A trend in North America that is gaining momentum is the She Shed, which is a private space that a woman claims for her own to do things that inspire her—from entertaining her friends, expressing her creativity, reading a book in peace, or listening to her own kind of music. It could even be something as practical as a home office.
A She Shed is a space where a woman can embrace her individuality and not have to think of herself as someone’s mother, or wife, or daughter. It is a place for her own nurturing and growth, a sanctuary where she can go deep inside herself to find her inner compass so that she can navigate the world much better. It is a place where she can spread out and do her creative projects. Need to escape from the daily grind? She Shed. Need me time? She Shed. Need some solitude to maintain her equilibrium? She Shed.
I don’t know if this trend will take root here in the Philippines. A Filipina’s instinct for communitarian and familial pursuits trumps the need for individualistic activities. The roles of mother, wife, daughter, sister, and friend are sacrosanct to most of us. But all of us, woman or man, child or adult, need space and time to ourselves to re-energize.
The Origin of the She Shed
The female equivalent to the man cave has been around since 2015.
Sandra Foster created a She Shed in New York’s Catskills mountains. She uses the shed, which has a sofa, books and even a loft with a bed, to escape the pressure and stress of work, and to get space from her husband when it’s needed. “I did it to save my marriage and recharge my life,” Foster told TODAY Home.
It has been gaining momentum in the last two years.
Get Inspired with These She Sheds
Sheds in the Philippines may be known as sibi, kamalig, bodega, payag, kubol, terms that farmers are familiar with. These are not chic like the sheds shown below. Instead, these are functional structures for storing farm implements and harvests.
Sheds are seldom found in our urban areas, if at all. If you know of a She Shed, please drop a comment below.
Check out the IG images below for inspiring paint colors for She Sheds.
Raise Your Spirits with Pastel Colors
Feminine and frilly, these She Sheds feel far away from the humdrum routine of the day. They embrace the softer, romantic side of a woman, tapping into those joyful and tender dreams that are more about creative play rather than responsibility.
Flounces, lace, sheer gauzy fabric, and florals bring a bubbly and cozy ambiance to these She Sheds. Most of all, pastel colors portray the soft tones of the feminine spirit.
Read about The Bubble Gum and Jelly Bean Pastel Colors.
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The Magic of White
Light bounces off the white surfaces and the gallery of antique mirrors. Despite the single color, this She Shed is hardly boring. So many textures and details invite the eye to look around the room and explore its magic.
This white haven is a fitting place for meditating or for allowing a tired body to rest lightly on a cloud of comfort in order to heal. Let the magic of white cast its spell of purity and innocence to help you continue believing in miracles, angels, and the goodness of life.
Read about The All-Time Favorite Paint: Boysen Tulle White.
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Block Out the Noise
Sometimes a woman just needs to block out all kinds of distractions and then focus. Despite the many hats she has to wear for others, there is one she has to wear for herself. When that kind of concentration is required, the color black can be a friend.
Black absorbs all light and can add depth to a space. If you paint a wall black for example, it gives the illusion of that wall receding into the background. It may be counterintuitive, but interior designers say that black can make a room cozier and bigger.
Get some interior design tips from the Black List.
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She Sheds in the Philippines
As I said, I don’t know if She Sheds will ever take off in the Philippines. Most households have space constraints so if Pinays want this kind of space, the She Shed can be a She Nook instead.
In 1992, John Gray wrote a bestseller entitled Man Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus. It may have resonated then but fast forward almost 30 years, this book seems out of step. Do you think the Man Cave and She Shed are still relevant in today’s world?
Gender identification has become more complicated with LGBTQ adding a + sign to its array of letters. A recent news article about Demi Lovato reported that she is non-binary and has changed her pronoun to they/them. I had to read up on non-binary because it is still confusing to me despite someone trying to explain that to me a few months back. And when I thought I understood it better, I stumbled on the term intersex.
The world has changed so much and I think that the Man Cave and She Shed phenomena may undergo a transformation in the future. Whatever label we slap on what is supposed to be a safe and sacred space for each of us, the more important thing to remember is that all of us need that kind of space, literally and figuratively, in order to replenish our beings. To do that, we need to respect ourselves and others.
Vive la différence!
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