GARDEN SHEDS

Great ideas to Improve the Appearance of Wooden Garden Sheds

Especially in modern suburbia, the wooden garden shed is a necessity for practical reasons, but they do tend to take up a large proportion of the relatively small gardens in typical housing estates.

Even in homes with large garden spaces the humble garden shed is not usually a pleasing view amongst in the garden setting, which is why we tend to position them in a far off corner where they will not interrupt the view.

Here is your opportunity to make a few simple changes that will improve the appearance of the shed and blend it into the garden.

1. Try using flowers and greenery to soften the shed appearance and add splashes of colour

The most appropriate way to improve the appearance of a shed in a garden is to make blend in with the rest of the garden around it. This usually means greenery and flowers. If the shed is in a paved yard, the addition of plants will go a long way to softening its stark appearance. That way it doesn't stand out as an eyesore and the use of color goes a long way to giving the shed a more gentle and pleasant look.

The simplest ideas for adding plants are very easy, even if you aren't green fingered. Create some flower beds around the sides of the shed, apply compost and try bedding plants, or spring and summer bulbs. If you prefer not to dig up the ground you could perhaps just use pots and containers, either ones you create yourself, or buy them ready to go. Window boxes work a treat, and hanging baskets either side of the door or window provide color at eye level which is particularly appealing, and cleverly distract the eye from the actual shed. You needn't restrict yourself to flowers. You could also try planting small fruits such as strawberries and tomatoes that thrive in small containers.  Climbing plants, particularly scented varieties, are exceptionally good at hiding the bare shed beneath, but are not really suitable if you don't have a pressure treated shed, as you will need to apply preservative every few years for maintenance.

2. Add garden ornaments to add interest and distract the eye from looking at the shed itself

From garden centre to discount and euro shops, come spring the major supermarkets have a great selection of garden ornaments that can easily be used to make a wooden garden shed look better. Ceramic flowers and small animals, or butterflies on sticks. the varieties are endless, and they are ugenerally quite reasonably priced. Even a couple of these colourful and interesting ornaments can make a big difference to the general appearance of the shed. The ornaments do just what they were intended to do as they attract the vision to them rather than seeing the shed behind. Position them on or close to the shed.

You could consider adding a small weather vane, door knocker or wind chimes. Outdoor lights can make a big difference to the mood of the garden, as you could use the shed as the support and attach a string of lights around the top, thereby creating a lovely atmosphere in the garden, particularly at twilight on long summer evenings.

Though not quite in the same vane, you could also try attaching wood panels that can be painted with shapes or hooks attached for outdoor games, even just for children to play throw and catch against the shed without the nuisance of continually throwing the ball over the garden wall.

3. Try painting the shed to change its appearance

Essentially the average garden shed is just a piece of wood, so there is no real reasom why it cannot be painted. It would be important to use a good quality outdoor paint, suitable for irish weather. If you do decide to try this then are so many ways to make the shed look completely different, for example...

i) try painting it in bold blues and reds like a bright and cheerful playhouse

ii) mellow pastel colours and off whites are reminiscent of old fashioned summer houses, and have the added advantage of making the garden brighter

iii) Paint on pictures such flowers around the bottom and white clouds in a blue sky around the top, or invite contributions form the rest of the family.

iv) it is not necessary to paint  the full shed. Adding some patterns and designs are quite sufficient to make the shed original and more attractive. If you feel your artisitic skill are not quite up to the task then try using some cut-out stencils and spray paint.

These are just some simple suggestions, but hopefully it has got your imagination going. Next time you look at your boring wooden garden shed, consider how you can turn it into a feature that will improve you garden and that make you smile!

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