Sheds are a staple to many gardens and backyards. They have almost unlimited practical uses and help keep your outdoor space tidy and organised. They can often be used as a work area as well.
While we specialise in building custom steel sheds at Designer Sheds, sometimes it doesn’t hurt to dream a little and see what other shed enthusiasts are building around the world.
Here are 10 shed builders from around the world that have gone above and beyond with their shed designs. Maybe these sheds will inspire you to be just as creative in the future!
1. The Eco-Dome
Based in England, Paul Robinson wanted to build a multipurpose unit that cost as little as possible. He made it with an aluminium shell fortified with insulation to help keep it warm on cold days without powered heating. Mr Robinson uses his shed for storage, a home gym, a carpentry workshop. And it can even be transformed into a guest house if needed! Possibly the coolest feature is that the walls can rotate to change what areas of the inside can be accessed.
2. Viking Bauhutte
The Viking Bauhutte, owned by Chris Walter in Hampshire, is named after a time in the Middle Ages when craftsmen would discuss their ideas in a shed over tea. Built from timber, birch ply and a roundwood chestnut frame, the hut is well-insulated, with running water, electricity and natural light. The space is used by the family much like it would have been in Viking times – for various craft and DIY projects.
3. The Compost Shed
Edinburgh’s Nicholas Groves-Raines Architects decided to take compost and make it as interesting as possible. This shed’s roof is covered in grass, and the structure is made of rebar. The compost inside is helped on its way by gaps in the steel that allow for the right airflow and sunlight. Now this is a garden shed that blends in!
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“The Ultimate Shed Design Guide”
4. Cinema Shed
Created by Anderson Jones, this incredible miniature cinema shed design sits at the bottom of the garden. Named the ABC Home Cinema, it has an authentic light up title box outside to show what films are showing and includes a retro 34-seat auditorium. This cool shed design took four-and-a-half years to build and is made from brick with a tiled roof.
5. Hobbit Shed
Jim, the owner of this cool shed design, just needed somewhere to put his riding lawn mower when it wasn’t running. When he was finished, he ended up with a little tractor home based on Hobbit architecture. He used reinforced concrete and it took more than 4 years to finish his homage to Tolkien’s famous films.
6. Diamond Bike Shed
A motorcycle enthusiast in Rotterdam, Netherlands, needed a place to store his two bikes. What he came up with was a dynamic diamond design that is mostly points and edges, but another beautiful shed. It’s made out of polycarbonate sheets and stainless steel, and took 12 mockups to perfect. (Please don’t ask us to manufacture one of these for you! You’ll need to speak to the inventor).
7. The Water Shed
This cool shed design is a little difficult to reach, but the concept behind it is very cool. It’s anchored off of Smuggler’s Cove in the UK, surrounded by water. It can only be accessed by boat. The shed is full of tools and supplies that are free to take for anyone who might need them.
8. The Roost
This tiny shed is actually used as an art studio, and has a domed roof and windowed walls to create the illusion of size and allow for a lot of natural light to flood in. The roof has a catchment system to harvest rainwater and disperse it throughout the garden. Besides watering the garden, this water can also be filtered and used just like tap water for various other purposes.
9. The Zephyr
Glenn Littleford from Queensland is a master at repurposing old appliance motors and using them to power other things. His cool shed houses several washing machines, a treadmill, and heavy-duty truck batteries to power wind turbines that in turn power all his backyard accessories like tools, lights, television, and any gadgets. The roof even collects rainwater for storage that supplies his home as well as the shed. A very cool garden shed indeed!
10. The Power Shed
This concept is food for thought for those who want to live off the grid. Chip and Clara Boggs of Coquille, United States, created a little shed they call the Homestead. Resembling an old pioneer log cabin, it has solar panels on the roof and a battery bank inside that’s powerful enough to keep their whole house running.
A shed doesn’t just have to be used as a storage space. It can be so much more. After being inspired by all these cool shed designs, what kind of shed would you design? Request a free shed design and quote session to bring your shed project to life. Although our sheds aren’t *quite* as creative as the ones in this article, you’ll find them much more practical!
