Today’s sheds have come a long way from being your typical tool-and-lawn-mower outbuilding.
“People want the ‘oh my’ effect,” says Dan Hanes of Barntiques Custom Wood & Design, a custom shed builder in Foley. “We are drawn to the unique, and technology leans into this idea. People often scan the web looking for things that appeal to their senses. Small outbuildings featuring unusual designs catch the eye and are seen as a way to fill out their yard by adding to it and not detracting from it.”
At Barntiques, this means chicken coops, saunas, garden sheds, and tree houses, as well as greenhouses, one of which Hanes will present at the show. Standing at 12 feet tall, the 5-by-6-foot, fully electric shed is decorated with wavy white cedar siding, a deck, a tiny cupola, and roofing made from old corrugated scalloped steel.
With Mountain Lake–based Pro-Shed, homeowners can use the tool on the company’s website to craft a completely custom shed—from style and size to paint color. Two of its most popular designs, which will be displayed at the Home + Garden Show, are the backyard studio and classic chalet, com- plete with finishes like transom windows, double doors, shutters, and dormers.
“This is an affordable way to add an office, study, or hangout to your backyard,” says Pro-Shed’s Dwayne Wipf. With the company’s double-wide option, some are even transforming their sheds into 1,700-square foot apartments. “So often, someone will buy a shed and later say, ‘I should have gone a little bigger,’” adds Wipf. “Plan on what you want to do with the shed and make sure it fits your needs.”
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