10 ways to improve your shed

With a bit of planning and inspiration, a shed can offer a whole new space for living, playing and even growing. So don’t leave yours blotting the appearance of your garden or allotment – check out our 10 quick and easy ideas for making the most of this time-honoured garden essential.

How to improve your shed

There are many ways to improve a garden shed, including painting the outside panels, replacing or upgrading the roof, adding sturdy shelving and hooks, and even adding chairs where you can sit and enjoy your shed.

More garden shed advice:

• Best garden sheds
• What can I plant to hide a neighbours' shed? (video)
• Five plants to hide a garden shed
• How to clean and repair your garden shed
• Shed storage ideas

Browse our list of 10 ways to improve your garden shed, below.

Paint your shed

Painting your shed will not only protect the wood, but can change the look and feel of your garden too. Bright colours will bring vibrancy to your garden and lift your spirits. More neutral shades such as olive green will make your shed less prominent and help it blend in with the planting. If you paint it a dark colour, such as black or deep blue, it will seem further away, helping to make a small garden feel bigger.

Buy wood stain or paint for your shed from Amazon

Fix a water butt to your shed

Long, hot summers and less rainfall mean we all need to recycle water wherever we can, so use the roof of your shed to collect this precious resource. Simply attach guttering just below the roof and add a drainpipe leading into a water butt to catch and store rain. Use it to water your garden and any plants, both indoors and out, that prefer rainwater over water from the tap.

Buy water butts from Waitrose Garden

Buy shed guttering from Amazon

Use your shed to attract wildlife

The sides of a shed offer potential to provide valuable shelter for smaller garden wildlife. Nest boxes for birds and ‘hotels’ for solitary bees and other pollinating insects – either shop bought or homemade – are easy to attach and can look attractive as well as being useful. Just make sure they're out of the prevailing wind, rain and strong sunlight.

Buy nest boxes from CJ Wildlife

Buy bee hotels from CJ Wildlife

Add a green roof to your shed

A shed roof, no matter how small, is a great new planting opportunity, on what would otherwise be a barren space. Covering it with plants will soften the appearance of your shed, helping it blend with the greenery around it. A green roof will also insulate the shed and provide shelter for wildlife too. Make a shallow-edged wooden frame to place on the existing roof, line it with plastic and fill it with soil. Plant it with grasses, sedums and wildflowers, or let the local plant population colonise it naturally.

Buy green roof kits on Amazon

Use your shed as a focal point

Give your shed a makeover and turn it into the focal point of your garden. An old shed needn’t to be an eyesore and a new one can become a beautiful feature – a Swiss chalet or a beach hut evocative of holidays gone by. A simple coat of paint can lift a shabby shed instantly – try contrasting colours, adding stripes or bright zingy tones to draw the eye and make it really stand out. You can also read our summer house ideas.

Transform your shed for the kids

With a little imagination, a shed can become a castle, a dragon’s den or a pirate ship. Let your kids take the lead – simply give them some bunting and a few props, and let their fantasies take shape. It’s a great way to get them outside, away from the television and technology. And be sure to join them for some precious family time. Playing outside improves children’s coordination and concentration as well as their overall health and well-being.

Buy bunting from Amazon

Use your shed to grow plants

If you’ve run out of growing space on the ground, look to the sides of your shed as the next place to grow more plants. Your shed is the perfect place to create a green wall. You can hang up pots or growing bags, or attach guttering and shelves that can be filled with pots. All of these can be planted up with seasonal displays, fast-growing veg or more permanent perennials.

Buy planters and window boxes from Primrose

Use your shed as a spare room

It’s not always easy to find space in your home for a hobby or work area, but a shed could be the answer. Add windows or a skylight, along with shelves, furniture and rugs, and electricity for heating, lighting or to run your computer. You could even install a wood-burning stove and chimney for a cosy winter workspace – all with a view directly onto your garden.

Erect shelves in your shed

Sheds are classic dumping grounds, but it’s more than possible to declutter with style. Make use of the walls and ceiling by attaching hooks and nails to hang up tools, freeing up floor space. Add shelves to hold plant pots and fertiliser, and use baskets or crates to keep netting and fleece tidied away. Look out for old filing cabinets and vintage cupboards to keep all your odds and ends organised. Make sure to take a look at our best cordless drills, and best drill bits for your DIY project.

Buy shelving and storage from Wickes

Screen your shed with plants

If you want your shed to blend in to your garden, cover it with climbers. Self-clinging types, such as climbing hydrangea and ivy, will scramble up it unaided. Clematis, jasmine and honeysuckle will need help, so attach trellis or wires to the sides and guide your plants by tying them on with twine. Tie in new shoots as they appear. If you choose evergreens and fast growers, your shed will be hidden in no time.

Buy climbing plants from Waitrose Garden