6 minute read
She Shed Style
She Shed Style
TAKING A MINI VACATION CAN BE AS EASY AS A TRIP TO THE BACKYARD
By Darcy Maulsby
Move over, man caves! She sheds are popping up in yards big and small, and the trend shows no signs of slowing down. Across the state, ladies are carving out cozy getaways, often by turning spaces usually reserved for old tools or greasy car parts into inviting spaces for refined relaxation.
From Tire Shed to She Shed
From the moment you step onto Doug and Karen Lawton’s farm southeast of Jefferson, you’re surrounded by history. The classic farmhouse on their Century Farm was built in 1907, while the red barn was built around 1900. For years, a small building between the house and the barn was also a hub of activity on the farm, first as a garage and then as the tire shed before it became Karen Lawton’s she shed.
“In years past, there were a lot of cattle on this farm,” Karen says. “Vehicles from tractors to trucks needed repairs, and that’s what the tire shed was for.”
As times changed, the tire shed was no longer used much. “It had a dirt floor and was pretty messy, but I saw potential,” says Karen, who had previously converted a chicken house into a potting shed.
Around 2002, the Lawtons re-sided the front of the tire shed, poured a concrete floor and left the exposed wooden beams near the vaulted ceiling. Karen filled the shed with family heirlooms like quilts, dishes and colorful teapots, to a wooden church pew and stained-glass windows from the Greenbrier United Methodist Church, which the Lawtons attended for years.
“I grew up a quarter of a mile from that church, and we raised our kids there,” says Karen, who notes that the country church was built in 1892 but closed permanently in 2020.
Karen’s she shed also displays a trophy, basketball and news clippings honoring Luella (Gardeman) Boddicker, Doug’s maternal grandmother. Luella was a star player on the 1927 Newhall girls’ high school basketball team, which beat Sioux Center in the final game of the state tournament held in Centerville.
Karen enjoys decorating her shed throughout the year. Pumpkins and other seasonal décor in the fall and Christmas lights during the holidays. She was thrilled when Doug gave her a custom-made blade sign for Christmas one year. Olson Iron Works in nearby Churdan, crafted the black metal sign shaped like a tire and reads, “The Tire Shed.”
This she shed will serve as a backdrop and spot for the officiant who will conduct the wedding of Lawton’s son, Lance, on the farm on September 1, 2024.
“She sheds are fun because they can be anything you want them to be,” Karen says. “I love mine because it has served many purposes and reminds me of our family heritage.”
Eastern Iowa She Shed Offers“Glamping”
Honoring history is also important to Cathy Lafrenz, who owns Miss Effie’s Country Flowers near Donahue.
“When my late husband, Cliff, and I built it, we wanted it to look old, like our 1892 farmhouse,” says Lafrenz, who created her she shed around 2008. “This is such a fun place to hang out.”
It all started when Lafrenz needed a place to display her jams, jellies and other handmade items, which she sold along with her flowers. After she no longer used the building for her shop, she adapted it for “glamping,” a style of upscale camping with amenities. In 2021, she transformed the shed/shop into a guest cottage. While it’s not luxurious, the comfortable space features a daybed, trundle bed, artwork created by Iowa women and other treasures.
Located in the middle of a flower bed, the she shed includes a patio that offers an inviting place to enjoy a cup of coffee. “When there are no guests, I love spending time out here. It’s really peaceful.”
Reclaiming Barn Wood to Claim Something New
For Laura Smith of Lake City, creating a she shed meant building something new with old barn wood. “We bought reclaimed barn wood from a man by Adair,” says Laura, who uses her rustic retreat as a garden shed.
Combining design concepts she was drawn to from the social media site Pinterest, her she shed came to life. In 2020, her husband, Dave, built the small shed, complete with a covered porch and tin roof. Traces of red paint are visible on some of the boards on the exterior walls, while other boards retain hints of white paint — reminders of barns gone by.
The shed houses a variety of garden tools Laura uses, along with vintage ones just for fun. “If it’s rusty, I use it as décor,” she says.
Flamingos Add Flair to Shelle’s She Shed
What looks like a log cabin-inspired she shed at Steve and Shelle Kent’s acreage north of Auburn was once an oat shed nearly a century ago. “We figure it’s about 75 to 100 years old,” Shelle says.
In 2023, the couple moved the 12-foot by 16-foot shed (which Steve previously used for tool storage) from the east side of their acreage to the west, near their backyard garden and patio. They incorporated a front door and back door they had salvaged years ago from a home in Sac City. They also included a chandelier they had in storage.
An LED fireplace on the north interior wall adds warmth and vibrant colors accent the she shed’s whimsical flamingo décor. Shelle enjoys reading, birdwatching and working on jigsaw puzzles here. “A she shed is like a grown-up playhouse. It’s a remarkable place to relax.”
