-contained, with a kitchenette, a toilet, a work area and the luxury of a spot for your very own cosy chair.
5. Awesome arts and crafts studio
Like the backyard office, the art studio is another individual space designed to reflect the function within. Play around with different building materials to reflect your artistic personality. Be practical, too. As can be seen in the design of this outbuilding, the architecture includes upper windows to flood the work zone with daylight.
Like the backyard office, the art studio is another individual space designed to reflect the function within. Play around with different building materials to reflect your artistic personality. Be practical, too. As can be seen in the design of this outbuilding, the architecture includes upper windows to flood the work zone with daylight.
6. Light and lovely lock-up
This multi-purpose backyard hobby shed stores both art materials and garden tools. It creates a light-filled space for working on art projects and for storing garden tools. As the wall and ceiling are made from corrugated translucent polycarbonate sheeting, the shed is well-illuminated all day long.
This multi-purpose backyard hobby shed stores both art materials and garden tools. It creates a light-filled space for working on art projects and for storing garden tools. As the wall and ceiling are made from corrugated translucent polycarbonate sheeting, the shed is well-illuminated all day long.
7. Charming chicken coop
This chicken coop is the sort of chook shed that, quite frankly, I would love to convert into my escape pad. It’s cool design is instantly attractive but it’s also practical, well – at least for keeping animals. Large, hinged barn doors fold into position to open up the hideaway, and a central gutter collects water from the butterfly roof into a nearby drum. This design ensures that the chickens are not only locked up safe at night but also have plenty to drink from the rainwater run-off.
This chicken coop is the sort of chook shed that, quite frankly, I would love to convert into my escape pad. It’s cool design is instantly attractive but it’s also practical, well – at least for keeping animals. Large, hinged barn doors fold into position to open up the hideaway, and a central gutter collects water from the butterfly roof into a nearby drum. This design ensures that the chickens are not only locked up safe at night but also have plenty to drink from the rainwater run-off.
8. Clear view greenhouse
If you have the room, then a greenhouse is a welcome addition in any garden. They display and protect wonderful plant life, both grown plants and seedlings, in a traditional glass and steel or timber structure.
Incredible greenhouse makeovers
If you have the room, then a greenhouse is a welcome addition in any garden. They display and protect wonderful plant life, both grown plants and seedlings, in a traditional glass and steel or timber structure.
Incredible greenhouse makeovers
9. Sweet sports gear stowaway
An all-purpose outbuilding is a great place for family members to keep their sports gear or other bulky items. To make the room flexible for future uses, keep the layout of the space simple so that it can be adapted as kids grow up and change their sports or hobbies (and therefore the equipment they will most likely want to store). Use either sliding walls or cafe-style doors so that the room can be completely opened up to get large items in and out. Add some built-in joinery and shelving to organise the space within and keep it free of clutter.
An all-purpose outbuilding is a great place for family members to keep their sports gear or other bulky items. To make the room flexible for future uses, keep the layout of the space simple so that it can be adapted as kids grow up and change their sports or hobbies (and therefore the equipment they will most likely want to store). Use either sliding walls or cafe-style doors so that the room can be completely opened up to get large items in and out. Add some built-in joinery and shelving to organise the space within and keep it free of clutter.
10. Clever cook-out
Escape the daily routine of coming home from work to cook dinner and other mundane duties by changing your environment. If you have the space, why not install a purpose-built cookhouse, with dining deck and indoor kitchen featuring a wide and useful bar or servery? By eating out away from the main house, you’ll benefit from the relaxed and casual atmosphere of the outdoors, and get to at least pretend that you are somewhere other than at home.
Escape the daily routine of coming home from work to cook dinner and other mundane duties by changing your environment. If you have the space, why not install a purpose-built cookhouse, with dining deck and indoor kitchen featuring a wide and useful bar or servery? By eating out away from the main house, you’ll benefit from the relaxed and casual atmosphere of the outdoors, and get to at least pretend that you are somewhere other than at home.
11. Perfect pool house
A pool house is perfect for storing pool cleaning chemicals and equipment as well as all the fun water toys and lilos you might use in the pool. If you divide the space so the storage part is accessed from the outside, you can create a separate room that constitutes a mini-relaxation zone, or at least somewhere to briefly shelter from the sun. The design of the outbuilding doesn’t have to mimic that of the house – it can be any design you like. Mood lighting allows for night-time ambience, and by incorporating other functions, such as a barbecue area, change room and sitting area, you can add resort-style facilities.
A French pool house in Biarritz
A pool house is perfect for storing pool cleaning chemicals and equipment as well as all the fun water toys and lilos you might use in the pool. If you divide the space so the storage part is accessed from the outside, you can create a separate room that constitutes a mini-relaxation zone, or at least somewhere to briefly shelter from the sun. The design of the outbuilding doesn’t have to mimic that of the house – it can be any design you like. Mood lighting allows for night-time ambience, and by incorporating other functions, such as a barbecue area, change room and sitting area, you can add resort-style facilities.
A French pool house in Biarritz
12. Gracious guest retreat
A cabin built for comfort can either encourage visitors to stay over or be a chill-out zone for family members.
TELL US
Do you have a purpose-built outbuilding in your backyard? Upload a photo and share your thoughts in the Comments
MORE
10 Backyard Sheds With Extra-Special Features
World of Design: Inspiring Sheds From Stockholm to Sydney
This Just In: Translucent Tool Shed, North Carolina, USA
A cabin built for comfort can either encourage visitors to stay over or be a chill-out zone for family members.
TELL US
Do you have a purpose-built outbuilding in your backyard? Upload a photo and share your thoughts in the Comments
MORE
10 Backyard Sheds With Extra-Special Features
World of Design: Inspiring Sheds From Stockholm to Sydney
This Just In: Translucent Tool Shed, North Carolina, USA
Garden sheds have come a long way since the basic outbuildings they once were. Now they are often sophisticated affairs, such as the one pictured here. The architects at SHED Architecture & Design have created a simple yet stylish flat-roofed garden shed clad in timber planks. A great design element is the large sliding door that, when open to the garden, makes it easy for a gardener to move around potted plants.
Inspiring ideas for garden sheds