How to Create an Exciting Playhouse from an Old Shed

Hi everyone, this is Melissa writing to tell you about a recent project I finished at our new home here in Northern Connecticut. When the pandemic started and we got a stay at home order, I needed something to keep me busy! (You know, besides work and chasing around a toddler). We’ve had this shed on our property that was just collecting things that could be moved elsewhere. It really needed to be cleaned out. Then I thought… hey this would make a great playhouse… or a she-shed (for me)! But, my daughter’s second birthday was coming up at the beginning of May, and we don’t have a designated play room in our house. So I figured she would LOVE this as a new playhouse. Click here for a tip sheet on creating a kid’s room they’ll never want to leave!

This shed was gross. Covered in spiders and bugs. My husband emptied everything out, and took down all of the cobwebs, because, and Wendy can attest to this, I HATE spiders. Once that was done, I swept the floor and prepped it for a fresh coat of paint. The walls had a few spots that needed to be repaired, so I just used some patching tape and spackle and called it a day. It’s still a shed.

Luckily the hardware and paint stores were all still open so I could get supplies and paint! I had a vision for this little shed and I was ready to make it happen! I made a list of everything I wanted to do and put in it so I could check off my progress as I went along. The walls were already white, and I wanted to keep it bright since the windows are tiny and it doesn’t really get a lot of light. So I chose Sherwin Williams Pure White. It’s the perfect blend of cool and warm tones. It goes with anything. I made sure to get an exterior paint since this shed isn’t the most reliable structure (though totally safe for a 23 lb 2 year old).

I wanted the fun part to be on the floor. I had gone back and forth between having a small washable area rug in there or just painting the floor. So I decided to get my pattern by stenciling it on. I wanted a sort of garden feel, and looked for a terra cotta color for the floor background. The color I chose was Benjamin Moore Toffee Cream. I LOVE the first pass with the paint roller. It makes me so happy to see what the colors are going to look like and I envision the whole space coming together.

I found a cute little stencil on Etsy and it was delivered in no time. I obviously wanted the stencil to stand out, and I had some paint left over from the walls and ceiling. So I chose to use that white paint for the pattern. It was perfect!

For some reason, I thought this stencil would go quickly, but it ended up taking me a couple days to complete. Luckily we had some good weather and I was able to blast some 90’s pop and get to work. I’ll be honest… there’s a questionable spot in the floor near the door that I needed to avoid standing or kneeling on. As I backed my way out of the shed when stenciling the floor, I had to stand outside and lean in. I used every muscle in my body trying not to go through the floor or get paint everywhere! I was really glad when it was over.

We had replaced the front doors of our house and painted them Benjamin Moore’s Carolina Gull. Again, we had paint leftover, and why not make the door of the playhouse match the main house? It turned out really nice and plays well with the terra cotta colored floor.

I wanted to write something on the outside, and encourage my daughter to play, dream and be creative. I ended up with “Once Upon a Time”. I’m also hoping she’ll look back at it one day and remember how much fun she had there.

Then came the fun part! Decorating. This little playhouse has no electricity, so it needed some lights. I purchased this cute little battery operated orb light to hang from the ceiling, and these two small solar powered sconces for the outside. They’re the perfect size and give just enough light.

My mother got her a play kitchen for her birthday, and this ended up being the perfect spot for it. I found a little table and chairs on Facebook Marketplace, and put a basket with some toys in the corner. She’s got a little green adirondack chair that she loves, so I added that to the other corner so she can sit and read. We planted some flowers in the window boxes outside, and I added a hanging plant on the inside. It’s not 100% complete, but it will do for now.

On her birthday, we waited for my husband to get home from work and then brought her out to the playhouse. She LOVED it! It has definitely been a success. Now, on to the next project!

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