London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Oct 05, 2026

Step Inside Three Dreamy Backyard Retreats

Step Inside Three Dreamy Backyard Retreats

Move over "she-shed." These three sophisticated chic sheds take the garden house to a whole new level.

Part greenhouse, part creative studio, these three sunlight-drenched spaces are nestled in equally inviting backyard gardens. Each is cleverly constructed of salvaged windows (over 200 in total!) and other architectural pieces, then artfully filled with meaningful collections and one-of-a-kind antique finds that reflect the owner and her passions. Grab a glass and come on in for a personal tour!

#1 The Backyard Studio

Barbara Adkins, owner of Black Sheep Antiques, takes us inside her 480 square foot nature-filled drawing room in Alabama.

"You can't beat the view. From any perch, you can take in glimpses of our property's barn, gardens, pastures, and house. It's the perfect lookout point," says Barbara.

Salvaged Window Count: 48.

If You Look Closely You’ll Notice: The windows are hinged across the top so they can open to catch the cross-breeze.

Best Junking Find: Those blue front doors—that’s the original paint!


On one side of the retreat, a set of vintage rattan provides a casual living room setting for long lazy afternoons of lingering.

My Design Inspiration in Five Words or Less: Victorian greenhouse meets Alabama farmhouse.

This Space Is Best Enjoyed With: A glass of red wine.


This sunny art studio inspires plenty of creative repurpose ideas: an antique dining table-turned-desk and a music stand-turned-easel.

Out Here You’ll Find Me: With a paintbrush in hand.

I Also Love To: Use the space for hosting dinner parties.


A neighboring potting shed provides Barbara a spot to display her large terra-cotta collection.

I Have a Serious Green Thumb When It Comes To: Jonquils, oxeye daisies, Lady Banks roses, and garden phlox. Just depends on the season!


#2 The Hobby House


Out Here You’ll Find Me: Doing everything I can’t do in the house, like spray-painting and flower pressing.

I Also Love To: Host flower-arranging workshops.

If You Look Closely You’ll Notice: The potting bench my husband built me has running water. All my projects are messy—I need a spot to clean up!


“Almost every part of my ‘tinker’ house was collected during the renovation of my family’s fifth-generation, circa 1890s farmhouse. I even topped it with the home’s original mismatched door hardware," says Donna.


Hinged together, salvaged French doors add decorative oomph to an outdoor seating area just off the garden house.

Here, the Magic Hour Is: 3 p.m. in the summer. The front windows sparkle when the sunlight hits.

This Space Is Best Enjoyed With: Sun tea made right on site.


#3 The Garden Retreat


Out Here You’ll Find Me: Planning, potting, pruning, and anything else related to gardening.

I Also Love To: Sit here on a rainy day and pore over antique gardening books.

If You Look Closely You’ll Notice: The side entrance has a sliding barn door and is extra wide so I can bring in a wheelbarrow.


Here, the Magic Hour Is: Evening! Thanks to hanging lanterns and a collection of oil lamps, it looks like a little jewel box all lit up.

This Space Is Best Enjoyed With: White wine when I have friends over; a cold glass of water when I’m working.


Best Junking Find: An antique door that I turned into a French trumeau-style mirror.


A collection of vintage flower frogs act as sculptural art on the zinc-topped table. My Design Inspiration in Five Words or Less: Country French all the way.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
BT Accused of Pressuring Vulnerable Customers During Digital Landline Shift
British Carmakers Warn of Growing Pressure From EU-China Tariff Dispute
Green Party of England and Wales Adopts Motion Defining Zionism as Racism
Medical Charity Threatens NHS Legal Action Over Two-Year Autism and ADHD Assessment Waits
British Transport Police Report Record Rise in Violence on Railways
Glasgow Council Workers Face Pay Cuts Under Fire-and-Rehire Plan
British Medical Groups Press Prime Minister Andy Burnham to Cancel £330 Million Palantir NHS Contract
UK Faces Record Bluetongue Outbreak Across Livestock Farms
UK Schools Report Thousands of Child-on-Child Sexual Offences
High Court Overturns Ban Blocking Gaza Families From Reuniting With Relatives in UK
G7 Authorizes Emergency Fuel Release as UK Diesel Prices Hit £2 a Litre
France and Italy Draw 1-1 in Nations League Match
Pope Leo XIV and Prince Albert II of Monaco Meet in Metz
SNCF Expands Low-Cost Ouigo High-Speed Service Between Lyon and Bordeaux
Paris Expands Dedicated Cargo Bike Routes for Urban Deliveries
French Film Industry Pushes for Tighter Streaming Investment Rules
Marseille Court Hands Down Prison Terms in Public Procurement Corruption Case
LVMH and Kering Rely on US Demand as Chinese Luxury Spending Slows
Toulouse Aerospace Sector Launches €80 Million Modernization Fund
Javier Milei Courts French Investment in LNG and Lithium
Mistral AI Launches Sovereign Model for European Public Services
French Competition Authority Fines Retailers €40 Million Over Misleading Promotions
France Records Exceptional Electricity Exports as Nuclear Output Recovers
Dassault Aviation Expands Rafale Assembly Capacity at Mérignac
Sanofi Invests €1 Billion in New Biologics Production Hub Near Lyon
France Protests Germany’s Extension of Border Controls Into 2027
French Public-Sector and Transport Unions Threaten National Strike
France Deploys Riot Police After Violence in Lyon Suburbs
French Anti-Terrorism Prosecutors Investigate Radicalized Flydubai Co-Pilot
France’s Defense Budget Surpasses NATO’s 2% of GDP Target
French Government Faces No-Confidence Threat Over Budget
France and G7 Release 100 Million Barrels From Strategic Oil Reserves
France Convenes Emergency Defense Council Over Threats to Commercial Shipping
France and Germany Coordinate Military Response After Russian Strikes on Kyiv Infrastructure
UK Police Release Six Iranian Nationals on Bail After RAF Fairford Security Alert
UK Business Confidence Falls as Energy Costs and Tax Uncertainty Rise
Cornwall Insight Warns UK Energy Bills Could Rise 16% in January
UK Introduces Zero VAT on Household Electricity Bills
UK 30-Year Gilt Yield Hits 6% as Bond Market Pressures Intensify
UK Introduces Stricter Subcontractor Checks and Expanded Trade Union Access
Green Party Proposes Three-Year Emergency Freeze on Private Rent Increases
UK Treasury Committee Seeks Tax Clarification Over Manchester City Investigation
Royal Marines Deploy to Faroe Islands for Northern European Security Exercise
UK Business Confidence Weakens as High Costs Delay Investment
UK GDP Growth Revised Up to 0.5% in Second Quarter
Bank of England Warns of Financial Stability Risks From Autonomous AI
UK Expands Early Prisoner Release Scheme to Ease Overcrowding
UK Records Worst Bluetongue Outbreak on Record Across Livestock Farms
UK Government Faces Shrinking Fiscal Headroom Ahead of October 28 Budget
UK 30-Year Gilt Yield Reaches 6% as Energy Shock Drives Borrowing Costs Higher
×