7 Simple Steps to Building a He Shed

We are shed people, and shed people are passionate about … well … sheds. Being home to the largest display of sheds and garages in New England gives us an opportunity to commiserate with other shed people. Over the years, hundreds of thousands of people have visited our display park and wandered through the sheds, exploring and imagining what they could turn the space into. Men, women and children alike are inspired by the glimmer of possibility as they traverse the empty sheds as blank canvases.

Once the decision was made to create the Kloter Farms He Shed – which is really just our version of a man cave – we put together a team of people to bring the project from concept to reality. Keep reading to learn the steps that we took to complete the project.

Step 1 – Collect Ideas

Let your imagination run wild. Sometimes the craziest ideas give birth to the best creations. Be flexible! As you explore, collect your ideas and categorize them. Even if you don’t use all of the ideas, that’s ok. When you’re pinning ideas on Pinterest or gathering images, it’s helpful to notate the specific details that appeal to you.

He Shed ideas from Pinterest

Step 2 – Choose Your Shed & Placement

We chose a shed that we had in-stock and readily available. It is a 12′ x 14′ New England Colonial. If you don’t have an existing shed, there’s a few things to consider when buying new. Size is often determined by space available and budget. Very often, a shed or garage serves a dual purpose: storage and man-space (the best of both worlds!) Shed designs vary by roofline, siding type, trim details and layout of doors and windows. The placement in your yard will often play a role in doors and window location. One final thing to consider for placement is electricity. For your comfort, we highly recommend adding power for a ceiling fan, lights, outlets and perhaps heat and/or air conditioning.

This is what our He Shed looked like before we began the transformation.

Once we knew the space was 12′ x 14′, we needed to map out the space. This is the top view of the floor layout in the planning stages, using Google SketchUp.

Step 3 – Select Design Elements & Color Theme

After completing Step 1, we realized that we had a collection of ideas that were leading us to a theme of wood and metal. Once we settled on a general concept, we were able to develop it further. In the exploration stage, we accumulated some items that could potentially be used in the He Shed. Some of them were easy to include and others didn’t quite work out like we had imagined. Remember – it’s good to be flexible! The ones that survived became the foundation of the theme of the color palette, which consisted of shades of brown, rust and gray/almond.

In addition, we used a room layout tool to create a to-scale drawing to figure out what would fit inside our He Shed. Our design elements included barn board, a booth, live edge oak slab bar top, swivel barrel chairs and an entertainment center.

Step 4 – Gather Materials

Once you have a basic idea of what you’d like to create, it’s time to gather materials to support your theme. We used a combination of salvaged and new materials.

Salvaged Materials:

• Barn board (wall treatment and trim)
• Reclaimed wood from pallets (door and booth)
• Corvette hub cap (ceiling vent)
• Oak slab (bar top)

New Materials:

• Corrugated tin (ceiling treatment)
• Stone veneer (bar front)
• Laminate flooring
• Chairs and stools

Step 5 – Get to Work

Now that you know where you’re headed, it’s time to get to work. Since we were working on a team of four people, we brought a diverse set of skills to the project. We were able to pick and choose what we wanted to work on. In some cases it was exciting to pick a favorite detail to work on. On the other hand, there were are few components that were challenging to figure out. It’s fair to say that some of us learned some new tools and techniques! This is the order that we worked on each component:

Back wall
Electrical
Painted ceiling tin
Painted walls
Hung ceiling
Built bar and booth
Installed flooring
Doors, trim, touch-up
Bar top, table top
Installed light fixtures, tv and fan

Step 6 – Personalize with Decor & Style

Personalizing the space is the best part, because it’s the decor that makes it ‘you.’ Since we chose a bar theme to pair with ‘wood and metal’ – it seemed natural to pair it with glassware and bar utensils. The American flag on the back wall serves as a focal point, and also a tribute to the American made sheds and furniture that Kloter Farms sells. In an effort to keep it simple and elegant, we went with the minimal approach for wall decor. The use of “B-A-R” metal letters, wooden cask-like trays, stainless bowls and black pillows completed the refined industrial look we were trying to achieve.

Step 7 – Enjoy!

Congratulations! The work is done; it’s time to sit back and enjoy your creation. Click here to see more photos of the completed Kloter Farms He Shed.

Some of the other DIY shed transformations that you might want to check our are the Kloter Farms She Shed  and Vinnie & Beth’s Pub Shed.

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