9 Fantastic Shed Conversion Ideas

1. Home office shed

Do you work from home? Today, a surprisingly large number of people do. According to the Pew Research Center, about 22 million adults in the US work remotely full time. 41% of the population works remotely at least part-time. It’s convenient because you don’t have to deal with the headaches of commuting, vehicle maintenance, or in-person office politics and obligations. But if you’re not well equipped, it can have its challenges too.

I worked remotely for several years. One of the biggest challenges that I faced was having a quiet and uninterrupted workspace. One of the most important things for me was having a space solely dedicated as an office so that I could entirely unplug from work when I wasn’t on the clock.

If you don’t have a dedicated office space and are working from home, work sometimes seems inescapable, which is why converting your shed or even purchasing a shed that’s already converted into a home office could be a cost-effective way to keep your sanity.

One of the easiest solutions that we found that also doesn’t deal with the hassles or excessive costs of home renovation is Stoltzfus structures’ home office. I especially like the updated designs and modern styling that again challenge the perception that a shed is for your outdoor junk.

Key benefits:

• Having a dedicated space to keep your work at work (even if work is at home).
• A more economical option than building onto your home to add an office.
• You’re not giving up any space in your house for your office.

 

2. Home Gym Shed

Is fitness important to you? It should be. I don’t say this to convict you, but more so myself. I have two little ones at home. It’s so easy to get caught up in a cycle of getting the kids up in the morning, getting them out the door to daycare, going to work, coming home, prepping dinner, and when the kids are finally in bed, crashing on the couch, doom scrolling on my phone with a TV show in the background until it’s time to go to bed to repeat the same process the next day. In this season of life, I don’t have time in my schedule to regularly go to a gym and show up at home as the parent and partner that I want to be.

A home gym shed is a great solution if your life is too busy. And it might initially seem counterintuitive, but according to Harvard Medical School, exercising can give your body more energy, something most of us could use.

Just like the home office shed; this is a project that you could take on yourself with your own shed. But again, Stoltzfus Structures has a great solution with pre-built home gym sheds that again challenge the notion that a shed is just a shed.

Key benefits:

• No more gym memberships or cancellation fees!
• No more driving to the gym!
• No more waiting around for overused, sweaty, and unsanitary equipment

 

3. Man Cave Sheds

Do you need a space that is entirely yours? Especially if you’re married and have your own home, you probably have some things that don’t quite fit with your wife’s decorating style. If you’re not careful, they might end up in the trash without you knowing until several years down the road.

One of my favorite episodes of The Office is “Dinner Party.” Often cited as one of the cringiest episodes, perhaps if Michael had a place to put his neon beer sign, Dundees, and undersized flat screen TV, things could have turned out better for him and all their guests. (Apologies to those who never watched The Office.)

Having an escape that is solely dedicated to you and the guys is a great way to keep everyone happy.

And for the ladies out there, in a subtle way without your guy even realizing, suggesting a man cave shed could be a great opportunity for you to get all his junk out of your house and into a place where you never have to look at it or think about it ever again. I probably shouldn’t let my wife read this … she’ll start to get some ideas. And Stoltzfus Structures has finished Man Caves that can be used the day that they are delivered if DIY isn’t for you.

Key benefits:

• It’s a great escape and needed retreat that doesn’t clutter up your house with your treasures (and/or junk depending on whose opinion you may ask)
• Have friends over without disturbing everyone else in the house.
• It’s entirely what you want it to be without your partner caring what it looks like

 

4. She Shed: A needed escape

It’s more than fair to say that the expectations on women today are exceptionally high. Whether you’re a stay-at-home spouse ensuring that your household is well taken care of or working full-time, advancing your career, there’s always plenty to do around your home. And there’s never enough time to get everything done.

Having a special, dedicated, and quiet place to escape can be exactly what you need. Admittedly my decorating sensibilities are lacking (my wife would gladly tell you that too), but whether you need your “Live, Laugh, Love” signage, a shabby chic (whatever that is) reading nook, or millennial gray everything, a She Shed could be the perfect space for you. Forget the worries of the day, pull out a good book, and sip on a nice glass of wine. Again, Stoltzfus Structures has She Sheds that are ready to use the day that they’re delivered, which again can take away the challenges of finishing out your own space in your own shed.

Key benefits:

• Being physically removed from your home gives you the perfect escape from the busyness and chaos of everyday life.
• It’s a cost-effective option compared to a large home renovation or addition.
• It’s a great space to spend uninterrupted time with your friends.

 

5. Art Studio

Have you been dreaming about having a dedicated space to fulfill your artistic desires and dreams? Perhaps you are like me and can get a little self-conscious if others are watching you create. An art studio shed could be the perfect solution for you.

Art is messy. Even if you have the space in your home, the idea of converting a bedroom into an art studio can be tricky. I’ve enjoyed working with oil paints, but they are tough to clean up, and the fumes from the solvents aren’t great for you or your family. If you would like to get into ceramics, good luck not tracking clay and mud throughout your home.

It’s been longer than I’d like to admit since I was in college, but one of my majors was art. Admittedly, I have done very little with traditional media since then. Between hopping from apartment to apartment, home to home, I never took the time to get back into art.

Like most of these backyard shed conversion ideas, one of the biggest challenges is having a dedicated space for that activity or interest. If art is your outlet and escapes, converting a shed into an art studio can be a great way to take care of yourself. Again, Stoltzfus Structures’ She Sheds, Man Caves, Sunrooms, or Home Offices would also nicely work as an art studio, giving you plenty of natural light and removing the headaches of renovation.

Key benefits:

• Keep your mess consolidated and away from your home.
• Your art station is always set up and ready to go for whenever you feel inspired to create.
• You can have the clarity, quiet, and privacy to explore your art.

 

6. Golf Shed

Thinking outside of the box a little bit here, do you love golf and want to improve your game? Perhaps you have seen some of the new golf simulators. They are great for those rainy days, wintertime, and when you just don’t have time to get out to the driving range or golf course. One of the biggest challenges with those is having not only the square footage in your home to set one up, but also the height required. If I were to set one of these up in my house, I would be hitting the ceiling on every swing.

Having a golf shed could be a great solution for your golf simulator setup. It will always be ready to use, and the space can easily double as a man cave so you can have the boys over for a round of golf no matter the time, season, or weather. And again, if you’re looking to avoid the challenges of DIY renovations, Stoltzfus Structures sells a Golf Shed specifically set up for this purpose.

Key benefits:

• Improve your golf game!
• No setting up and tearing down your golf simulator after every use.
• Having a great and entertaining space for you, your family, and your friends to enjoy

 

7. Gardening/Greenhouse Shed

Do you love to garden? Perhaps early every spring you are anxiously awaiting warmer weather. Having a shed that doubles as a greenhouse is a great option to extend your growing season.

And as it turns out, there are countless benefits to gardening beyond enjoying food that is so much more delicious than anything that you could possibly buy in a grocery store that was shipped in from who knows where. According to an article from Mayo Clinic, gardening can keep you physically active, improve your diet, reduce stress, and create better social connections. If you’ve ever had a garden, you know that sometimes there is only so much zucchini that you and your family can eat. Popping in at your neighbors and offering just some of the literal fruits of your labor can be a good way to be a great neighbor.

But admittedly, converting your shed into a functional greenhouse can be a bit of a challenge, even when sourcing the materials. What I would consider is that you check out Stoltzfus Structures’ Cottage Greenhouse that gives you all the functionality and storage of both a shed and greenhouse. And looks good doing it too!

Key benefits:

• Extend your growing season!
• Enjoy the mental and physical health benefits of gardening.
• Grow better, bigger, and brighter flowers and even more delicious food.

 

8. Kid’s Playroom

With two toddlers at home, toy sprawl is a real and ever-present struggle at our home. Almost everything technically has a place where it is supposed to be, but somehow the things that are supposed to be upstairs are downstairs and vice versa. All toys have countless parts and pieces, and despite our best efforts, it is rare for us to feel like our house is entirely picked up and clean.

Just having gone through several birthdays at our home, there’s always more stuff. It’s often big, plastic, noisy, and takes up too much space. We’re also just on the cusp of graduating from the toddler Duplo Legos to the real thing. Yay, thousands of more pieces of things to step on in the middle of the night.

As a parent, just thinking about having a dedicated space for a large percentage of my kids’ toys in a place where they permanently live almost immediately has me sold on this idea. Like a lot of these converted shed ideas if you’re handy or at least willing to learn, you could finish out your shed, but a much easier option would be considering something like one of Stoltzfus Structures’ She Sheds, Man Caves, Sunrooms, or Home Offices for this purpose.

Key benefits:

• Keep your house clean and kids happy!
• Avoid toy sprawl.
• As kids get older, they still have a place to hang out.

 

9. Workshop

Do you dabble a little bit in woodworking, furniture building, or just like tinkering on whatever project you find? If so, having a dedicated space for a workshop is critical to getting anything done. Not having to dig out your tools every time you want to work on a project will not only make you more productive, but also more motivated because you won’t be spending half of your time trying to find your wood chisels (that you are sure you knew where they were, until they weren’t there…).

When I think about my setup, getting a little better organized would not only help my productivity, but also my back. I have a lot of old rough-cut wood from my great grandfather’s farm. It was the perfect excuse for me to buy a planer. Right now, it’s not a big deal to grab the 100lb+ tool and move it from my shelf to a table. Give it another 10 or 20 years, and my back might not be so agreeable. Thinking about effective storage and ease of access to your tools will give you a great setup for your workshop. A shed can be a great option for your workshop to not give up your garage or deal with working in your basement. Also, this is one of the easiest conversions because it only needs to look as pretty as you want it to look. Don’t have a shed to convert? You might have guessed already, but Stoltzfus Structures has countless types of sheds and styles to best meet your unique needs.

Key benefits:

• Cost-effective and necessary if you are handy around your house.
• Work with greater efficiency.
• Doesn’t give up critical storage space in your garage or basement.

 

Bonus Ideas

Home theatre: With some insulation, electrical, drywall, a couple of recliners, and a cheap projector, it wouldn’t be long until you are enjoying the movie theatre experience at home (all while avoiding sticky floors and overpriced popcorn).

Guest Cottage: Converting a shed into a tiny home could be an exceptionally affordable way to earn some extra income as a short-term rental property or serve as a place for your friends and family to crash when they are in town visiting. Of course, you’ll want to check with local zoning ordinances and building codes before you jump entirely into this idea.

Poolside Retreat: If you’ve ever owned a pool, you know how nice it would be to have a pool house. Store all your pool gear, chemicals, and more importantly, have a living space to relax and entertain.

As you can see, a shed can be so much more than a shed. Stoltzfus Structures even has a shed that doubles as a backyard observatory. If you are gearing up to DIY your shed conversion project, that’s great! But if you would like a structure that is ready for immediate use the day it is delivered, we would love to chat with you to get you the outdoor retreat that best meets your needs. Give us a call today at 610-593.7700.