Tag Archives: garden sheds

Reuse Design, Structure Reuse

Reuse and Repurpose – A Garden Shed made out of Salvaged Building Materials

Don’t throw out the old stuff – reuse and repurpose!

Almost 3 years ago good neighbors and friends of ours moved from Maryland to a little cabin on Lake Jackson in Virginia. Naturally, I’m still a little sad that they moved about 2 hours away from us – if you have great neighbors you just don’t want to see them leave! But seeing how beautiful Lake Jackson is and what a quaint little community they are lucky to be part of, I can’t really blame them.

So, for the past 3 years they’ve been hard at work renovating every little square inch of their cabin and turning it into a beautiful home. The cabin was originally built in the 1930s and needed a lot of updating to say the least. One of those times when we were talking about their progress, my friend mentioned how they were about to donate all their old doors and windows. Oh no no no no was my immediate response, you are going to do no such thing! You’ll either hold on to it or bring it to my house!

 

I apologize, Habitat for Humanity – I love and support your mission but in this case I just had to keep them from dropping it all off at one of your stores. They had a treasure chest of building materials at their hands and I knew they could do something amazing with it.

The end result? They took my advice plea to heart and saved it all. They are now the proud owners of what is probably the greenest garden/potting shed in all of Virginia and Maryland! They reused and recycled and repurposed … the old siding, doors, trim, windows, beams, stained glass and even a wagon wheel that used to be a lamp! It still needs some decoration and plants of course but it’s already looking pretty spectacular!

I am proud of you Karen and Gary – you took my advice to a whole different level!

 

via Reuse and Repurpose – A Garden Shed made out of Salvaged Building Materials.

Reuse Design

Pacific NW | Used materials are reborn into charming garden sheds | Seattle Times Newspaper

Bob Bowling guides a shed, with the help of a boom truck, into its spot in the garden. Every shed he makes is uniquely designed and crafted from mostly recycled and repurposed materials.

LIKE MUSHROOMS in damp autumn woods, Bob Bowlings sheds are popping up all over South Whidbey Island. Small enough to squeeze into a garden corner or side yard, yet large enough to house chickens, hold a yoga mat or tools, the sheds are drop-dead charming.

Is it the peaked roofs, the cupolas and aged windowpanes that lend a sense of history to each tidy little footprint of a building? Perhaps its that Bowling has mastered the perfect proportions and garnishes to appeal to our fantasies of a sweet little destination shed. Gardeners seem to share a universal gene for outbuildings, and Bowling has tapped right into that.

After his success at the past few Northwest Flower & Garden Shows, where he won “Best of Show” in the exhibitor category, Bowling is busy building custom designs.

Dont be tricked by the cute window boxes and clever cupolas. These sheds are practical. The windows hinge wide open, the roofs are sturdy galvanized metal with overhangs, and the chicken coops come with nesting boxes and windows low enough to give the birds a view out into the garden.How did Bowling hit on the formula for irresistible sheds? “I never draw them, they just evolve,” he explains. Kind of like how he got into building sheds in the first place.

Continue reading Pacific NW | Used materials are reborn into charming garden sheds | Seattle Times Newspaper →