London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Sep 06, 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
Thousands Join Anti-Abortion March Through Central London
UK Beekeepers Call for Nationwide Tracking as Asian Hornet Sightings Increase
England Sees Sharp Rise in Property Subsidence Claims After Record Summer Heat
House of Lords Advances Financial Services Reform Bill
House of Lords Begins Detailed Scrutiny of Railways Bill and Great British Railways Plan
UK Treasury Cuts Green Book Discount Rate to Support More Regional Infrastructure Projects
Reform UK Suspends Two Senior Aides After Undercover Report on Foreign Donation Rules
UK Chancellor Warns Autumn Budget Will Require Tough Choices as Energy Shock Squeezes Public Finances
UK Parliament Raises Concerns Over Funding Structure of £400 Million Tropical Forest Initiative
Andy Burnham Launches Number 10 North as Part of UK Devolution Push
UK Reaffirms Falkland Islands Sovereignty Amid Renewed Regional Pressure
Andy Burnham to Abstain From Assisted Dying Vote as Ministers Are Told to Remain Neutral
Kemi Badenoch Sacks Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride in Conservative Economic Strategy Shake-Up
UK Government Drops Early Prisoner Release Plan in Favor of Deportations and Wider Prison Reform
UK Farmers Warn Drought-Hit Harvests Could Push Grocery Prices Higher
UK Economy Faces Persistent Stagflation Risks Ahead of October Budget
Masked Protesters Block Port of Dover Roads, Disrupting Cross-Channel Traffic
Reform UK Suspends Senior Officials After Undercover Investigation Into Foreign Donation Plans
UK Urges Households to Keep Emergency Supplies Amid Severe El Niño Warning
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Sets Out Regional Industry and Prison Reform Agenda
Siemens Energy Wins Rolls-Royce Small Modular Reactor Manufacturing Contract
UK Mortgage Costs Rise as Gilt Yields and Swap Rates Climb
Bank of England’s Huw Pill Calls for Prompt Rate Rise as Inflation Risks Persist
National Audit Office Warns UK Is Unprepared for Major Food Supply Disruptions
British Army Suspends Some Training Exercises as Budget Pressures Intensify
HMS Queen Elizabeth Deploys as NATO Allied Response Force Command Ship
Reform UK Suspends Two Senior Officials Over Alleged Foreign Donation Scheme
UK Reasserts Falkland Islands Sovereignty After Argentina Threatens Sanctions
Scottish Tech Company PureLifi Enters Administration With More Than 40 Job Losses
Scottish Government Names Alyn Smith Innovation and Education Minister
Green Party Co-Leader Zack Polanski to Contest By-Election for Keir Starmer’s Former Seat
Palestine Action Activists Appeal Terrorism-Related Prison Sentences
PwC Report Highlights Persistent Regional Spending-Power Divide Across Britain
UK Names Hundreds of Employers for Minimum Wage Violations
UK Commits £400 Million to International Tropical Forest Fund
UK Extends £2 Bus Fare Cap Across England Through 2027
UK Warns Travellers as US-Iran Tensions Disrupt Middle East Security and Shipping
Andy Burnham Faces Kemi Badenoch in First Prime Minister’s Questions
Kemi Badenoch Names Andrew Griffith Shadow Chancellor in Conservative Reshuffle
UK Treasury and Markets Focus on Fiscal Headroom Ahead of Autumn Budget
UK Government Reverses Early Release Plans for Serious Violent and Sexual Offences
UK and France Review Border Cooperation After 48,000 Small-Boat Crossings Prevented
UK Growth Outlook Weakens as Inflation and Energy Costs Rise
Breeding Tropical Mosquitoes Discovered in East London
Sadiq Khan Agrees to Search of Digital Communications in Palantir Lawsuit
Scottish Protesters Call for Moratorium on AI Data Centre Expansion
Uber Drivers Bring London Class Action Over Algorithmic Management
Reform UK Accepts £4 Million Donation From Cryptocurrency Billionaire Pardoned by Trump
Justice Secretary Tightens Early Release Scheme to Exclude Manslaughter Offenders
Kemi Badenoch Reshuffles Conservative Team as Reform UK Pressure Grows
×