The Garden Shedde

Are you still cramming valuable belongings into already-full closets and spare bedrooms? Why? Perhaps you know a secret I don’t know, but when I store items that way, they never maintain their new appearance or their value. They end up getting squished or bent or dented or folded or crumpled in the bottom of a closet floor, while newer things pile up on top of them. Why not consider an inexpensive plastic shed? Here are a few advantages you might not have considered before:

1. You aren’t paying to heat or cool your shed, so you could even downsize your home and save money and be a greener planetary citizen as well.
2. You can access your belongings more efficiently, reducing the stress and clutter in your home.
3. You will increase the amount of usable space inside your home. Things like having a guest stay with you will no longer be an embarrassment.

So before you shove the picnic supplies back in the overflowing hall closet, think about how a shed could make your life – and your house – better.

The greatest thing about decorating your outdoor space is the way you choose to accent your furniture pieces.  Some people like to stay consistent with the type of furniture and accents, i.e. all wood planters with wood furniture.  However, it may be fun to mix and match a bit.

Think about mixing natural elements to build the entire space.  If you have wrought iron furniture, get some wood and stone elements in the mix whether they are planters, window boxes, candle holders or patio flooring or decking.  There is such a variety of options these days to choose from for both garden and patio furniture.

Another growing trend is concrete work.  There are some fantastic concrete stains and stamps that can be done to enhance your outdoor space as well as birdbaths and planters that are beautifully done.  If you also have a shed, greenhouse, arbor or pergola, think about how to accent these outdoor structures with wind chimes, trellis’, flowers and planters and window boxes. 

You will find this a fun and exciting way to add enjoyment to your yard.  Accents can be used to soften up hard edges of masculine up a very feminine yard or visa versa.  You can always place planters with lovely blooms as accent pieces around your outdoor furniture and bring the beauty of your garden to your patio and oh the smell…

If you really want to go green, think about installing a sod roof.  If you would like to try it without committing to the entire house, try it on a garage on shed roof.

You may need to bolster your roof to support the additional weight produced by the dirt needed to grow and maintain the sod.  Three inches of dirt will add about seventeen pounds per square foot so this can be a huge factor in having a sod roof or trying something else.

While you are beefing up for weight, also think about sealing the roof decking with a good water and ice shield.  It’s good to create a barrier between the shield and the dirt with a layer of heavy duty plastic sheeting.  Since this plastic could cause the dirt to easily slide off, put roofing fabric down for a more stable base and use flashing around the edges to help with erosion and to contain the dirt.

This green roof system will give you great insulation from the sun and will help keep your space cool in more ways than one.