Virginia Woolf and the rise of the She Shed

An older day tenet has found new meaning and a modern day foothold via the she shed.

Make yourself a cosy little cabin in a garden.

The past couple of years have not just taken a toll on our physical health, but our mental health as well.

The load has been particularly heavy, especially on families, with ‘work from home’ arrangements extending far beyond original forecasts.

Unsurprisingly, many have been in need of some time out to pursue other interests, work without interruption or just relax, even if you can’t leave the property.

Director of Central Coast-based Custom Creations, Martin Boerner, says demand for backyard breakout spaces surged during the pandemic, especially among women seeking a little time for themselves.

Make space for your own garden essentials.

I want a ‘she shed’. How difficult would it be to construct one in the backyard?

Like so many things Australians have embraced, the idea of a ‘she shed’ originates from the US as an alternative to the ‘mancave’ concept to provide women with a room of one’s own, as Virginia Woolf once put it.

With the advent of Complying Development legislation (CDC) in NSW, construction approval is a fairly straightforward process, as long as the building meets certain height, size and positioning criteria. Martin says most of the time, a 20 sqm to 30 sqm space is sufficient, which sits well under the 60 sqm maximum CDC allows.

“With (our) 20 sqm product, it’s a standard kit with provision for a bathroom and kitchenette and it’s used for all sorts of activities like an art space, therapy, a pool house or a sewing room,” he says.

Plenty of me time.

Once you have an idea what you want, Martin says you can book a site visit where the feasibility of your plans will be assessed based on your block. “We arrange a site inspection for $250 and a preliminary assessment about the suitability of your site by our surveyor to sort out where it can be built and if it is subject to certain conditions concerning bushfire or flood,” he says. “Then we provide a ballpark quote and we may have a follow up site inspection with the plumber, the electrician and the client, and go through the whole process.”

A private certifier, often supplied by the studio builder, can manage CDC requirements on your behalf. Be aware that not all sites are suitable for building under CDC criteria, while some suburbs are exempt for reasons such as heritage. “Occasionally we can’t do it,” says Martin. “We can’t build on top of an existing garage or against a boundary line.” If all goes to plan though, you can often have your ‘she shed’ ready for use in about four weeks.

Make it yours and add stuff you love in it.

Are there any tricks to doing it well?

While women often drive the purchase decision, Martin says a separate studio space can be a multipurpose space for the entire family. To maximise flexibility, most people are content with an open floorplan with a basic bathroom and kitchenette.

“With a 20 sqm floorplan, it will provide 16 sqm of open plan space and then the rest is for a small bathroom and separate kitchenette,” he says. “People will take whatever activity they were doing in the spare room and move it out there where they can become almost self sufficient.”

The idea of a ‘she shed’ originates from the US as an alternative to the ‘mancave’ concept to provide women with a room of one’s own, as Virginia Woolf once put it.

While the space is the thing, it’s worth thinking through the requirements of your activities to make sure you have adequate lighting, ventilation and power points. If you have the space, Martin says adding a deck will extend the use of your backyard studio and look good too.

“We’ll often suggest about 5 sqm of deck if you have the space so that you can use the outside as well as the inside and you can open up the French doors to create that sense of being in and out,” he says.

When making choices about facades, Martin says the main residence should provide cues for colour schemes, cladding and even roof profiles so that it sits in keeping, as well as comfortably on your block.

Hang out in the backyard.

Now that everyone is heading back to work, is it still worth doing?

While the past couple of years have been challenging, they have helped many of us work out what is really important. Focusing on your mental health by creating a freestanding space that can serve as a way to separate your work day from family life, pursue a hobby or provide a private hangout for kids or adults as they grow is definitely worthwhile. And if you can simplify the process by sorting out council approvals and minimising construction dramas, even better. “People need some space,” Martin says. “It can be a home office, a breakout room for the kids, a she shed or somewhere to watch sport on TV with a couple of mates. It’s a multipurpose space.”

Originally published as Virginia Woolf and the rise of the She Shed