Ready for summer
A visit to a garden centre prompted the winner of this year’s Small Project category to tackle an unloved shed. With a fresh coat of paint and some new lighting, she turned it into a stunning summerhouse, spending just £190
The winning small project at the end of the garden
Helen Stamoulis, 42, a photographer, lives with her husband, Thanos, 49, and their son Yani, five. The couple bought their renovated property in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, in 2014.
Tell us about your inspiration
We inherited the shed when my husband and I bought the house – at first, I was desperate to get rid of it. Then, shortly after we moved in, I visited a garden centre and saw a display of summerhouses and thought how beautiful they were, and also how structurally similar they were to my shed. They can be expensive, especially for a good-quality one, so I decided to keep our shed and renovate it.
I was indecisive about the colour. Friends of ours had recently painted their summerhouse a nice shade of green, but after a couple of test swatches, I opted for blue instead. A lot of our house is painted in similar shades, so I decided to carry this through to the garden.
Did you encounter any problems?
I bought outdoor shed paint, but I struggled with it when trying to paint the interior. I wanted it crisp white and the wood kept showing through. In the end I used Farrow & Ball, which worked really well!
What do you use the shed for now?
It’s a place to sit and relax. My son has toys and a climbing frame in the garden, so it’s nice to have an adult space, too. We had electricity installed so we could have a lamp for darker evenings and make use of the space for longer. Having a sheltered seating area has really changed the way we use the garden.
The professional results achieved on a small budget won Helen £3,000 worth of vouchers to spend on DFS furniture. The runner-up, who won £500 worth of vouchers, was Eleanor Hodson from Wiltshire.
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