When Amanda started planning her shed, she had one non-negotiable: it couldn't look like a shed.
Her home is colonial in style, built with traditional materials, with a large timber pergola out the back and established gardens wrapping around the property. Whatever went in had to feel like it had always been there. More English-style potting shed than backyard box.
That's what led her to the Stilla Willow 12 × 8 Cedar Timber Shed.
Getting The Look Right
For Amanda, steel or tin was never really on the table. Sitting alongside a timber pergola and a colonial-style home, anything metallic would have detracted from the overall feel of the property rather than adding to it.
Cedar gave her something that actually enhanced what was already there. With its panelled doors, paned windows and the natural warmth of the timber, it reads more like a garden room than a utility structure. She painted it a soft green that sits quietly against the garden, and from a distance, it looks like it's been there for years.
That was the whole idea.
A Hobby Space Today, Anything Tomorrow
Right now, the shed is set up as a hobby space. But Amanda was careful not to design it into a corner. Every decision - from the layout to the finishes - was made with flexibility in mind.
It could just as easily become a home office, a yoga studio, a kids' play space or a garden retreat down the track. That adaptability was important to her. She wanted something that would genuinely add value to the property, and a space that could be repurposed for any future owner felt like the smartest way to do that.
The Garden Grew Around It
What's happened since the shed went in is probably Amanda's favourite part.
She's planted David Austin roses, dahlias and perennials around the base, creating a small garden pocket that connects the shed to the rest of the property. It doesn't sit apart from the garden anymore. It's woven into it.
And then there's the other resident who's made himself very much at home.
Amanda's English Cocker Spaniel took a keen interest in every stage of the build and now joins her in the studio whenever the doors are open. He seems to think it's a large kennel built especially for him. Given how comfortable he looks in there, she hasn't had the heart to correct him.
Why Cedar
Beyond the look, the practicality of cedar made sense for Amanda. It's naturally resistant to weather and insects, which matters when you're putting a timber structure in the middle of a garden. And unlike materials that age badly, cedar tends to get better over time - it weathers gently rather than deteriorating, which suits a property where everything else has been chosen with longevity in mind.
A Room That Keeps Its Options Open
What stands out about Amanda's approach is how considered it was from the start. This wasn't a quick fix for storage. It was a deliberate decision to add a space that would serve her family now and remain a genuine asset for the property well into the future.
The result is a shed that looks like it has always been part of the home, works hard in its current role, and holds the potential to become whatever the next chapter requires.
You can follow Amanda's home and garden journey at @thewindowseathome
