1. Not too deep. If you have room for only a shallow storehouse, a style like this is both pretty and practical. It would sit against a garden wall or fence without taking up too much precious floor space.
Look for a model that’s shallow in depth but generous in height to maximize vertical storage space. Choosing a style with adjustable shelves helps you customize the space.
2. Like a booth. This compact outbuilding is the right size to store essential tools and supplies in a small backyard.
Lining the interior with hooks, peg rails or slim shelves will ensure that every inch is maximized and that the small space remains neat and organized.
3. Outside the box. I bet you didn’t expect to see a mini shed under here. A truly novel way to use a tricky space, the oversize obelisk was built to conceal an air-conditioning unit, but the vertical area above stores tall garden tools too. Close to the house and easy to access, it’s a creative solution if space is at a premium.
If you have an existing alcove or unused corner, however small, perhaps you could transform it with a clever custom design to create your own version of this decorative solution.
4. Country style. This little outbuilding is like a country cottage in miniature — proof that small can also be stylish. The Dutch door, shingled roof, and shiplap siding combine to create a chic little space that tucks into a shaded corner of the yard.
If space is really tight, children’s playhouses are an alternative option to consider. They usually have smaller proportions than regular sheds and tuck neatly into a small space.
Painting a regular shed or a playhouse with a classic white wood stain and upgrading the roof with shingles or tiles will create a fun feature. Also, it will help disguise the fact that it’s on the small side.
5. With a potting station. This compact shed was cleverly extended with a flat-roof canopy, which creates an open-air potting station along one side. If you’re already the owner of a tiny shed, this would be a relatively straightforward way to upgrade it without visually blocking sightlines through the yard — essential in a small space.
Such a shelter provides useful cover from the elements and creates a space for sowing seeds, taking cuttings and other garden tasks.
6. Camouflaged. You have two main options if outdoor space is tight but you need to squeeze in a shed. You can either turn it into a feature and celebrate it with cheerful paint colors and fun styling, or you can tuck it away and do your best to encourage it to blend in.
This slim shed demonstrates the latter approach, as it’s carefully tucked away against a wall on one side and painted a soft sage green to allow it to melt into the garden plantings. It’s a nice idea to grow a climber up the side, too, so in time it will be largely camouflaged.
7. Micro. I defy you to say you don’t have space for this shed! Perhaps a touch too petite for most yards, this would be a fun addition to an urban balcony or a tiny terrace, providing storage space for the bare essentials.
It also would be a great idea for children, with the blackboard door acting as a novel way to leave secret messages. Alternatively, it could serve as a daily reminder of garden jobs.
Before beginning any building project preview building code guidelines. Guidelines for Building Permits