Purple Shed Makeover Project

11 years ago

Since the weather was so nice last weekend, we decided to paint the shed. Since we just returned from San Francisco, we were inspired by all the colors on the Victorians, so we decided to have a little fun with our shed. We have no HOA that says we can't paint it purple. OTOH, this means if someone has Christmas lights still up, there is nothing that can be done about it either.

Our yard is a total work in progress, so one step at a time here.

Before:

Primer: We had tons of tinted primer left over from the deck that turned out a purplish-brown.

BM Cupid's Dart done in Valspar:

Trim is Valspar Twilight Purple: sorry this one looks crooked

I do plan to add some trim and finial like the inspiration pic. I am no way as talented and motivated as the inspiration poster. I was going to do the trim in the creamy beige that is our house trim unless someone else can suggest another color.

Also, these weird bugs have set up shop on the shed. I posted in one of the Garden forums, but if anyone has any idea what these are, I'd most appreciate it. Sorry for the large pics, but I wanted to highlight the bugs.

Here is a link that might be useful: Inspiration Shed

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Comments (15)

gsciencechick
Original Author
11 years ago
Someone on the garden side these are empty cicada shells. They have already emerged from the exoskeleton, so I assume I can just knock these off. Pretty cool process.

Here is a link that might be useful: Cicada emerging
ghostlyvision
11 years ago
They love your shed! LOL We have them here too (the cicadas, not the purple sheds), but I wish we had sheds like yours, it's so cute!
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natal
11 years ago
Love your shed! GGG on Potager Gardens would too.

That's a cool link! I've seen butterflies emerge, but never a cicada.

Here is a link that might be useful: GGG's purple potager
User
11 years ago
That is one PURPLE shed--- good job on the transformation!
DLM2000-GW
11 years ago
Love the shed color - doesn't it make you smile every time you see it!? I have a purple glazed ceramic bird bath tucked into my garden and it makes me smile.
Fori
11 years ago
Love the shed!

On the topic of Christmas lights, if you can collect enough of those cicada skins, you can pop them onto the smaller lights and have a lightup cicada exuviae display.
sumac
11 years ago
I love the Valspar Twilight Purple myself. I think I would have painted the whole shed that color purple instead. Not sure what trim color to use, maybe the lighter purple as trim color? Or the creamy color from your house trim? I'm no good at colors, I just know when I like something and that Valspar Twilight Purple just calls to me! Still, your project looks like it will be great fun. Enjoy!
hhireno
11 years ago
First, I love the shed. It looks great. Can't wait to see what else you do with it.

Second, I'm so glad your gscience nature had you attach the cicada link. That was cool. Thanks for the mini lesson, in a form I could follow!
Oakley
11 years ago
Your shed is so cute!! Yep, a cicada skin. We get them all the time and I pick them off the brick.

Towards the mid to end of summer, they get so loud outside (in trees) I can hardly hear myself talk. I always thought it was crickets.
jae_tn2
11 years ago
When my children were small they would take the cicada shells and put them on their shirts! The legs were sticky and were perfect for the boys to freak out the girls with one sitting their shoulder, lol!
gsciencechick
Original Author
11 years ago
Thanks for the comments. I just finished another coat of trim on the back and touched up some spots. There were probably 5 more cicada skins on the shed this morning. I think we are in for an invasion!

I'm in human biology/science field, so bugs are not my area, lol.

I originally wanted to do the shed in the dark purple, but DH did not want the whole shed in a dark color--we bought samples to try out. So that was the compromise. We didn't want to go too light either. The Twilight Purple a great color, almost like squid ink.

I will need to get more of the cream paint, so don't know how much more I will get done today before it's too hot.

Natal, I like the potager, too!

BTW, our neighbors over the fence like the shed color.
teacats
11 years ago
Lovely!!! :)

A wonderful fun choice of color and style! :)

So what kinds of wonderful "stuff" will be going around the fresh new shed? :) Just curious!
gsciencechick
Original Author
11 years ago
Oh yeah, that will be the second phase to get some decorative planter or a metal sculpture, and some type of mulch.

????
prairiemom61
11 years ago
We used to call these locusts but we now know they are cicadas. Forty years ago we (a pack of about six little girls) would drag our huge Red Ryder wagon up and down the block and pick locust shells off the American Elms. We would fill the wagon, then dump them out on our patio and stomp on them just to hear them crunch. Barefoot. Sadly, there is only one old elm left on that block, the rest succumbed to Dutch Elm Disease.
Just a little walk down memory lane. Now when I hear that hot afternoon song of the cicadas I'm right back there with no cares or worries!

Here is a link that might be useful: Good description of cicadas
gsciencechick
Original Author
11 years ago
Thanks. They are really making a lot of noise out there right now. Not totally sure of what kind we have. I picked probably a half dozen more shells today.

Purple Shed Makeover Project

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