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Dwell’s Favorite 32 Shed & Studio Design Photos And Ideas

Technically, this small building is not a tree house, since it’s braced at the ground by supports, but Grey didn’t want to compromise the tree, which “doesn’t have a very long lifespan,” the designer says. “So, I didn’t want to jeopardize however long that tree had with any excess baggage.”
The ribbon-like design affords the building three different gable profiles—one is symmetrical, while the other two lean in opposite directions.
The structure is made entirely from treated pine, while its corrugated polycarbonate roof protects it from the elements.
The sinuous interior is lined with CNC-cut wooden panels that define stepped sauna seating and porthole windows.
The sauna is named after Huginn and Muninn, two ravens from Norse mythology.
Designed by Marco Casagrande, this floating sauna was a gift for the Rosendal community, a village at the end of the majestic Hardangerfjord in Norway.
Bathers can easily exit the structure and dive into the cool water via the door or the side hatch.
A bathroom is tucked beside the new sunroom behind the sliding barn door, which was found at Albany Architectural Salvage.
A small, dilapidated 10' x 12' neighboring structure was brought back to life and is now used as an art studio and guest cottage with a Murphy bed. In total, the property can sleep 10 people comfortably.
The screened porch functions as the building’s primary bedroom, creating a cabin-like experience.
A 25-foot custom bifold door made of corrugated plastic and twin-wall polycarbonate encloses an artist’s studio designed by Marc Frohn of FAR frohn&rojas.
We tried to be very resourceful. You shouldn’t see any tile on the deck that had to be cut; it’s almost like a perfect puzzle,” comments the designer, Marc Frohn.
This dreamy, glass bedroom by the lake was created as an early prototype for the prefabricated greenhouse/she kits known as the Kekkilä Green Sheds.
The bi-level car barn, a spare, timber-clad structure with an A-frame roof, nods to traditional farmhouses, but is “sleek and contemporary in spirit,” says Geremia. Inspired by an old photo of a porcelain farmhouse sink, it features polished concrete floors.
A spacious deck and large glass doors allow for seamless indoor/outdoor living.
The Exbury Egg asks us to reexamine the way we live while carefully considering sustainability and the use of natural resources.
These tiny egg-shaped cabins are mounted onto small podiums to keep them stable.
Inside, playful pillows can be rearranged in any manner, and are often used as mock beds for relaxing and looking at the canopies above.
Helsinki architect Ville Hara and designer Linda Bergroth collaborated on a prefab shed-meets-sleeping cabin, which can be assembled with little else than a screwdriver. Bergroth, inspired by nomadic yurt dwellers, wanted an indoor/outdoor experience for her property in Finland.
The Backyard Lounge and Office is 330 square feet and features windows on all sides.
Marco V. Morelli says his Studio Shed is the perfect refuge. “It’s changed my life for the better,” he says. “I’ve gotten so much more work done, and I think my marital relations are much better because I have a place of my own.”
Davor (with his wife, Abbe, and son, August) designed the main living and dining pavilion as a double-height space to increase its perceived volume, and added high cubbies for extra storage.
The Shudio and patio with privacy trellis.
Phillips designed Judith a stark white, glass-fronted art studio.
Working with his colleagues at Austin Maynard Architects, architect Andrew Maynard added a 184-square-foot, sun-saturated greenhouse extension to his existing 364-square-foot home, and the new space serves as an office for him and his team.
Designed by Stockholm firm Waldemarson Berglund Arkitekter, this prefab artist studio called Ateljé 25 is shaped like a Monopoly house, serves as an artist’s studio and has simple plywood interiors and massive skylights.

If you have ever considered building a modern shed or studio in the backyard, you'll appreciate the projects below, which prove that small spaces can deliver a big impact. Transform this often dormant space into a family room, hobby studio, or meditation room. Give the humble backyard shed a chance to shine—forge an opportunity for better living or enhanced storage.