Garden Shed
Pretty Potting Shed
With prime growing season at an end, early winter offers the perfect opportunity to create a gardening workspace.
Like most worthy pursuits, gardening requires ample space for all the supplies that collect over the years. This home gardener also runs a landscape-design business, so she understands this necessity all too well. "I needed an organized space where I could work on several projects at once and store all of my tools, pots, and soil," she says.
Her existing backyard storage shed was almost perfect, but its functionality was nearly hidden under piles of dust and junk. So, with the busy gardening season behind, she staged a winter intervention to create a bright, clean place for potting plants, shaping arrangements, drawing plans, and keeping everything in order. Key components, including fresh paint, cabinetry, shelving, and an abundance of peg-board and organizing hooks, cultivated an up-to-the-task work area that's cheerful and organized. "I'm so happy I was able to make it a place that truly is fun and functional," says the homeowner.
Before: This existing shed was a catchall area for yard tools, gardening supplies, and various other items that didn't have a place inside the house. The homeowner started by sorting through the items to decide what belonged in the shed and what could be moved to her basement.
After: The homeowner uses every inch of the bright green-and-white outdoor room for workspace or storage. And while she chose to create this space in a shed, the plan could be applied to a garage, basement, or even a laundry area.
A potting bench, created from in-stock base cabinets and a laminate countertop, offers plenty of space to spread out and dig into a project.
Two 36-inch-long shelves keep planters, vases, and plant food off the floor and close at hand. Heavier items, such as potting soil, can be stored below the shelving.
A large galvanized trash can is perfect for storing soil or other bulk items, plus the lidded top helps keep "man's best friend" out of trouble. Stick-on mailbox letters were added to label the contents.
Smaller galvanized buckets store birdseed and other sundries. Casters were glued to the bottom to make moving a full container easier.
Beaded-board paneling enhances the ceiling. The white on the walls and the straw color on the cabinetry are echoed on the ceiling and its beams, as well as around the window.
Vibrant green silhouettes of tools, such as a rake and shovel, remind the homeowner of each item's place and help give the space personality. To create this unique and functional look, simply hang each tool in its spot and draw an outline approximately 1 inch around the tool. Then remove the tools, and paint a darker color inside each pattern.
Lawn tools such as a leaf blower can be stored along the peg-board on long hooks.
Cushiony floor tiles are easy to clean and soft underfoot-both great attributes for a hardworking space.