DIY Studio She Shed

The design plan was to transform the TUFF SHED TR700 into a mini-cottage version of our beloved rancher. We got The Home Depot Home Services team to come and install the structure – thought I’d save myself the headache of such an undertaking. We chose to paint the cottage the same color as our house– Pier by Behr, with Ultra White trim also by Behr. I’m a huge fan of using tone-on-tone colors and decided to paint the front door of the cottage Cracked Pepper by Behr, a pretty deep glossy grey.

I love vines growing up the sides of cottages; it makes them look so quaint. I bought a simple ladder trellis from The Home Depot and turned it into a corner trellis. I cut it in half and attached it to the side of the cottage using a nail gun.

The potted honeysuckle can now climb up the sides of the cottage as it grows.

In the front of the cottage, we planted several drought-tolerant plants. One of the sage bushes I planted attracts hummingbirds, and since it’s been planted, I’ve seen at least two humming around it!

The majority of our yard looks a little sad due to water restrictions due the California drought. I can’t wait to see our grass green back up in the cooler weather.

To transform the shed into a working studio, we insulated the walls and ceiling and then added drywall. We also ran electricity to the shed and added a mini split air conditioning and heating unit. I’ll share a complete breakdown of the electrical process and drywall along with tips on my blog Chic Little House.

When you walk into the cottage studio you’re greeted with a trio of Parson Bookcases. The bookcases are styled to be both pretty and practical. They hold my sewing machine, fabric, craft supplies, books and artwork. The bookcases are the perfect fit in the she shed, and exactly the look I wanted– clean, modern and timeless. One of my favorite additions on the bookcase is this little Ranchero Crosley radio, I love that I can listen to the radio while creating.

The walls in the she shed are painted Sutton Place Grey by Glidden; it’s a very pretty soft grey color.

Above the bookcases is the mini AC/heating unit we also had installed by The Home Depot’s Installation Services. The air conditioning was a crucial addition to the cottage since during the summer months in Northern California, temperatures hover in the 100s.

I adore the look of built-in window seats, so I added one in the corner of my cottage. The top lifts up to reveal hidden storage! As much as I love open storage, hidden storage is a must. This cozy corner window seat is the perfect spot to enjoy a cup of coffee, curl up and blog in this spot. I’m also happy it provides extra seating when I have guests over.

To add a layer of texture and warmth into the she shed, I chose the Driftwood Belved Wood Reed Roman shades. To make the windows appear larger, I mounted the Roman shades on the outside of the window and hung them almost to the ceiling on the side wall windows.

On the other side of the studio is my desk. I chose the Parsons style desk from Home Decorators Collection. I’ve seriously wanted this desk for years, and I’m thrilled it’s the perfect fit for the she shed. I love incorporating vintage furniture into ‘new spaces’ and found the cutest vintage Thonet style chair for my studio on a Facebook sale.

But the chair needed a little love before I could use it.

Above, you see my chair before, lots of chippy white paint, so not me. Using my Ryobi random orbit sander, I gently sanded away all the loose paint and then wiped the chair clean. Since the chair has seen better days, I opted to spray paint the chair first with primer. I used Kilz White Oil-Based Interior Primer, Sealer and Stain-Blocker in an aerosol can.

I lightly spray painted the chair with primer and then waited one hour. After the hour was up, I lightly sanded the chair using a sanding pad.

Next, I spray painted the chair using gloss grey spray paint. It took three coats to get a nice even finish.

It’s so rewarding to transform an old piece and give it new life. I’m so happy with how the chair turned out.

Next to my desk are the beginnings of a gallery wall with artwork sourced from Etsy. The cottage studio is a dream come true, so when I spotted a unicorn hook at Home Decorators Collection, I knew it would be THE perfect addition to hold my keys. Whenever I see the unicorn, it puts a huge smile on my face.

I hope you all enjoyed the tour of my studio she shed. Please stop by my blog for the behind-the-scenes details on the electrical and drywall process, along with the complete source guide for all the items inside. This project was an absolute dream. I’m so thrilled to have partnered with The Home Depot in transforming a shed into my very own she shed.

Thank you Home Depot for helping turn my ideas into reality. I’m so thrilled with how everything came together. I’m thrilled to have a dedicated spot for blogging and all things Design & DIY.