Once considered the domain of men, the backyard shed is increasingly the domain of women according to EasyShed, Australia’s largest producer of backyard sheds. The company has seen a COVID-led 450 percent increase in shed sales over the last year, and many of those sales have been to women.
“We are seeing a huge uptake of women buying sheds and turning them into home offices and studios, where they can work without distraction from what is happening in the house,” says EasyShed’s head of purchasing Daniel Rutland. Many sales have been to people residing in the cities and outer suburbs, where space is at a premium and real estate has never been more expensive.
A tale familiar to many, Manly mother Caroline Mossy purchased a shed during the last Sydney lockdown to help escape her family. “My husband and children are all working and school from home, so it’s chaos in the house. It got to the point where I couldn’t even stand to hear their footsteps. My shed is my sanctuary, and a family-free zone, where I can exercise, meditate and actually catch my breath,” she says.
Caroline Moss inside her she shed
Chosen as a cost-effective way to create an extra living space, Caroline has since filled her shed with her favourite things including a bench and weights, a hula hoop and florals. “I painted it sky blue to cheer me up on days when I’m feeling a bit tense. It makes me happy every day as I commute across my back yard,” says Caroline.
Caroline’s ‘she shed’
Likewise, Queensland mother Sally Wood built a mini ‘disco room’ in her shed – mainly as a retreat from her house during COVID. It fits four to five people and has been fitted out with a smoke machine, disco ball, LED lights, disco lights, sofa, vinyl records and mixing decks.
Sally Wood’s backyard shed
“We built it so we could feel like we were ‘out’ out during COVID, without having to go out. It’s a child-free zone, and we’ve turned it into a music studio slash disco space. It’s not just me and my husband that use it as a retreat, everyone in our area is always asking to use it when they need to escape the confines of home,” says Sally.
Sally Wood’s shed
Fellow Queenslander Lesa Lambert created her own ‘she shed’ during last year’s first COVID lockdown. “It’s a ‘hobby hut’ and I make candles in there and whitewash furniture in, which I share on my Instagram account. It’s multi-use and can be converted into an offic, or bedroom when my son and daughter visit. I really utilise it – I’m there at least five hours a day,” says Lesa who also uses it as a place to read, unwind and as an entertaining space when her friends come around.
Lesa Lambert’s rather glamorous shed
Inside Lisa’s shed
The top 5 things to do when creating a ‘she shed‘
Material: Which is the most suitable for your shed needs? There are several DIY shed material options – plastic, steel, and timber. Plastic sheds require low maintenance but tend to fade with time. Timber is prone to rotting but is built to last when treated properly, whilst steel is durable and low cost. Plastic and steel sheds are also immune to pest-infestation and rotting. Choose shed materials with low maintenance costs.
Dimensions: How big do you need it to be? Measure the site’s dimensions first before purchasing a shed online. Ensure that your chosen site is large enough for the shed you intend to purchase. Nothing is more frustrating than not being able to fit in everything you need in your shed due to space constraints.
Choose the right site for your shed Building a shed next to a tree or under overhanging leaves and flowers can cause problems; a tree branch could fall on it and damage the structure. The area should be level, secure, safe, be free from flooding, be accessible on all sides to make maintenance or repairs easier and have some natural light, but not too much that it feels like a hot oven inside. You’ll also need easier access to electrical supplies if you plan to light and ventilate the shed.
Do check local council planning guides Building restrictions vary throughout Australia and you can cop fines up to $30,000 for illegal structures. Most councils will have their rules easily available to you on their website – you can find out more here.
Customise your shed Extra windows, a roof pitch and cladding doors are all possible and aren’t just going to improve the appearance of a basic shed, they can also make it more functional and don’t have to break the budget. Also, if you decide to sell up, a beautiful and well-maintained shed will also factor into the asking price. It really is an investment!
From jobless to thriving: One interior designer’s COVID-19 success story
Like many people, interior designer Lynda MacDonald found herself out of a job when COVID-19 hit in March 2020. After a long career working for large companies such as the…
With many of our readers in some form of lockdown, we know it presents countless challenges, and particularly for those with children. Whether you’re working from home and trying to homeschool, or simply trying to keep young kids entertained, we’ve done the research and found the most attractive looking indoor toys on the market. And while it might feel like a war zone, it doesn’t need to look like one!
My Nook modular play sofa: Perfect for building a fort, castle, obstacle course or sleepover bed, this Australian made design is perfect for lockdown. Soft, safe and ecologically sound (the foam inserts are sourced from a zero-waste factory), the set features ten individual pieces that zip together and zip apart to create infinite combinations that should keep the kids entertained for hours. From $595.
My Nook play sofa
My Nook play sofa
HipKids grey ball pit with 200 balls: Made from thick foam and covered with silky soft removable and washable jersey material, this ball pit is ideal for indoor play. A stylish alternative to standard issue primary coloured balls, the balls are available in pink, blue, grey and white colour ways. $279.95.
Pikler Play Cube: A cult favourite, this play cube is made from 100 per cent Australian grown timber that is sourced from sustainable forests. Designed for the six month to five year age range, crawlers will like crawling through and around the cube while older kids can climb up and over. $225.
You can add many more pieces to the cube including a ladder and ramp
Target Kid’s concept playhouse pavilion tent: Easy to assemble, and pull apart again, this cosy tent is made for play and rest. The more pillows, blankets, and cuddly toys they can cram in there, the cosier and more fun it becomes! $199.
Balance board Equilibrio: Made from sustainably sourced beechwood, and ideal for developing gross motor skills, this multi-purpose board can be used to strengthen little legs, core muscles, or as a slide, rocker, or bridge. $124.95.
Petite Maison table tent: Another fabulous cubby alternative, this clever design will fit over the dining room table. The tent features a roll-up door with ties for entry into the cubby plus two windows (one with a tie-up curtain). We like this cute Australian themed one. $199.
Petite Maison Australian Bush table tentPetite Maison Petite Shop table tent
Kmart Wooden Work From Home set: If all else fails and they really must be by your side while working, this set could be just the thing to keep them occupied! $13.
Kids’ room decor ideas: Stylish new art prints
I don’t know about you but with the school holidays over, I’m super keen to declutter my kids’ rooms and give them a mini-makeover. Beyond the sorting and storage battles,…
After some Covid filming setbacks, The Block returns this Sunday for the 16th time. This season will take us on a new journey, from the beginning of the 20th century up to the dawning of the rock ’n roll era. Five period homes from the 1910s, 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s, all in a dire state, have been uprooted and transported to a 2761-square metre block of land in the heart of sunny and affluent Brighton in Melbourne. There they wait to be brought back to life by five eager new couples.
I’m excited!
This year’s Block is within walking distance of the beach and minutes from the world- famous Brighton Beach Boxes. “We always change our show up and make it fresh and I think this is a great way of doing that, by having houses themed according to different decades,” says host Scott Cam.
“I love that we are getting back to renovating family homes as well. People can watch The Block and see what the contestants are doing and get inspired to do it themselves.”
After overcoming all sorts of complex challenges in previous seasons, this year The Block encountered something that could never be planned for: a global pandemic. This will be the season that goes down in history as it captures the first ever shutdown of The Block, and the way the program was able to resume production in a world grappling with the upheaval of COVID-19.
“It was an incredibly tough decision, but I firmly believe it was the right thing to do,” says executive producer, Julian Cress. “At the time it was kind of heartbreaking, but we were able to get our contestants back to their kids and loved ones, which was the most important thing.”
Architect Julian Brenchleyhas designed the renovations, which maintain the five period houses and add new two-storey extensions at the rear. Each house now has at least four bedrooms, three bathrooms, a huge kitchen, dining and living area, plus a double garage with a studio and a pool!
“This time around we looked at preserving some of the period aspects of each house,” Julian says. “It’s been really interesting to explore five different renovations of five houses, because in the past they were all roughly the same design.”
Joining Scott again this season will be co-host Shelley Craft, site foremen Keith and Dan, and judges Neale Whitaker, Shaynna Blaze and Darren Palmer.
The location – Brighton at a glance
Brighton is 12 kilometres from the Melbourne CBD.
Famous residents include Eric Bana, Shane Warne, Chris and Rebecca Judd and Brendan Fevola.
The median price for a four-bedroom house is $2.9 million.
The median price for a five-bedroom house is $3.68 million.
The last reported sale of a rare Brighton Beach Box was a remarkable $340,000 in 2019.
In affluent Brighton, 74% of residents own their own home while 26% rent.
The suburb is known for incredible churches and beautiful schools.
Bay Street is the centre of Brighton, with many cafés and the famous Palace Brighton cinema.
This year’s contestants
Harry and Tash (VIC)
The Block’s first ever father and daughter duo.
Harry (57, an IT manager) has renovation experience but he wouldn’t call himself an expert. He has renovated a bungalow as well as the family home. As for Tash, she loves a project and a good spreadsheet, but those things alone don’t build a house.
Family man Harry was born in Cyprus and moved to Australia when he was four. He lives with his wife Andrea (Tash’s mum) in the suburb next to Brighton. Harry hopes to have a home turf advantage as he knows the area and what the locals like.
Tash (32, works in social media and production management) is Harry’s eldest child. She lives with her partner Brad in the inner Melbourne suburb of Richmond works at a PR agency. Although she hasn’t had any experience on the tools, she won’t be letting that get in her way. “I am used to working with tight deadlines and ensuring the job gets done,” she says.
They are a very close pair. With strong Greek roots, they plan to show us how to laugh, argue and get the job done their way. One thing’s for sure, nothing will be boring. “We are here to have fun as well,” Harry says.
Sarah and George, NSW
These self-proclaimed “mad dogs” from western Sydney are unlike anyone we’ve seen on The Block before. Together for eight years and married for three, they have a relationship built on old-school values and new-school quirk. By just being themselves, these “westies” are ready to light up the competition.
George, 33, is an electrician, and they have renovated two homes together. Sarah, 27, a teacher, hopes the experience on The Block could lead her to a different career direction. “Don’t get me wrong, I love my job, but I am not the same person when I’m teaching. It’s just not the dream,” she says.
Sarah says the reason she is always positive, laughing and smiling is because of her one- of-a-kind husband, George. He has worked as an electrician in Sydney for 13 years. Sarah describes George as a very funny character, a bit of a nerd, and unlike anyone she has ever met. He plans to make his fellow Sydney westies proud by keeping his bling and his hair fade looking “fully sick” throughout his time on The Block.
They’ve had their struggles. An investment property they owned was trashed by tenants when they were newly married, leaving them devastated and forced to completely rebuild the inside of the house. But they feel it has perfectly prepared them for the hard work The Block is notorious for.
Daniel and Jade, SA
These hard-working farmers from 250 kilometres north of Adelaide have made four attempts to get on The Block. Now that they’ve finally made it, they are ready to grab The Block by the horns in the hope of changing the future for their family of three young kids.
Daniel completed his carpentry trade in his late teens and put the skills to good use on the family farm. Jade is a highly visual person, so when it comes to design she plans on making the executive decisions.
Being a farmer is everything to Daniel, 35, a true-blue Aussie man on the land who feels more at home on a tractor or working with animals than choosing cushions. He doesn’t understand why past contestants have ever complained about things, and he is ready to enter the build with a whole lot of confidence.
Jade, 34, works part-time as a hairdresser when she isn’t looking after the kids. Being on the farm is something that has taken her some getting used to, but with Daniel and the children by her side she has made herself feel right at home.
“Our life is going to work and supporting the kids. Being away from them is going to be a big test,” Jade says. The main reason the pair applied for The Block is daughter Isla. She is one of only eight children in the world identified with a rare chromosome disorder that affects her speech and physical ability. They say anything they can win and put towards helping her is worth going to be worth the hard work.
This couple, who own two farms in rural SA, have endured great hardship over the years. Their farms have been affected by drought since 2016, and just when they thought things couldn’t get any harder, last Christmas one farm was destroyed by a bushfire. They’re now close to million dollars in debt.
So Daniel and Jade hope The Block will turn their lives around, get them back on their feet, and maybe free up some of their time back in South Australia.
Luke and Jasmin, WA
This dynamic Perth duo, married with two young kids, are ready to school the other contestants on how to build the best house on The Block. Luke, 35 is a chippy and Jasmin, 36, is a teacher. They think they might have the perfect mix of skills to be the first West Australian couple to win The Block.
Luke owns a carpentry business that he started nine years ago but his CV also includes his other successful career – male modelling! “I used to do a lot of fashion stuff when I was younger,” says Luke, who was signed to the premium agency Chadwick Models. “But now it’s mainly commercial.” If he isn’t on the tools or looking after the kids, this Perth local can be caught catching waves.
Jasmin is a part-time kindergarten teacher who loves being able to educate and entertain children. Luke describes Jasmine as a hard-working, beautiful person and mother, saying he and the family would be lost without her.
This couple met 17 years ago in a local pub on a student night and have never looked back. They are currently renovating their own home as they raise their two kids, Lola, 4, and one-year-old Sonny. “It’s pretty much been baby, renovations, baby, toddler, and renovations,” Jasmine says.
Jimmy and Tam, QLD
These married battlers from Brisbane are ready to give The Block everything they’ve got. They’re ready to bowl over the competition to create a better life for their young daughter.
Jimmy, 33, is no stranger to a worksite and has been around plenty of renovations with his plumbing work. Whereas Tam doesn’t know what a spanner is. But one thing this couple have in spades is grit and determination.
Jimmy is a very experienced plumber. After working his way up in the trade, he now manages large plumbing jobs, but he hasn’t forgotten how to roll his sleeves up and get his hands dirty. He was previously a gym coach and that is where Tam came into his story.
The bar manager at her local bowlo, Tam, 31, says the club has been a major part of her life for as long as she can remember. She grew up there as her mum was a star player, and it was her first place of employment. She even got married to Jimmy at the bowlo!
A self-proclaimed op-shopaholic, Tam with her bright red hair is quite the fashionista and she’s not afraid to show it. She has always had her own unique sense of style and she will be bringing that to the suburb of Brighton as well as the renovation project.
They rent in Brisbane with their four-year-old daughter, Frankie. “We are doing this for Frankie. We want to try and win to set our family up,” Jimmy says. If they do win big on The Block this ambitious young couple plan to use the money to enter the property market, buy a place and turn their lives around.
The Block Archives – The Interiors Addict
Our readers love The Block and so do we! Read all the latest from the Channel 9 renovating reality show. Come back each week to read about the latest room reveals and how you can shop the looks!
Psychologist and interior designer Mollie Kohn explains how to instill mindfulness into your home.
Image: Mollie Kohn Interiors
Mindfulness, put simply, refers to being present and aware of how you are feeling, what you are doing and of your surroundings. This is important now more than ever as we’re facing new types of stress and challenges we’ve never dealt with before. Not only are we worried for the health and safety of ourselves and our families, we’re juggling work (a lot of us from home), house chores, and parenting, with schooling thrown in for good measure. This new way of living will naturally affect our mental health in different ways.
As an interior designer and a psychologist, one of my main areas of focus is understanding what people want to get out of life and help them develop a home environment that will support it. In normal circumstances, our homes are our sanctuaries. They are the place we can refresh and find peace.
Image: Mollie Kohn Interiors
This has never been more important as the usual dynamic of our home has changed – it’s become our office, daycare, school, restaurant, café, library, cinema and still, our sanctuary for self care, family bonding or fun with housemates. It’s important now more than ever to define our “work spaces” versus our “leisure spaces” in our home as they’ve quickly become interchangeable.
Luckily, if there’s one thing we have working for us right now, it’s time. Time to reset, time to reflect and time to create a space we enjoy living in. Creating a more mindful home will help us find greater peace in this “new normal”.
Here are some easy tips to get you started:
Define your intention
Intention is key to mindfulness. How do you want to feel in your home, right now? At this moment, this feels obvious – because our home has become our only space for every aspect of our lives, our intention should be to create a harmonious environment that we feel relaxed in, no matter the task for the day. The time is now to carve out our ideal multi-living space. Negatives aside, consider this as an opportunity to adjust your space, set new routines and instill good habits for the future, whatever that may be.
Consider what is getting in the way of realising your ideal space. Are all those toys ruining the zen of your would-be workspace? Set aside some time and space and define what it is you’d like to change. If, for example, you want to convert a child’s bedroom into a home office, what’s getting in the way of realising this?
Start with something small and manageable. Clear away items (like toys) you’d like to remove, use storage boxes to pack things away and build from there. Designate this space as your work space, making it a “play-free” zone that you can use to focus without distractions.
It’s crucial to distinguish our spaces from each other so that when the working day is complete, you can unwind in a relaxing environment and shut off mentally. Another easy way to do this if you don’t have a dedicated (or make-shift) home office is to physically pack away all work-related items as soon as you clock off so that you can enjoy time off without a reminder of work sitting on the kitchen table.
Out with the clutter
It’s no surprise people are currently feeling claustrophobic about clutter – there’s an endless to-do list and it only gets worse by the day. One way to have a more mindful life, is removing the clutter by finding a place for the things in your home. Now that we’re finding ourselves fixed in the same space for most of the day, the time is now to make our space more comfortable and hit the reset button on our home environment.
Get your Marie Kondo hat on and find a home for all those bits and bobs that are scattered throughout your space. It may take time, so get your household family or flat-mates on-board and make it fun. Once everything has a home, commit to putting them back in their new spot after use. While this may seem like a chore initially, it will quickly become routine and free you from clutter, creating a more mindful space.
Use technology to help with organisation
Technology is a great way for people to become more mindful at home. It also transforms what can be more mundane, for example building a calendar for chores, into a fun task that can bring the household together.
The Amazon Echo Show 8
At the centre of my home is Amazon’s Echo Show 8, which is powered by the ever-helpful and welcomed voice of Alexa. Alexa keeps me on track by setting routines that suit my lifestyle, like waking me up with a mindfulness talk track to start the day right. Alexa also keeps a communal shopping list for my family – a major time saver when trying to coordinate our weekly online shop so we get everything we need – even toilet paper! I also use our Echo Show 8 as my sous chef in the kitchen! Alexa finds me recipe inspiration, gives me tips and acts as a timer so I never forget the roast is in the oven.
My daily routines aside, I’m finding that my clients are taking fewer breaks since working from home. Through the power of Alexa, we can find more balance in our day by setting reminders to take breaks whether that’s to get up and make a cup of tea or practice a meditation using one of the many Skills available through your device.
Reducing my stress by using technology helps me to refocus on the important things in life and maintain a sense of calm in my home.
Use colour to reflect what you want out of a space
Our vision plays a significant role in our mood, and believe it or not, colour plays a big role in this. Try asking about favourite colours next time you are on a Zoom chat with friends, and you will quickly find that people have a very strong opinion about colour.
In the context of mindfulness, colours can alter our moods by inspiring calm and improving focus. Soft greens bring about focus and clarity, making them a perfect choice for a home office or study. Softer shades of pink are found to be quite relaxing, so could work for a bedroom or bathroom.
This doesn’t have to mean painting your home office green, simple splashes of colour through plants, a statement bowl or a rug can do the trick just nicely. You can also use your Echo Show 8 to connect to different types of smart lighting, which can result in a dynamic space that changes colour to suit (or inspire) your mood.
Redefine your use of time
The biggest roadblock people report when thinking about living more mindfully is time. We can use our current environment to make use of the extra time we’d normally spend commuting or socialising and allocate it to defining your intention, decluttering, creating your plan, and developing healthy routines that transform your space and therefore your mindset. Being more mindful means that you choose how to react to tasks, ordering what needs to happen versus what you want to happen.
For example, you may need to complete a task for work, but you’d rather be tending to your garden. I would allow myself two hours on my laptop to get work done, and then go into the garden. This allows me to get an essential task done, and move on without being worried that I still have something else to do.
Now more than ever, it’s essential we give ourselves the time we need to do the things we want so we don’t feel burdened by other nagging things, like work or household chores. By carving out our time, we also create boundaries within our day, which promotes better mental health in this time of isolation and inevitable monotony.
–Mollie Kohn started Mollie Kohn Interiors after leaving her corporate role, to help people make anywhere they are living into a home they love. She has both a Masters in Psychology and a Diploma in Interior Design and Decoration.
As of today, people physically attending auctions and open home inspections across Australia will be banned by the Federal Government under a new suite of measures aimed at curbing the spread of coronavirus.
This is a historic first for the real estate industry and a moment of uncertainty for many real estate and property professionals.
But Gavl, who have offered a full digital suite of real estate products since 2015, allowing buyers and agents to facilitate sales with no physical contact, are hoping to make things easier. They’re currently assisting agents throughout Australia with solutions to transition their customer interactions to digital and non-contact.
On Monday, the Gavl team will launch Live Stream Open Home Inspections. This digital service can be conducted by the agent or vendor. Agents will be able to answer questions from viewers while conducting the walkthrough and will have full visibility on who has attended digitally to conduct follow-up calls and arrange private inspections.
Co-founder Joel Smith, says: “The addition of livestreaming of open home inspections to our platform means agents can offer another method for their buyers to view and buy a home. In a time where vendors will have so much anxiety about trying to sell their properties, we hope we can help by providing digital solutions to what are typically in person interactions in the real estate industry.”
With Gavl, buyers will be able to have a live walkthrough of a property, place digital offers to purchase, and attend and bid at auction – all without leaving home. “We can even help facilitate digital contract signing and deposit payments,” Joel adds.
The following products are available to assist the industry to transition their customer interactions to digital and non-contact:
Digital Auctions: Gavl facilitate digital-only auctions as well as self-streamed events and digital bidding.
Private Treaty Digital Offers: All listings (including EOI and Private Treaty) on Gavl will be able to receive offers in writing from potential buyers. This is a good first step in starting formal sale procedures.
*NEW* Livestreamed Open for Inspections: Conduct livestreamed open home inspections and invite their database to watch.
Receive questions in real-time from buyers watching live (Someone wants to see inside the laundry cupboard? You can demonstrate this.)
Full visibility and contact details of all buyers, to conduct follow up calls and private inspection
Digitally Sign Contracts: Gavl partner with DocuSign to facilitate the distribution and signature of sale contracts completely digitally.
–Founded in 2015, Gavl is the innovation of Joel Smith, Leith Donaldson and Michael Artup, who saw a gap in the real estate market for live-streamed auctions that facilitated participation from buyers around the globe. Gavl livestreams auctions in absolute real-time. The app then allows buyers to browse listings, shortlist properties and watch auctions all from the palm of their hand.
