‘Mrs O’Connor’s Shed’ has been sitting in the corner of Tui Sheridan’s property in Māngere Bridge, Auckland since 1956. It was a bit worse for wear, to say the least. “The window frames were in varying stages of decay, the wiring was questionable at best, and the leaking roof provided more of a draft than shelter,” she says.
Needing an outlet after navigating a difficult separation, Tui saw the shed’s potential and began the process of transforming it. She took on most of the work herself but 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. She says, “I found myself torn between bold, modern choices and something more traditional.” She spent hours in the garden trying to decide what would suit the shed and its environment.
Eventually, she chose Resene Lumbersider Low Sheen CoolColour in Resene Half Ironsand, which is described as a fire-warmed brown and grey. That went on the main exterior of the renovated 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. 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”. Tui is proud of the work she’s accomplished. The renovated shed, now 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.”
How to enter
Email photos and a 200-word or more description of your space to yhg@aremedia.co.nz with your last name and ‘Resene Colour Home’ in the subject line. Please include your name, home address, email address, daytime phone number, the names of the Resene colours used, and details of when your space was painted. Please credit anyone who assisted you in choosing your colours.
The finalists will each appear in Your Home and Garden. Every finalist will receive a $250 Resene voucher and a feature in the magazine, with the winner taking out the Resene Colour Home Awards and $5000 cash. An extended story on the winning home will feature in the June 2025 issue.
The post The fourth 2025 Resene Colour Home Awards finalist renovated her shed into a functional sleepout appeared first on Your Home and Garden NZ.