Go-to girl sanctuary

Investing in a She Shed is easy - and you'll soon be reaping the rewards from having a space to transform and call your own.

A place of seclusion, tranquility, planning, creativity… in today’s fast-paced world, and amongst our often cluttered spaces, many of us yearn for that personal space promising such an ideal.

While having the luxury of an unoccupied area or spare room at home is often unlikely, creating a space of your own is still easily within reach. That’s where a She Shed comes in – your personal kit-set shed that’s easy to assemble, affordable and arrives within days of your order being placed.

Humbling beginnings

The She Shed business was born in November 2015, after parent company Homelandz (homelandz.co.nz) added a banner to their stand at the Christchurch AMP show with an image of a cottage shed placed in a garden. The banner encouraged people to start their DIY projects – with the initial idea that Homelandz had a lot of products to put in the shed. The team quickly noticed more people were asking about the sheds specifically – and realised this was a popular trend in the home and living space.

Endless opportunities

Once you’ve found a place for your She Shed (the bottom of the garden or a spare area of the drive, for example), the options of what you do with it are endless, says Sharoyn Reid, operations manager of She Shed. Some have transformed their She Shed into a personal art studio, pilates room, equestrian tack shed, home library, wine tasting room and even the quarters for their dog grooming company.

“We’re still in the early days but we are just so excited at how it’s taken off. It just exceeded our expectations. Right from the very first couple of days of putting them up we realised there was a lot of interest in them already,” adds Reid.

“Even camping grounds are enquiring about them – not necessarily just as a place for sleeping but a place people can go to just hang out.”

The She Shed is gaining popularity thanks to its charming character and the blank canvas opportunities it offers in terms of decorating its exterior and interior. Says Reid, “More and more women are wanting to have their own space where they can escape, away from the clutter, for whatever reason: to read, have a glass of wine or a cup of tea… The shed is a great-sized space, and it can be painted or stained to fit in with your surroundings.”

For the whole family too

Not strictly for women either, men have purchased She Sheds to use as home offices, man caves, and even pool houses for the family. A family in the South Island purchased three She Sheds as rooms for the kids – as opposed to spending a lot more on extending their home to include more bedrooms.

The path to purchase

Investing in a She Shed is easy. She Sheds can be delivered anywhere in New Zealand, and you can generally expect yours to be dispatched the day after order confirmation and payment. Shipping for the North and South Islands in New Zealand is only $6 – with those who live offshore on islands such as Waiheke needing to pay a little more.

Up, up and away

Council consent is not required when adding a She Shed to your home – given its dimensions are under 10m² in floor area. However, Reid recommends always checking with your local council beforehand, to be on the safe side. Arriving as a kit set, the She Shed is easy to assemble, with the help of a handyman or someone with practical skills. Alternatively, a builder would be able to put the She Shed up in a day.

A She Shed allows you to create your personal sanctuary – or a practical space for whatever you need the extra room for. It would surely be a conversation starter too – with visitors to your home commenting on how much they want one too.

“More and more women are wanting to have their own space where they can escape to"