SHEDDING light
THIS IMAGE & OPPOSITE: SUNCAST CABANA ENTERTAINMENT SHED 8’ X 7’ ITEM 1852222 *
New materials and untold variety are transforming the once unassuming backyard shed. BY BEN SMITHURST
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heds are having a bit of a moment. They’ re no longer brokendown buildings in the back corner of your yard, but aesthetically pleasing, well-organised, multipurpose hubs for entertaining, storage and more.
This is not to say that the contemporary shed revolution has entirely changed the game. Whether your new build is built to be a backyard bar or a new take on an old-school shrine to two-stroke fumes and tools, functionality remains the shed’ s defining feature. One thing is for sure: nowhere loves a shed quite like Australia.
“ I believe that comes down to Aussies being‘ yard proud’,” says Brendan Taylor of Costco supplier Lifetime Products, one of the brands that’ s led the shed renaissance.“ Our Australian lifestyle is shaped around living inside and out, so having something that we can have built into our landscape and be proud of really resonates here.”
Sheds for any space
Like fellow Costco shed suppliers Keter and Suncast, Lifetime specialises in resin or plastic-based sheds, providing huge advantages in modularity, aesthetics, endurance and ease of assembly.
Suncast’ s range is complementary, intended to be bought as a set, and suited to a variety of uses. Applications range from the traditional, such as outdoor storage for bulky sporting equipment or occasional-use items, to innovations such as a vertical storage for gardening tools or deck boxes for outdoor pillows. There is a wide variety of sizes, from a 20 x 8-foot model( 6.1m x 2.4m) with attractive shuttered windows and multiple sets of double doors, to cottage-style 7-foot( 2.13m) square units, to more modest 1.4m x 1m solutions.
“ A high-quality shed is a great way to keep your yard looking neat and tidy, while also enhancing the space,” says
Jesslyn Huynh, Costco assistant buyer.“ The best thing about our expanded range on Costco. com. au is the variety of materials, layouts and sizes, all offered at outstanding value by leading local and international suppliers.”
While traditional sheet-steel sheds must be built in a specific way, offering minimal customisation, modular sheds such as those made by Costco supplier Keter, for example, can have the doors built on different sides, allowing them to be tailored to a range of external spaces. Then there are the areas of shed innovation that push the envelope that little bit further, such as Suncast’ s Cabana Entertainment Shed 8’ x 7’( Item 1852222, pictured above), which converts into a fully standing roofed bar area, ideal for whipping up a tray of mojitos alongside the cabana or on the poolside deck … or perhaps just out of sight of the Hills Hoist.
26 | MAY / JUNE 2025 COSTCO CONNECTION