The Shudio

The Shudio (part shed, part studio) was created by Seth and Melissa Hanley who also happen to be architects and co-founders of Design Blitz, an architecture firm based in San Francisco. Located in their backyard in Sebastopol, the Shudio replaced a falling-down potting shed and brings the best of his-and-hers space planning: a painting studio for her and a beer brewing shed for him. During their frequent backyard parties (which often host more than 90 guests) the Shudio transforms into a bar with easy through traffic and a built in keg-orator. The finishes are simple with the primary surface being charcoal painted T111 with accents of western red cedar and a white washed ash plywood interior. The sliding barn doors and trim are constructed of California redwood. The trellis with its varied pattern creates a shadow pattern that changes throughout the day. The trellis helps to enclose the informal patio (decomposed granite) and provide privacy from neighboring properties. Existing mature rhododendrons were prioritized in the design and protected in place where possible.

As practicing architects specializing in large-scale commercial space, Seth and Melissa took the Shudio as an opportunity to play with the intimate scale to create a muliti-funcional space that doesn't take itself too seriously.