Colorful Window Film Will Convince You It's Always Summer in This Designer's Tiny Backyard Shed

Natasha Lyon, the creative force behind U.K.-based Appreciation Project, transformed her neglected backyard into a vibrant retreat after completing a kitchen renovation that left her with an uninspiring view. The renovation extended beyond the interior, prompting Lyon to address the barren outdoor space that featured a large tree, a cracked concrete patio, and an unusable flower bed. Her quest led her to an affordable, off-the-shelf garden shed, which she envisioned as a Victorian orangery. Despite the challenges of a British winter, Lyon dedicated a season to bringing her dream garden retreat to life. Nearly a year later, the shed has become a cherished hideaway, offering respite from her children's energy and providing shelter for her husband during unexpected rainstorms. The initial step in this transformation involved preparing the site. Lyon removed an impractical flower bed to extend the garden by 5 feet, creating sufficient space for the shed's concrete foundation. To maintain her budget, she ingeniously repurposed slate tiles from a previous kitchen renovation to cover the concrete base. This approach not only offered a cost-effective and environmentally friendly flooring solution but also aligned with Appreciation Project's commitment to minimizing waste, a principle rooted in Lyon's dried floral bouquet shop business. This resourceful use of materials was crucial in adhering to the project’s financial constraints. For the structural bones of her enchanting escape, Lyon discovered a uniquely designed shed online for approximately $2,200. This particular model featured a whimsical pointed roof and arched windows, arriving in flat-pack form that required meticulous assembly. Although her trusted carpenter suggested he could have built it from scratch, Lyon was content with her choice, stating, “I love it exactly as it is. I wouldn’t have changed a thing, apart from the quality of the wood, perhaps.” The next phase involved adding a vibrant spectrum of colors. Lyon carefully selected paint colors for the garden house, considering its visibility from her main home. She persuaded her husband to embrace a red exterior, complementing it with a powder blue interior, a color combination that had become an unintentional signature throughout her home. To facilitate winter painting, she chose Little Greene’s outdoor paint in Baked Cherry and Sky Blue, appreciating its quality and built-in primer. For the floors, she reused leftover Farrow & Ball’s De Nimes paint from a previous hallway project. The most striking element of the shed’s transformation came from the colorful window film. Inspired by a past client project, Lyon sourced the film, available in various colors and sold by the meter, and meticulously cut and arranged it. She applied it using soapy water and a squeegee, smoothing out air bubbles with a credit card. By leaving certain glass sections clear, she maintained an outside view, leading her children and their friends to affectionately name it the “Rainbow House.” Finally, Lyon focused on cultivating a cozy atmosphere within the shed. Opting for two chairs instead of a permanent bench, she allowed for potential future use as storage. The ’70s chairs, found on Etsy, were in pristine condition, eliminating the need for reupholstering. Embracing a gradual decorating approach, Lyon “shopped” her own home, eventually incorporating a side table she had previously used for styling shoots. The transformation replaced her initial aversion to the backyard view with a sense of joy and contentment. #backyardShed #DIYProject #gardenRetreat #colorfulWindowFilm #homeRenovation #sustainableDesign #interiorDesign #outdoorSpace #budgetFriendly #backyardShed #DIYProject #gardenRetreat #colorfulWindowFilm #homeRenovation #sustainableDesign #interiorDesign #outdoorSpace #budgetFriendly

22 months ago

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