Chic Sheds Are Now Status Symbols

It's no secret that America has become a nation of hoarders. According to the SpareFoot Storage Beat blog, the self-storage industry is expected to top 32 $ billion in the U.S. this year – and nearly 10 percent of Americans rent a self-storage unit.

Unfortunately, most of the 54 000 self-storage centers nationwide are eyesores, with cheap roofs and metal doors that house the kitsch clutter we've accumulated over decades. But sheds, however, are getting trendier and more visually appealing. They're in fact becoming backyard getaways that reflect their creators' unique passions and design flair.

The new cable show He Shed She Shed, which premiered on FYI Network this month, demonstrates just how imaginative shed-building has become. The second episode on April 9 featured a number of LP Outdoor Building Solution products.

As noted on the FYI Network site, here's the basic premise of the show: men like to build sheds that serve as mini-pubs or small man-caves, while women-built "she-sheds" function more as aesthetically pleasing sanctuaries. Each week, a man and woman compete in ashed showdown.

Contestants so far have included one Johnny Depp wannabe who transformed his shed into a pirate-themed space with mast, sails and a bar.

He Shed She Shed appears to be a big hit, so LP is sponsoring a special shed sweepstakes where the winner takes home 2 000 $ and a prize pack of LP products to get started on a personalized shed-building project. Anyone interested in becoming the Frank Lloyd Wright of small spaces can enter the sweepstakes here.

So let hoarders have their sterile self-storage units. Creative folks across America are replacing ho-hum “rake and mower” backyard sheds into eye-pleasing refuges where they can entertain friends and nurture their souls. If you've missed any He Shed She Shed episodes, click here for photos and contest recaps.