Voting Opens: Shed of the Year Competition Celebrates Inventive Garden Spaces
The Cuprinol Shed of the Year competition returns, showcasing creative, eco-friendly, and meaningful sheds—vote for your favorite before July 31st.
Shed of the Year 2025: Public Voting Now Open
The annual Cuprinol Shed of the Year competition has returned, bringing with it a vibrant selection of innovative garden sheds that reflect design ingenuity, sustainability, and the personal flair of their creators. For its 19th year, the contest features 22 remarkable finalists chosen from 84 entries across the UK, with public voting open until July 31. Now, the opportunity is yours to decide which shed will claim this celebrated title—and a prize package including £1,000 cash, a nature-inspired getaway, and £250 worth of Cuprinol products.
Spotlight on the Finalists
This year’s shortlist encompasses an inspiring variety of garden buildings, each representing the unique vision and needs of their makers. From vibrant entertainment spaces and tranquil retreats to eco-friendly sanctuaries and clever storage solutions, the sheds showcase what happens when creativity meets practical necessity. Whether built from reclaimed materials or designed for specific hobbies, these garden oases prove that a shed can be so much more than a simple storehouse for tools and lawnmowers.
- Vivid entertainment spaces for gatherings and relaxation
- Cosy summerhouses crafted for leisure or quiet reflection
- Functional workshops and studios supporting passions and projects
- Eco-friendly builds that harmonize with nature
- Bespoke shelters made for family, friends, or community use
Categorizing Creativity: This Year’s Expanded Categories
Each shortlisted shed is assigned to one of eight categories, celebrating different styles and intentions:
- Most Colourful Shed: Eye-catching, bold designs with a playful palette
- Simple but Effective: Minimalist constructions with practical purpose
- Budget: Impressive sheds created on a shoestring
- Cabin/Summerhouse: Retreats designed for rest and recreation
- Pub/Entertainment: Social hubs built for gatherings and hospitality
- Unexpected/Unique: Quirky builds that defy convention—think shells, themes, or imaginative repurposing
- Workshop/Studio: Spaces dedicated to making, crafting and creativity
- Eco Haven: The debut category celebrating sustainability, biodiversity, and ecological stewardship
Introducing the ‘Eco Haven’ Category
New for 2025, the Eco Haven category, developed in partnership with the environmental group Bee1, has added an exciting dimension to the competition. This division recognizes sheds that serve as vibrant habitats for wildlife, support pollinators, and are crafted with a conscious effort to reduce environmental impact. From living roofs and recycled materials to pollinator-friendly gardens, these entries illustrate how sheds can blend practicality with ecological purpose.
Marianne Shillingford, Cuprinol Creative Director & Colour Expert, notes: “It’s been incredible to see how people transform even the smallest spaces into something truly special; each one is a reminder that a shed is never just a shed. I’m especially excited about the new Eco Haven category—it’s opened the door to such thoughtful, sustainable designs that are not only beautiful, but bursting with purpose.”
Notable Eco Haven Entries
- The Plotting Shed: Built from reclaimed wood, surrounded by wildlife-friendly plants, and designed to attract and observe pollinators.
- Living Roof Sheds: Features green roof systems that help insulate the structure, reduce run-off, and provide valuable habitat for insects and birds.
- Nature-inspired Retreats: Sheds positioned among wildflowers and native shrubs, serving as quiet observation posts and conservation spaces.
What others are reading
Stories Behind the Sheds: Spaces That Inspire
Beyond their materials and design, the sheds in this competition embody powerful personal and communal stories. Many serve as legacy projects that connect generations, nurture family bonds, or create welcoming hubs for neighbours and friends. Others reflect how overlooked corners of a garden can be reimagined to shine with character, history, and purpose.
Andrew Wilcox, founder and head judge, captures this spirit, stating: “Behind many sheds lie powerful stories—sheds that connect generations, bring families together, and serve as hubs for communities. These aren’t just garden buildings; they’re meaningful spaces full of history, purpose, and connection.”
Highlighting Memorable Finalists
- The Old Stable Potting Shed: Once a horse stable, now transformed into a flower studio and potting haven, illustrating upcycling and the layered history of garden spaces.
- Grottoloo: An unexpected and playful shell-encrusted toilet—complete with a whimsical underwater world theme.
- The Tiny Workshop: Ingeniously built in a small garden in south-east London, combining space-saving design with function and style. Winner of the Workshop/Studio category and overall top honors for 2025.
Voting: How to Participate and What the Winners Receive
Public voting is a core feature of the Shed of the Year contest. Anyone can view the full shortlist of 22 sheds on the competition website and vote for their favorite before July 31. The shed receiving the most votes will be awarded a generous prize bundle:
- £1,000 cash prize
- Nature-inspired getaway experience
- £250 worth of Cuprinol products for future DIY and decorating projects
This participatory approach encourages the public to take an active interest in garden design, supporting shed owners and celebrating the diversity of garden retreats across the UK.
How to Vote
- Visit the official Shed of the Year website
- Browse the photo gallery and stories for each finalist
- Select your favorite and submit your vote by July 31st
Meet the Judges and Insights from the Competition Team
The judging panel, led by competition founder Andrew Wilcox and Cuprinol’s Creative Director Marianne Shillingford, brings both expertise and passion to their role. Andrew initially conceived the competition over a casual conversation in a pub, inspired by the wealth of creativity and storytelling inherent in shed ownership.
In addition, guest judges and representatives from Bee1 scrutinize Eco Haven entries, weighing qualities such as biodiverse planting, environmental impact, and construction innovation. Their collective aim is to acknowledge sheds that reflect contemporary values and inspire others to see potential in overlooked garden spaces.
Why Sheds Matter: Reflections on Connection and Purpose
As demonstrated throughout the competition, sheds are much more than utilitarian outbuildings. They form the heart of many gardens, serving as sanctuaries for quiet moments, creativity, social gatherings, and ecological stewardship. The entries for 2025 reinforce the sentiment that every shed carries the possibility of becoming a source of beauty, sustainability, and joy—no matter its initial purpose.
Marianne remarks, “This year’s entries have been nothing short of magical. It’s been incredible to see how people transform even the smallest spaces into something truly special.”
Table: 2025 Shed Categories & Their Core Features
| Category | Key Features | Highlighted Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Most Colourful Shed | Vivid paint, playful themes | Rainbow-hued entertainment sheds |
| Simple but Effective | Minimalist, functional, uncluttered | Tool sheds, compact stores |
| Budget | Low-cost builds, creativity under constraint | Ingenious recycled-material structures |
| Cabin/Summerhouse | Relaxation, retreat, multi-use | Garden studios, reading nooks |
| Pub/Entertainment | Social focus, themed interiors | Backyard pubs, games rooms |
| Unexpected/Unique | Novelty, imagination, themed design | Grottoloo shell toilet |
| Workshop/Studio | Crafting, storage, tinkering | The Tiny Workshop winner |
| Eco Haven | Sustainability, biodiversity, green roofs | Plotting Shed, wildflower shelters |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How does public voting for Shed of the Year work?
Anyone in the UK (and sometimes beyond) can vote for their favorite shed online. Simply visit the competition’s website, review the 22 shortlisted entries, and cast your vote by the stated deadline.
What do the winners receive?
Winners are awarded £1,000 cash, a getaway experience, and £250 in Cuprinol products to help with future shed decorating or maintenance projects.
What makes a shed eligible for the Eco Haven category?
Sheds that demonstrate environmental responsibility, such as use of recycled materials, wildlife-friendly design, and planting schemes that support pollinators or biodiversity are eligible.
How are the sheds judged?
A panel of experts, including shed design specialists and environmental advocates, assesses entries for creativity, innovation, and alignment with category values. The winner is chosen through a combination of public votes and jury decision.
Can I enter my shed next year?
Most years, applications open several months before the voting deadline. Check the Cuprinol Shed of the Year website for announcements and guidelines regarding entry requirements and deadlines.
Further Inspiration: The Power of Garden Design
Each shed in the Cuprinol Shed of the Year competition not only represents its owner’s creativity but also inspires others to reconsider what a garden building can be. Whether you’re planning a vibrant hub for friends, a meditative reading nook, or a shelter dedicated to wildlife, every shed starts with imagination and grows into a cherished part of the home landscape. With sustainability, history, and innovation at the heart of this year’s contest, the finalists prove that even unsung spaces can become the highlight of any garden.
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