Most sheds get years before anything really tests them. Richard's got two months.
Seeing It in Person Changed the Decision
Richard had been researching online for a while without settling on anything.
The turning point was the Sydney Home Show at the ICC in Darling Harbour, where Stilla had a display on the floor. Standing inside the timber, opening the doors and talking to the team in person did what the browsing had not.
"Being hands on made the difference, as well as the quality of the wood, the installation options, cost and style."
Size drove the shortlist, but the Sycamore won on looks. At 3.64m x 1.92m it holds a lot along a narrow footprint, and the studio styling meant it would not read as a utility box at the back of the garden.
Timber That Suits the Street
In a beach suburb, a steel shed would have announced itself for all the wrong reasons.
"We live in a beach suburb and in a timber style house, so we wanted a quality timber product that blends into our garden and makes a statement, even as a storage studio," Richard says.
Western Red Cedar handles coastal conditions well and sits comfortably against established planting, which mattered here more than it might elsewhere.
Raised, Insulated and Installed
Three decisions shaped how the Sycamore was built.
The subfloor kit lifted the structure off the ground on treated pine posts, removing the need for a concrete slab. Roof insulation went on to keep the interior temperature stable. And rather than build it himself, Richard used professional installation.
That last one, he says, was a genuine factor in choosing Stilla rather than an afterthought at checkout.
Then the Storm Came
Two months after the install, a severe storm hit and the back garden flooded. Stormwater rose until it overflowed roughly 20cm into the shed itself.
"The shed coped with it fantastically. No damage at all."
Everything inside stayed dry and the structure came through intact. It is the kind of test nobody asks for, and the reason the floor and sub frame are now the parts Richard rates most highly.
What It Holds
Day to day, the Sycamore is a working storage shed. Garden equipment, tools, paint and an Australian made stainless steel work bench.
It also holds the Christmas lights, which in Richard's case is not a small detail. His street is the Christmas lights street in the neighbourhood, so a full display spends eleven months of the year in storage waiting for December.
Weatherproof storage was on the list from the beginning. As it turned out, it was worth more than expected.
Conclusion
Planning storage that has to hold up to Australian weather? Explore the Classic Studio range or visit a display centre in Narangba or Alexandria to see the timber for yourself.
