Calling all She Shed lovers, you're going to love the new book She Sheds: A Room of Your Home from Erika Kotite. Have you spent hours on Pinterest looking at She Sheds and dreaming up ideas for building a shed or repurposing an old shed for your own creative space? Trust me when I say, this book is written for you. The moment you cast your eyes on the pretty hardcover book, you’ll be drawn to explore all the inspiring ideas for creating your own she shed.

Erika’s book is packed with information on helping you define your ‘She Shed Style’ and how to plan out your She Shed. The book is over 170 pages of inspiring She Shed ideas and conversations with the women who decided to design their own unique space

I love that Erika showcases how backyard She Sheds can be anything you want; from an artist's retreat, or a writers studio, to a gardening shed.

I felt so inspired reading about how each owner was inspired to repurpose an existing shed or build a shed for a creative space they can call their own. I’ve had my backyard She Shed for almost a year and a half and am inspired to create each time I walk through the door. You can read more about my Cottage Studio (She Shed) here.

Out of all the lovely Sheds showcased in the book, my favorites are Mary Lou’s potting shed (pg 26) tucked into her wooded lot. I also love the Little Red Shed (pg 162) the pretty cottage is surrounded by large succulents and has a bougainvillea vine growing up the side. It’s seriously giving me garden envy and inspiring me to get a vine growing up the side of my cottage studio ASAP.

Interview with Erika Kotite, author of She Sheds A Room of Your Own

I was lucky enough to ask Erika a few questions about her inspiration for writing She Sheds: A Room of Your Own. Erika is a magazine editor, book developer and former editor of Romantic Homes and Victorian Homes magazine and lover of old homes. Along with her husband has restored several historic homes including a Los Angeles 1920’s Tudor.

What inspired you to write a book about She Sheds?

As the editor of Romantic Homes and Victorian Homes some years ago I was always captivated by outbuildings. There was something so cool about a little mini structure near a house, used for tools or gardening pots or whatever. Then I started hearing about these self-same structures turned into women's spaces! The light turned on. I saw the beautiful possibilities and loved the idea of us women finding sanctuary in our own back yards. My publisher approached me about authoring a book on the subject and I jumped. It was going to be mostly inspirational but I insisted on including a chapter on building one myself. You have to mix inspiration with practical to give the best value; I'm so glad I went through the process myself.

I know you loved all the sheds featured in your book for various reasons, what was your favorite and why?

I love Dinah Lundbeck's shed (p. 82) for its aesthetic and for the way Dinah uses it. That interior with its soft minty walls just thrills me every time I look at it (and I've looked at it a LOT). Dinah filled her she shed with family photos and sometimes she simply "lies on the day bed and communes quietly with family members, both living and gone." I must also put a plug in for the one my sister-in-law Karin and I built (p. 124). We worked really hard and were so pleased with the final result. I lost my brother Garwood very young about 3 years ago and so building this she shed for his wife and putting in some of his old antique bottles on one of the shelves, was very special

What are your Top Tips for planning out a creative getaway

Start a Pinterest board to gather ideas for your shed before you start.
Make sure you have enough space in your back yard for a she shed. Think about how you will integrate your pretty shed with the landscaping as a whole. Done right, these little structures really enhance the yard.
DON'T SKIMP ON WINDOWS; if you buy a kit shed without windows (or icky ones), start looking for good ones on craigslist or haunt your local Habitat for Humanity ReStore.
Design the furnishings that will support what you plan to do in your she shed. Writing? A sturdy desk top with comfortable chair and good lighting. Art? Plenty of open space, light walls and storage containers. Gardening? A deep work surface for pots, tools and plants

Why do you think more women are creating backyard retreats vs a home office?

Being inside your house means being accessible (to some extent) to others, no matter what. Especially if you have small children. That's not a bad thing at all; the she shed simply moves one small, inner part of your life a bit farther away. A detached dwelling has the sense of complete ownership and privacy. Its purpose is to serve only you, when you need it. You decide how it looks, where everything goes and whether or not to clean up at the end of the day. These are very compelling reasons that women are deciding to build she sheds for themselves. As one owner put it, "I can't tell you the value of it - it expanded my capacity to think, create and breathe - and that seeped into all other aspects of my life. It's a very special feeling."

Thank you Erika for taking the time to share your thoughts on She Sheds. Guys, this is a fantastic book and truly inspiring! Erika was also kind-of enough to offer my readers a copy of the book, not one but two copies of She Sheds A Room of Your Own is up for grabs! One book for you and one book for a friend! The book is available now on Amazon and Barnes and Nobles.

Question: What is your She Shed style and how would you use your space?

Giveaway Details

You all know how much I LOVE Instagram, its seriously my favorite on my phone next to Word Worm lol. That's why I'm hosting my first ever Instagram Giveaway! Below are the deets to participate in the Giveaway.

She Sheds A Room of Your Own: Giving away Two Books, One for you & One for a Friend!

Follow @ChicLittleHouse on Instagram
Follow @SheSheds_TheBook on Instagram
Hop over to my Instagram Feed and like the photo below - Photo Goes Live 8:30 am PST
In the comments write She Shed Book, then tag a friend you want to win a copy of the book! Have a friend repeat the steps above for an additional entry!
This Giveaway will run on Instagram Friday 2/24/17 8:30 am PST to Friday March 3/3/17 Midnight PST. The winner will be chosen at random, I will direct message the winner(s) on Sunday 3/5/17. In order to enter the giveaway, your profile must be public for the duration of the contest. You must live in the US to enter. For more entry details, hop over to my Instagram @ChicLittleHouse

Welcome to another edition of the Small Home Style series, sharing inspiration and ideas for Small Home Dwellers to effortlessly maximize their spaces. One of my favorite spaces in my home is my kitchen and dining room. In my small 1950's rancher we don't have a dedicated dining area away from the kitchen. My kitchen and dining room are in the same room, one side is the kitchen and one side is the dining room. You can see my dining room tour here and how I've maximized my small space allowing us to seat comfortable seat eight! Quick fact about my dining room nook, its only 9 feet wide!

Today on Small Home Style, I'm sharing ideas on turning a small eat-in kitchen into a well thought out space that you can cook and entertain in. I’ve always felt that kitchens are the heart of the home and feel most alive when you're cooking for loved ones and entertaining family and friends. They’re typically two types of eat-in kitchens, let’s tackle one at a time.

ONE Eat-in Kitchen Style Dining Table in Kitchen. The great thing about having your dining table right in your kitchen is the extra work space it gives when cooking and baking. It can almost feel like you have a kitchen island in your space. The design challenge, it can easily feel like your kitchen is too small to entertain. The solution, choose a dining room table that will maximize your kitchen layout.

Farmhouse Kitchen Table. For long narrow kitchens choose a long a farmhouse style table. Select dining room chairs that visually won’t take up a lot of space and can easily ‘push-in close the table’ skip big bulky chairs that take up too much space. A great alternative to using chairs is bringing long benches, I love how they can easily be tucked into a table.

Fold-Out Dining Table. When your dining room is too small to comfortably fit a full size table, consider using a fold-out table that will double in size when needed and and easy fold back down to a small size.

Round Table. A round table can be tricky in small spaces and sometimes take-up more room, however if your space is wide enough a round table can be a great fit and look so charming. Select a table with a pedestal base or tulip table.

TWO Eat-in Kitchen Style the Dining Nook. The second most popular eat-in style dining in a small kitchen is the dining nook. A dining nook can be a huge challenge to 'make-it work' since they're on the small side.

Banquette Dining. However, adding a banquette to a small dining nook helps transform a small awkward space into a well-designed one. Banquette seating can be built-in going from wall to wall, or built into a corner or freestanding. Either way, they're space saving allowing you to sat more people around the table.

Bring in extra storage in a small dining nook, by adding a pair on small dressers / side tables on either side of the banquette. The dressers / side tables can hold extra dishes, silverware and kitchen linens. The easliy give a custom built-in look to a small dining nook.

Benches can easily be transformed into banquette seating with cushions, the open space below a bench can hold baskets, giving you extra storage.

The L-Shape built-in banquette below, looks extra comfy thanks to all the pillows and pretty farmhouse table. I love built-in banquettes have extra storage: either with drawers or hidden under the seat.

If your also a small home dweller, what type of dining room does your home have? What ways have you maximized your space and given it style? Remember to share your small spaces on Instagram with the #SmallHomeStyle Need more ideas to take your small dining room from so-so to wow, check out this post!

In addition, if there's a small space in your home your having trouble whipping into shape, feel free to send me and email and I can help you tackle your space send emails to Hello@chiclittlehouse.com for design dilemmas.