I googled potting sheds, lots of different styles and sizes, maybe you can get a few ideas from these.

Annette

Here is a link that might be useful: Potting Sheds

I bought a premade barn style structure, Glen added a small porch and a window in the back of it. Here's some pics. I am always scavaging from yardsales too. You can get cute stuff really cheap and a coat of bright paint can do wonders.
Jen
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You sound like you want just what I have. Mine is an old chicken coop. 8 windows face south. I use it for storage, potting, a place to keep plants and a nice place to relax. I've posted a link to a thread on another GW forum about my potting shed.

Here is a link that might be useful: The potting shed

Annette, thanks for that reminder, I never thot to google potting shed altho that, in hindsight, is obvious. I hadn't been thinking of it as a potting shed altho found many good ideas in the images. I'm collecting pics to show DH so we can plan the best size/dimensions.

Jen, that's a very cute little "barn", thanks for showing it. Looks to be a good size - do you know the dimensions off-hand? I'm planning to furnish mine with a few of my yard sale finds. You've decorated your spring house really cute, too!

Michelle, lucky you, your coop is huuuge and your potting table is another thing I need! ;-) I used to have a chicken coop on our last property but we're starting from scratch now and DH won't give up the storage shed he built here. Thanks for showing it, every idea helps.

Anyone else have a pic of their potting shed or other little garden house?

Search for 'garden shed' 'potting shed' 'playhouse' 'granny house' 'rustic building' and every other combination that you can think of. Search Images instead of web sites.

160 square feet means 16x10' or 8'x20. What fun! Look on the Greenhouse Forum -- there are some marvelous garden sheds on there, posing as greenhouses.

Check at the library for books on sheds and rustic structures.

I dreamed of just such a structure. DH decided a Harbor Freight Greenhouse might better fit our budget, abilities and needs. I deleted all the pics I had saved and gave 16 old windows to Scrap Man along with lots of potental wonders. There's a folding bamboo tray table and a chair and stool for meals in the winter warmth, otherwise it's a for holding tender plants, cuttings and sprouts over the winter.

I still dream of windows added to the tool shed, which holds lots of treasures.

Nell

Ever consider a HOBBIT house? In a zone 3 environment, I would think an earth laden roof (ala viking home) would create a warm and yet cozy feel. You can even plant low growing alpine perennials on the roof.

Ianna

More good ideas!

Thanks Nell, I'm on the search. Had saved a lot of pics before my computer crashed so am starting over and your list of search names will definitely help. While I've dreamed of this for years it's only now since DH retired that he's interested in the project.

Ianna, a hobbit house sounds interesting, I'll add that name to the search. It might also be a good name for the building itself as I do want to name it! Not sure if DH would want the work of doing an earthen roof but I'll run it past him. I love the idea. We have considered doing stackwall as have lots of deadfall trees as well as live ones but it's more labor intensive and maybe no cheaper. We hope we are getting smarter with age, but maybe just lazier, so need all the ideas we can get to do this thing the most cost and labor effective way. Fortunately DH knows how to build and has done other structures in the past with plywood and 2" x 4" construction so that's our fall back.

Just thought it might be interesting. Here's a dIY which I found on the web. http://greenbuildingelements.com/2008/12/01/hand-build-an-earth-sheltered-house-for-5000/

Somebody on the web has a blog devoted to sheds, hundreds of sheds. If I run across it again, I'll let you know about it.

Nell

I think this is the web address maybe Nell is talking about-

http://gardenshedhalloffame.blogspot.com/2007/01/index-of-sheds_1824.html
Jen

*This is a link to a LONG post with quite a few photos*

But this is my *DREAM* set up! I found this on the Greenhouse Forum forever ago and I look back to it every time I get to dreaming of when I have my own home. I knew you had to see it before I even finished your first paragraph!

This GW member is in Canada if I remember correctly. Her GH is about 10' X 16', with reclaimed windows as the south facing wall and roof, and possibly other materials were reclaimed as well. It is simply amazing and beautiful.

I think it's similar to Michelle's potting shed, only I get the impression that the other gal didn't start with an existing structure (and it's smaller).

Good luck! Keep us posted on what you come up with!

Janelle

Here is a link that might be useful: wyndyacre's Greenhouse Structure

My, I have my work cut out just looking at these wonderful sites!

Ianna, that is quite the house, not a straight line in sight! Love it!

Thank you Nell and Thank You Jen for that addy. That is *some* site!

Janelle, thank you sooo much for that link, great inspiration. If only I could go back 30 years I might be tempted... ;-) That plant sale is amazing and her prices were so low! Interesting also that the size of her greenhouse is 10' x 16' which is the max we can go w/out a permit. Probably the same regs there. After seeing it I think we'll build that size as well instead of the smaller one we had planned. Not much more money or work and better to do it right.

I also borrowed a stack of books from the library so have a lot of info to go thru. DH says he can build it in a week but we have to wait for all this snow to leave so I have a month or more to plan it. Will update "when"! :-)

So grateful to everyone for all the help and if there are any other ideas please post.

I would ask that he place electrical outlets and a faucet when he runs the wire and pipes. Little more cost, and you'll have everything you need at the start. Otherwise, you're toting water and in the dark and cold.

Nell