This is my happy place.

The place where creativity flows like magic spells in a Harry Potter movie. But, to appreciate her beauty, you must see where she started. Hopefully it will inspire you to create your own happy place! It doesn't have to be a she-shed though. A comfy chair, extra bedroom, office space or even a small backyard spot. Anywhere you can get away from the chaos of life to sip a cocktail or simply relax and let your mind wander.

Let me back up about 8 months: This sweet little shed was originally used as a place to store my vintage picking finds and as a furniture refurbishing space. There was no power, no heat, no AC. So, for about two months out of the year it was the perfect place to practice using new power tools, inhale toxic paint fumes and sawdust, all while tip-toeing around the imperfectly stacked vintage furniture I had gathered from various yard sales. It was great in theory, but reality was a much different story. So, there it sat. Full of dust, cobwebs and potentially amazing furniture.

Enter, COVID, 2020. Definitely one of the most strange, sad, unpredictable situations I’ve ever been in. I felt myself feeling terrible for my kids lack of socialization, our inability to travel to far-away places, that feeling of being stuck at home with no end in sight. Such. A. Crazy. Time.

Thankfully that time allowed me to do some serious soul searching and have a much needed internal pep talk. The result was an overwhelming desire to not let 2020 get me down. So, I decided it was time to put my 16 years of professional design to use and empower women (myself included) and start a creative focused blog and custom decorating service!

With a vibrant creative drive, I set my sights on creating the perfect studio while testing my ‘tiny space’ design skills. Looking back, I had no idea how happy this fabulous little place could make me and how it has inspired me to be the best, most creative version of myself. It’s SO me, and I’m SO excited to share it with you!

First step, create a space where I can escape the constant battle of laundry and dishes, but still be home for my kids... in the shed!!! Yes!!

The transformation of my shed was really a very simple, affordable solution that is, in my opinion, the perfect place for any small business venture.

I'll take you through the step-by-step process so you can see just how doable it was:

Step 1.

Cleaning out the shed was probably the worst part. There were more cobwebs and spiders than I usually see on Halloween night, layers of dust and dead flies, and even a decaying old mouse I found smashed in the corner. Nice.

Step 2.

Power. I really wanted my shed to have a cozy, natural light feel. I chose a small single bulb ceiling light and two sconces over the workspace that would provide plenty of light at night but not be overwhelming. I also needed a few outlets for my printer, computer, and of course my vintage radio!

Step 3.

Next was insulation and plywood installation. I knew from before it would be impossible to work in without a heater/air conditioner, so I chose to have both the walls and ceiling insulated. I also purchased a Pioneer heater/air conditioner to give myself the ability to work comfortably all year round.

Step 4.

Next, the shiplap. I LOVE the look of shiplap walls, but I didn't want to overdo it, so I left the top half in just plywood. Ultimately I'm very happy with that decision and saved a lot of $ in doing so!

Step 5.

Painting. I wanted to keep it very simple (and cost-effective), so I painted the entire shed interior in Sherwin Williams Creamy, my go-to cream color. It's a very clean off-white, great for walls, cabinets, trim, etc.

Step 6.

I'm a huge fan of simple but fun lighting, so I searched high and low for these great wall sconces! Thankfully I was able to find these on ETSY. They're exactly what I was looking for but never actually thought I'd find. Thank you MODCREATIONStudio

Step 7.

I had so many ideas for my countertop, but eventually ended up going with a raw butcher block. I'll admit, it was a bit of a splurge, but I really wanted to break up all the white, and add a fun textural element. Thankfully Home Depot came to the rescue and had one already cut to size, so all I had to do was slide it into place!

Step 8.

Furnishings: I added a few statement pieces to the space that I knew would be both practical and beautiful at the same time. There are endless options for furniture online, so it was a struggle to narrow it down, but ultimately I'm very happy with my choices! And of course, no room is complete without an area rug, right? I searched high and low for the perfect rug and finally found this one on Amazon! The colors are exactly what I was looking for and price was great!!

In all, it was such an amazing experience being able to execute my vision in such a tiny space! If you have a small space you'd like to transform and don't know where to start, please call me!! I'd love to help!

Be sure to check out "The Shed, continued" blog post to find where I purchased my decorative elements for my shed.

Click here to read all about it!