How to Turn Garden Sheds UK into Whimsical Playhouses

12.02.2019

Think about it this way. Why have a simple garden shed in your backyard when you could have a fantastic playroom where your children and their friends could have fun all day long in a safe and creative space? If this sounds like a great idea to you, then keep on reading because we’ve created a comprehensive guide to turn your garden sheds UK into a playhouse like your child has never seen before!

What You Need to Do Before the Conversion

Before you actually begin transforming your existing shed or even buying a new one, there are a few things you need to think about so that the transition can run as smoothly as possible.

  • If you already have a shed, plan the playhouse itself. What and how will your children use it? Will it have a theme? Do you plan on putting small furniture in there or just toys? Write everything down on a list.
  • Should it happen that you don’t own a shed but this idea is hugely appealing to you and your family, there’s nothing easier than that. Garden sheds come in all shapes and sizes at very affordable prices. A garden shed or workshop is a great solution for this kind of project.
  • Design the layout of your playhouse according to the theme you have chosen or what your children want.
  • Divide all the jobs that need to be done between yourself, your kids, and a professional. If possible, set a deadline as well.

Steps to Converting the Shed into a Playhouse

Now that you’ve gotten all the preparations out of the way, it’s time to get to work. Here are all the steps you need to take to turn your garden sheds UK into the type of playhouse your kids will never forget.

1. The Paint Job

The first thing you need to do is paint your garden shed according to the plan you made. If you and your children have chosen a theme for this project such as Disney princess, pirate ship, jungle theme or anything else, make sure the color palette matches it.

If not, and you’re going for a generic playhouse, you can choose any color you want. However, you still have to ask your children what colors they would like. They are the ones who will be spending most of their time in there.

Tip – whichever colors you choose, make sure they are bright and cheerful. Bright colors have been demonstrated to stimulate children’s imagination and creativity.

2. Put in the Curtains, Carpets, and Shelves

These three elements need to go in next in your garden sheds UK turned playhouse. Start with the shelves so that you can clean up any mess you make such as sawdust off the floor before you put in the carpets.

Figure out how many shelves you will need based on how much storage space you think there should be in there. Will your kids actually keep their toys and games in the shed or bring them in from the house?

As far as the carpets go, they are not mandatory. They will make for a nice, homely playhouse, but you can skip them if you think they will be too messy. After all, kids will be coming in from the garden with muddy feet. Instead, you can leave the floor as it is. These garden workshops, for example, are made of untreated Nordic spruce which might be just perfect for this purpose.

Curtains will add a very cozy feel to the playhouse. Your kids will feel as if their new space is actually part of the house, and not just an annex, and will love their time in there even more.

3. Install the Lighting

As far as this step of the process is concerned, you will need to decide if you want to put in lights inside as well or just on the outside of the playhouse. This is what might help you make a decision. How much time will you allow your children to spend in there? If they will just spend a few hours every day playing, then there will be no need for interior lighting. Children play in daytime, so installing lights inside will be an unnecessary addition to the budget of your project.

However, if you think you can also accommodate sleepovers in the new playhouse, at least during hot summer nights, then you will have to run an electricity cable inside as well. Independently of this decision, the outside of the garden shed turned playhouse needs to be illuminated as well. You can use garden lamps or run a wire.

4. Decorate the Interior of the Playhouse

This might be the most fun of all the tasks involved in this little project. In other words, this is the moment when you can let your creativity run wild and imagine a play space that is both whimsical and educational. Allow your children to make decisions as well and choose the decorations, colors, and patterns they want. Make them feel like this is their space, and they will love it even more!

5. Additions to the Exterior of the Shed

This last step is optional, but it might be fun if you decide to do it. If you want, you can also install a few other things your children might enjoy. Think about a swing set, a slide or even a water slide for summertime. You might also want to start a little garden with your children next to the shed turned playhouse where they could learn how to grown their own flowers or vegetables.

Turning garden sheds UK into a playhouse may prove to be one of the best decisions you’ve ever made when it comes to the happiness of your family. Creating a safe and playful space for your children is, without a doubt, one of the best gifts you could give them. They will cherish it for years to come and they will surely remember it even when they grow up!

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