STYLISH STORAGE
Make every corner count by incorporating hard-working design solutions that earn their keep
A SMART STOWAWAY
A small garden can look messy and cluttered pretty quickly if you don’t have anywhere to store all your essentials. Thankfully, classic pitched-roof sheds look attractive, can be painted and come in a variety of sizes, but if you are really pushed for space, think about alternatives: with a hinged lid, a bench seat can double up as a storage trunk, while a low chest, preferably on wheels, can be put to use as extra seating, made more comfortable with a cushion or two.
CONSTRUCTIVE CAMOUFLAGE
The perennial dilemma of what to do with the bins and recycling afflicts every householder. These practical items must be accessible but that doesn’t mean you should have them permanently in view. If you don’t have room for a built-in bin store, use a line-up of potted plants as a living shield or install a trellis or wicker screen in front. Alternatively, construct a simple framework to support a large weatherproof trough and plant it up.
GOING GREEN
If you have an old shed that you would like to make look more attractive, try disguising it with plants. First stain or paint it a dark colour, such as bottle green, charcoal grey or black, so it seems to fade into the background. Then consider how you can plant its surfaces – add an evergreen living roof (see below); fasten trellis or plant supports to the sides for climbing plants, or attach brackets for hanging baskets. Before long, the shed’s appearance will be much improved.
MAKE IT A FEATURE
Instead of going all-out to disguise your shed, turn it into a key element of your plot’s design. In this cottage garden (left), the shed forms part of the screen used to divide one area from another. It creates a hint of interest and the promise of more space beyond the trellis. Soft powdery blue paint unifies the various elements, and the white-painted dovecot – a junkyard find – creates a lovely distraction on the shed wall.
Old pallet crates and wine boxes work well as shelving