Allow your personality to shine when creating a 'she shed'
Remember the days of the rec room or the man cave, located in the basement, a spare room or the garage? These bonus rooms have always been reserved for men, partly because people used to believe the home was ruled, or at least managed, by the matriarch of the family. Because of all the chores around the home, it was thought Mom would not have time for leisure around the house.
Times have slowly changed, and with female empowerment, more stay-at-home dads and the proliferation of open floor plans, the inevitable birth of the “she shed” has occurred.
Although the name may infer that it is a shed outside the home, she sheds can be found almost anywhere in the house, just like its man-cave predecessor.
She sheds are merely a place to chill, relax, gather your thoughts and perhaps enjoy a hobby or watch an uninterrupted television program — in a space that deliberately displays aesthetics with a female slant.
She sheds are the place to pull out all the stops and allow your personality to shine through. If you like country decor, this is the place. If you like rhinestones and sparkles, well, why not? From a cup of tea to a glass of wine, or from the meeting of your book club to a night of bunco, creating the perfect backdrop that defines you and your style are of utmost importance.
Keep in mind this is the room all your girlfriends will rave about and yearn to replicate.
The interior design style of your room can be almost any style you want it to be. It can range from glamorous to sporty, as studious as a small library to serene and spalike. It should, however, be able to meld with the decor of the rest of your home, while also accommodating what is important to you.
The activities you foresee for your room, as well as the size of your room, will help determine the furniture you will need. Certainly, you will need some sort of sofa to sit on, but why not a chaise lounge to sprawl on? Will you be using this room to double as a home office? Then perhaps choose a desk and a desk chair comfortable enough to sit on while working on the computer, writing a note or working on a craft project.
If you will have the girls over for a game of canasta or mah-jongg, then you will need a game table with four chairs and small tables for drinks and sandwiches.
She sheds can also be places for quiet relaxation. This could be a minimalist room for meditation and yoga, requiring an area rug or wall-to-wall carpeting and lots of pillows to allow one to recline or sit cross-legged on the floor.
Let's not forget other essential components of a she shed: a designated area for a coffee or tea bar, a wine fridge, a cabinet for cards and, on occasion, tasty snacks. Game on!
• Joseph Pubillones is the owner of Joseph Pubillones Interiors, an award-winning interior design firm based in Palm Beach, Florida.
© 2019, Creators Syndicate