She Sheds, Man Caves ALLOW WOMEN, MEN TO GET AWAY, AT HOME By Jeff Falk
We all need time with our families. We all need time with our significant others. And we all need time to ourselves.
She sheds and man caves aren’t sexist, or gender-differentiating. Just the opposite. Their entire concepts are based on what is similar about men and women. Man caves and she sheds recognize the fact that time is difficult to manage, and that we all must make some for ourselves, no matter our genders. “Everyone needs a place they can call their own,” said Jennifer Shearer, a New Cumberland resident who owns her very own Shearer She Shed. “Whether it be a she shed or a man cave, it’s somewhere you can go to relax. Whether you’re a female or a male, you need to be stress free. It’s that important. I know mine has helped me.” “A man cave is a place of solitude or an escape from the world,” said Yuriy Ivanchenko, owner of the Harrisburg-based Nail’d It Handyman Services, which builds man caves. “It’s a place to maybe have your buddies over. It’s a peaceful place.” This concept of “personal space” in one’s home originated in the early 1990s, and first manifested itself in the man cave. The traditional idea believed that the lady of the home was the homemaker, that she had authority over the rest of the home, including its interior design, and that, within reason, what went on in the man cave, stayed in the man cave. But as the trend played out, women seeking equal treatment also saw the benefits of having one’s own personal space, giving rise to the she shed and the ‘lady lair.’ She sheds are a much more recent phenomenon. “Men used to congregate in bars or saloons, and I believe its origin goes back to the 1960s,” said Ivanchenko. “It may have 20 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE OCTOBER 2020
started from a bachelor pad, and it kind of evolved into a man cave when a man got married. In the late 70s and into the 80s, it may have transitioned a bit.” “My husband has a man cave in his garage,” said Shearer. “He has a couple of benches and a TV. It’s not extravagant. When he’s in there, he works on his hobbies. Of course, I wanted my own place to do my stuff. The deal was, he could have a two-car garage, with an upstairs, and I could have a she shed. “It’s (she sheds) definitely become more popular over the last five years,” added Shearer. “I have friends who are waiting for their husbands to get them she sheds. For them, it’s ‘in the works’.”
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an caves can be transformed or inserted into current living spaces like garages, spare bedrooms, dens, media rooms and, of course, the traditional basements. They can cost anywhere from $5,000 to $12,000 or up to create, depending upon the features and furnishings. Shearer estimated that her husband built her ten-by-ten she shed - next to a fire pit, in the front yard, partly to hide her chicken coop - for around $4,600. “My husband’s pretty crafty and he built it for me,” said Shearer. “But I like to say I designed it. I just needed a place to recreate, and I needed a hobby. I got some chickens and I started refurbishing furniture. My husband didn’t like my mess in the garage. But it all came about from me needing a hobby.” “I would start with the design and the feeling you’re going for,” said Ivanchenko. “What kind of feeling do you want? How much area are we talking about? Some essentials would probably be a bar, comfortable seating, a nice paint job and lighting to help the mood. Maybe a neon bar sign. Maybe a little humidor. “I’m not much of a sports guy, but I’d have a TV for those special events,” continued Ivanchenko. “I’m more of a cigar-and-a-bit-of-
