Photography: Babiche Martens.
It was after a difficult separation that Tui Sheridan decided to tackle a run-down shed that had been sitting in the corner of her property in Māngere Bridge since 1956.
“My world felt unsteady when I separated from my partner, as though the familiar ground beneath me had crumbled,” shares Tui.
“I needed an outlet – something to absorb the upheaval I felt. That’s when I decided to take on the shed, transforming it from a dilapidated storage room into something beautiful. There was something deeply satisfying about picking up a sledgehammer and swinging hard, channelling my confusion and hurt into the destruction of old walls.”
The old shed, which was labelled in property reports as “Mrs O’Connor’s Shed”, had seen better days. The faux brick veneer was cracked and faded, the window frames were in varying stages of decay and insulation was more of a hopeful idea than a reality.
Tui explains, “The wiring was questionable at best and the leaking roof provided more of a draught than shelter. The shed wasn’t pretty, but I saw potential beneath the peeling layers.” Tui decided to take on most of the work herself.
“It wasn’t easy and there were countless moments when I doubted my capabilities. But with each step, I gained new skills and found strength in taking control of something so tangible.”
She also enlisted the help of a builder who “tackled every challenge with honesty and purpose”. Together, the shed began to turn into a functional sleepout.
When the time came to select paint colours, it was harder than Tui had first thought.
“I wouldn’t have called myself a creative person before this project,” she shares. “I used to envy those who seemed to create beautiful things effortlessly. But in my forties, I’ve come to realise creativity exists in all of us in different ways.
“In my younger days as a chef, I learned how to balance a plate – to play with colours and contrasts in ways that were as much about aesthetics as taste. In that sense, I suppose I’d been working creatively without recognising it.”
She spent hours in the garden looking at the shed trying to decide what would suit the sleepout and its environment. She says, “I found myself torn between bold, modern choices and something more traditional.”
Eventually, she chose Resene Lumbersider Low Sheen CoolColour in Resene Half Ironsand. This was described as a fire-warmed brown and grey. That went on the main exterior of the shed. Not only did it give the building a timeless quality, but Tui liked the way it contrasted against the red brick of the main bungalow too. Then she selected Resene Lustacryl in Resene Alabaster, a near white with a light blackened edge, for the trim.
For the front door, she went bold with Resene Lustacryl in Resene Ayers Rock. A shade embodying an Uluru desert sunset. The deck was finished in Resene Woodsman Warm Kwila, which provided “warmth and a natural connection to the garden”.
If you’re using a dark paint or stain colour outside, use a Resene CoolColour version to help reflect more of the sun’s heat.
Top Tip
Tui is proud of the work she’s accomplished. The shed, now a sleepout, has become a part of her community. Her parents and friends have a cosy retreat when they come to stay, and it is the centrepiece to her garden.
“It’s now a cosy, inviting space with a story woven into its walls – a story of creativity, healing and transformation.”
