Man caves, men's sheds… it seems like blokes have all the luck when it comes to having places to escape the daily grind available to them. But what about the ladies? Behold, for we have the solution: Sheds for Sheilas! Who said guys are the only ones allowed to escape the hustle and bustle to their very own private space in the backyard? Looking for a unique Mother’s day gift? Why not fit out the garden shed to be less of a spider haven and more of a backyard retreat?

We’ve compiled a bunch of ideas to help you get that special lady, be it mother, wife, girlfriend or just good friend, started with a shed for her very own. We’re going to show you how this can be a super cool Mother’s Day present, but who’s to say you couldn’t make it a birthday, Christmas or even Valentine’s Day present instead?

The Fit Out
Turning a tool shed into a Sheila-Shed is bit more involved than just tossing out the shovels and sticking a picnic stool in their place. You need to take a variety of factors into account. What’s her hobby? How long will she spend in the shed? Does she enjoy creature comforts or would she prefer a more rustic look? How much light will she need and should it be natural or artificial?

First of all, you have to examine the space you have, if you have one at all. If you have no shed to start with, then you can design your Sheila-Shed from scratch, implementing any design elements you want. If you have an existing structure you’d rather retrofit to save time and money, then you’ll have to work with the basics of what you already have.

Cover up boring old walls that make the place dark and dingy. Bright, fresh plaster will go a long way to livening place up, or for a classier feel go with timber panelling. Most garden sheds aren’t going to be well insulated, if at all, so getting the place sorted in terms of heating and cooling is going to be important as well.

The Jazz Up
You want to make this place somewhere she can happily spend hours, getting things done or just relaxing, so you're going to want to make it more than just a box. There has to be stuff in there: useful stuff, fun stuff, exciting stuff… whatever!

The beauty of a shed is you can be more adventurous with your styling than you perhaps could with your home, so why not try painting each wall a different colour, or devote one to a mural or a painting space for the creative ladies out there?

Window boxes for a miniature hanging garden are another great aesthetic choice which will also give here another activity get involved in.

Verandas, windows and doors are important things to think about. A set of French doors will open the place up, and if they open onto a veranda then even better. The key thing to remember when you're designing the shed’s style is to get creative. Boring will not do: a Sheila-Shed is about having a good time, so do everything you can to tailor the space to her likes and hobbies.

The Organisation
What use is a private space to indulge your hobbies if you can’t find anything you need? That’s why it’s so important to work on the interior layout of your Sheila-Shed so that everything is easy to find, easy to use and easy to keep track of.

If gardening is her hobby, then a tool wall for her trowels, secateurs and everything else is a great way to keep track of the things she needs while keeping them easily accessible and in plain sight.

Shelves are another essential storage solution that will be useful no matter what the space is being used for. They can be easily fitted, especially to a timber framed shed where they can simply be screwed straight into the wall. Plastic storage boxes, preferably with something to make them a little more attractive such as colourful lids or the like, are also excellent storage solutions. Hobby hooks are another super simple storage solution that can be used to hang basically anything you need on.

The Feature
You want to make your Sheila-Shed as attractive as possible. Not just so the lady who it’s being built for can enjoy it to the fullest, but also because such a large undertaking should really become a feature of your yard. Once you’ve made the interior as enticing and exciting as possible, spend a bit more time sprucing up the outside as well.

This process could be as simple as applying a lively coat of paint, to as complex as styling the Sheila-Shed to be a miniature version of you own house. Whatever takes your fancy: do it! One of the best ways to stylise the outside of any shed is to create a surrounding feature garden. Not only will this look great, but it will provide another avenue of activity to go with the shed’s appeal.

No matter what route you decide to go with your Mother’s day Sheila Shed, we’re sure you’ll create something that mum will love. They say it’s the thought that counts, but giving your mum, wife, girlfriend etc somewhere she can escape to just be her is just the icing on the cake of an already unique and thoughtful Mother’s Day gift.

These tips were brought to you by Aaron’s Outdoor Living who are experts in timber garden sheds.