Her “Country French” Garden Getaway

Relaxation retreats come in many different styles, whether a rustic shelter with a cozy fireplace, a sports center filled with memorabilia, or even a peaceful artists’ workshop. For Diane Sikokis, the perfect getaway is a combination of gardening space and reading nook.

For several years Diane and her husband have made use of Tuff Shed buildings for storage and utility purposes. These buildings were certainly useful, but for Diane, they also inspired her to create a space of her own. Their vacation home nestled in the forested mountains of Strawberry, Arizona was the perfect location for a dream garden getaway-- a reading and gardening space. As Diane began plans for her relaxing retreat, she knew that no other building could compare to the quality of materials and service she experienced with her prior Tuff Shed buildings.

“It’s such a quality product that goes up quickly and is customizable,” says Diane. “They can be used for anything, whether utilitarian, a personal get away space, hobby, anything.”

While designing her retreat, Diane searched for a style that could accommodate a set of refurbished French Doors that she found, knowing that they would necessitate a tall building. Diane selected the Pro Tall Ranch model and increased the roof pitch to 7/12. She also added two skylights, three 3x5 windows on each side, and one 3x4 window on the back wall for plenty of ventilation and light to provide a well-lit reading area. The most difficult part of her customization came when selecting an exterior paint scheme but after a bit of helpful counsel from Tuff Shed salesman Bobby Clark in Phoenix, Diane was able to pick the perfect combination.

A seasoned Tuff Shed owner, she was already familiar with the easy installation process, but showed extra interest when it came to her own retreat. On installation day, Diane set up her lawn chair and watched her garden getaway come to life.

“It completely exceeded my expectations,” she says, “and everything just came out so perfectly; it was more than I could have imagined on paper.”

For the interior of her garden getaway, Diane is designing it to match the “Country French” style of her main house. Her husband jokes, “It’s like the house had a baby.” Plans are in place to paint the inside of the shed and install a brick floor, furnishing it with potting benches and wicker seating. Extra ambiance will come from a miniature water fountain and a sound system, while lanterns and a hanging candle chandelier will provide light during evening hours.

Diane looks forward to many hours of gardening and reading in her new retreat, saying the investment is, “ a little like going on a major vacation, but instead of one trip I have a garden cottage to visit in my backyard forever.”

*Edit: Since we last interviewed Diane, she has dedicated herself to decorating her backyard retreat. We've attached photos of the decorated interior and exterior.