SHED OF THE YEAR: IT'S TIME TO CAST YOUR VOTE

Man cave, she shed, kid's den, bar at the foot of the garden, whatever you use yours for, this competition (opens in new tab) celebrates thegreat British shed in all its forms and welcomes entries in all shapes, sizes and functions.

The judges have whittled down the entries from hundreds to just three finalists per category, who will go head-to-shed in a bid to win the coveted title #shedoftheyear.

This year a new category has been added with entrants being invited to show off their “Nature’s Haven” with designs inspired by nature - demonstrating the shift towards an un-landscaped outdoors, embracing a trend for garden maintenance that allows nature to thrive.

Research revealed that over a third of people (35%) will allow nature to run wild in their garden this summer, leaving a section unmaintained to embrace wildlife, creating a haven for nature.

The other categories include; Unexpected, Cabin/Summerhouse, Workshop and Studio, Pub and Entertainment, Budget and Unique.

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Among those reaching the final is an artist’s workshop in Bristol, a live-in shed/lorry in Hampshire and a beach bar shack based in Northamptonshire.

Also vying for the winner’s crown is a Shakespeare themed boat-come-shed, a playhouse that required planning permission and a space station shed.

Playrooms for children have been popular additions to this year’s entries, with owners keen to find a place for their offspring to get away from technology and be at one with their imagination.

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This year, the panel saw the Attenborough effect emerge in the designs, with many of the sheddies showing a steer towards sustainability, using reclaimed and recycled materials for their work of art.

A winner from each category will be decided by a public vote, then an overall winner will be crowned by a panel of shed experts with a giant golden crown for the winning shed. The best shed will receive £1,000, a plaque, and £100 of Cuprinol products.

Head judge and founder of the competition, Andrew Wilcox, said: “We’ve been absolutely blown away by the incredible, imaginative and innovative sheds entered into this year’s competition.We’ve been really impressed by the aesthetics of the sheds - especially those that entered the brand new Nature’s Haven category with entrants really demonstrating how important it is to welcome nature into our lives and our gardens.”

Kirsty Woodbine, Marketing Manager for Cuprinol, said: “This year has certainly seen the entrants up their game with a real noticeable shift towards sustainability and a drive towards embracing our natural environment.We’ve been impressed with the recycled and upcycled materials being used by sheddies and the creative designs really show just how much you can do with a small outdoor space.”

Public voting is now underway for the 13th annual competition and will close on Tuesday 29 August 2019.

Check out all of the 21 finalists and cast your vote here: www.readersheds.co.uk (opens in new tab)

Find more inspiration for outside spaces. (opens in new tab)