She Shed Update #3: Turning a Shed Into a Cozy Creative Space

If you’ve ever watched one of those home makeover shows where everything magically comes together in a weekend, I can assure you that is 100% not what is happening here.

Shedna Mae is still very much a work in progress. You can see Update #1 here, and Update #2 here.

The good news? Progress is definitely happening. The bad news? Most of it involves scraping, sanding, caulking, priming, painting, and wondering why every project seems to take three times longer than expected.

Painting the Floor (One Section at a Time)

With summer temperatures climbing, I decided to start painting the floor inside Shedna Mae.

Since I still have furniture, supplies, and assorted project clutter occupying various corners, I’m painting it in sections rather than all at once. It’s not the fastest method, but it does allow me to keep working in the shed while the paint dries.

Seeing that fresh coat of paint go down makes a surprising difference. The floor has spent years looking tired and neglected, so even a small painted section feels like a victory.

The shed floor was previously a primer-grey color. I cleaned it well by sweeping and vacuuming. Then I washed it with Simple Green, rinsed it, and allowed it to dry well. I primed it and then applied two coats of floor paint in the color Edgecomb Grey. The hard part was waiting for the paint to dry so I could move furniture back into place. Well, that and getting up off the floor after painting. Apparently I’m not 25 anymore.

The Craft Castle Has Arrived

One of the most exciting milestones so far has been moving in the Craft Castle. The Craft Castle was a $50 yard sale purchase years ago. It has held my craft supplies for much of that time, with a short break at my daughter’s home, holding her massive book collection. 

After months of taking up far too much space in my tiny office inside the house, it finally has a home inside Shedna Mae.

It’s still a work in progress, and I have plenty of organizing left to do, but having a place for my crafting and DIY supplies makes the shed feel less like a construction zone and more like a creative space.

Everything is not in its final place yet, but for the first time, I can really start imagining what the finished room will look like.

Outside Work: Not Glamorous, But Necessary

The inside of Shedna Mae is not getting all of my attention; a surprising amount of my time has been spent outside.

I’ve been scraping loose paint, caulking gaps, cleaning surfaces, priming trim, and getting both Shedna Mae and her hardworking storage shed sister, Shedwina, ready for paint. These sheds have been in serious need of a new paint job for a while. The siding is in good condition, but the trim had lots of peeling paint, and was weathered in some places.

I’ve actually gotten pretty confident climbing on a ladder to tackle the high places. Usually Grampy would do that sort of thing, but his knees don’t allow him to do that much anymore. He will be helping me paint the siding. 

It feels a little slow because I’m preparing both buildings at the same time. But since they’re right next to each other, it makes sense to tackle the prep work together while I already have the ladders, brushes, caulk, and paint supplies out.

The exciting part of painting always gets the spotlight. The prep work, however, is what takes forever.

A Few Cottage-Style Makeovers

Of course, I couldn’t resist sneaking in a few smaller projects along the way.

I’ve been giving new life to several thrifted and rescued items with paint, turning them into charming storage pieces and garden accessories. Some projects have been practical, some have been decorative, and all of them have helped add a little personality to the space.

One thing I’ve learned during this process is that I prefer simple finishes over heavily distressed ones. Every time I try to convince myself I need crackle paint, dark wax, or elaborate aging techniques, I end up repainting things a solid color and feeling much happier.

Apparently my decorating style is less “weathered antique treasure” and more “fresh coat of Clary Sage fixes everything.”

Looking Ahead

There’s still plenty left to do before Shedna Mae is finished.

The exterior painting is waiting. More organizing is ahead. Furniture still needs to find its permanent home. And I suspect I’ll discover at least three more projects I didn’t know I needed along the way.

But little by little, it’s coming together.

For now, I’m celebrating the small victories: a partially painted floor, a moved-in Craft Castle, a growing collection of cottage-style storage pieces, the rosebush I planted in front of my she shed in bloom, and two sheds that are finally starting to look like they are cared for.

Progress is progress. Every coat of paint and every little makeover project brings Shedna Mae one step closer to becoming the cozy creative retreat I’ve been imagining.