Jeremiah Brent's Number One Design Rule For Homeowners With A Storage Shed
There's no denying that storage sheds tend to get neglected. However, Jeremiah Brent of HGTV, TLC, and Netflix fame has one tip to help it blend in with the rest of your property. All it takes, he explained in an interview, is paint in the same color as the rest of your home.
Speaking to My Domaine back in 2021, Brent shared that he never skips over the shed when it comes to design projects. "Paint your outdoor shed the same color as your house," he urged anyone hoping to bring extra polish into their property. And, yes, that's something he advocates for, even if the shed is just a spillover storage space for clutter. "No matter what it holds inside, mimicking the colorway will elevate the feel of your backyard," Brent explained.
Hey, who knows? Perhaps taking Brent's advice to heart is the first step towards transforming your shed into a space you truly love — be it for additional storage or something else entirely. As Brent has shared in other interviews, keeping his shed in the same color as the rest of the home he shares with Nate Berkus has allowed them to turn what could have been a run-of-the-mill shed into a miniature version of their main home. And, while you might not have Brent and Berkus' budget, it's certainly possible to take cues from their approach.
Base your shed on the rest of your house
While keeping colors consistent is Jeremiah Brent's first port of call when it comes to a cohesive, upgraded yard, when it comes to his own home, he takes things even further. As he revealed in an interview with House Beautiful, "With the help of local contractors, we mimicked the finish and shape of the exterior of our main house."
Granted, a complete replica of a main house might not be feasible for everyone, but the general idea is still worth keeping in mind. In addition to picking the same paint color for your shed, think of all the ways you could make it look more like your house. For one, you could pick out similar windows at a lower price point. If that's not possible, you could also use electrical tape to create faux window frames that look like the ones you have in your main home.
Other than paint and windows, think about the unique features your home has that could be mimicked in your shed. Interesting wood paneling on your porch ceiling, for instance, could be easily replicated with DIY wooden slat walls. It's all about tapping into the character of your home and going from there.
Rethink how you use your shed
As Jeremiah Brent noted in his interview with My Domaine, making your shed look beautiful on the outside doesn't necessarily mean you have to change how you use the space. If it's always been your extra storage and you aren't ready to part with the things it holds, there's no need to change that. Ditto if your shed holds all your gardening supplies or serves as your firewood stockpile. That said, if you were thinking of using the space for something else, this would be the perfect opportunity to do it.
Speaking to People, Brent revealed that he and Nate Berkus had turned their shed into a tiny home. Citing his interest in turning tiny homes into beautiful spaces as the starting point, Brent explained that their shed had become their new guest house for visiting loved ones. Again, if your shed already serves a purpose and is regularly put to good use, that doesn't mean you need to follow suit. However, if there is a way to turn the space into a multi-use shed you can make even more use of, it certainly isn't a bad idea.
Whether you give your shed a makeover to turn it into an all-new space, or simply because you want your backyard to look more polished, putting Brent's ideas into practice is sure to transform your property. Magazine-ready home, here we come.