Hobbies take up space, and Americans so love carving out extra room that we’ve named the result. First it was guys who aspired to build a man cave, converting a spare room into a place where they could play video games or sip scotch or do some other stereotypically guy thing. More recently, ladies who wanted space for sewing or gardening (to continue the shameless gender pigeonholing) settled the gender imbalance by coining the she shed.

A garden shed becomes a pink place to pot plants and put your feet up. (flickr – creative commons)

In either case, the fantasy is to repurpose an underutilized space into a useful one. (Some folks custom-build additions or outbuildings for their man cave/she shed, but that I think goes against the spirit.) You might start with an unfinished basement, a forgotten garden shed, an attic over the garage, or a guest room that has become the de facto storage room. A fresh paint job, thoughtful organization, and the right furniture can make it personal and useful.

A man cave made from a metal hoop house. (flickr – creative commons)

The completed room, whatever it is, functions as a grown-up version of a fort or playroom – a private retreat where you can do what you like without distraction. One way to live a tinier life is simply to make better use of the space you already have. Whether you call it a man cave, a she shed, or something less trendy (“workshop?”), it’s nice that we as a culture have put a name to the trend.

Farmhouse-style storage in a she shed. (flickr – creative commons)

Thanks to Jas Smith for giving me an excuse to put up some cool inspiring pictures.