When you hear “garden shed,” do you picture some faux barn structure like this?

How far Garden Pavilions have fallen since TJ designed this one at Monticello:

Or have they? There is a new trend in backyard structures. Like iconic architect Thomas Jefferson before him, Michael Graves has now jumped on jump-started the pavilion bandwagon. Here is an example of one of his, as built by Lindal Cedar Homes:

By the way, these are expensive as hell, even though they are related to Target somehow.

If the colonial look is for you, the “Original Williamsburg Garden Shed” is perfect:

I’m also partial to the Gardenbelle – the roof and the obelisk on top are a fantastic detail for a modest shed, and the scale really works well:

If those are too traditional for your tastes, there are plenty of modern options out there. Here is one from Sunset with a great accompanying article:

Metroshed Pre-fab sheds are simple, modern, and let it tons of light and air. Thanks to Garden Design magazine for turning me on to these:

Obviously, people are using sheds for a lot more than storing the lawn mower. Think about it, if your house is bursting at the seams, perhaps a “backyard studio” (a nice way of saying big shed) is for you. I have one, and it’s so nice to keep my home business away from my home. The trick is to keep them smaller than the size required for a building permit. This one is from The Shed Shop:

Summerwood Products is full of studios from a nostalgic camp cabin to a Bali Tea House. Their designs remind me of follies in English gardens:

If sheds don’t float your boat, perhaps you might like to park an Airstream trailor in the backyard. Whatever floats your boat, remember that a small structure in the backyard can help you find more room for growing seeds or growing your business. The options out there right now have never been better.

airstream photo by Simon Brown for the New York Times

P.S.  Thanks to Kim for letting us know about modern-shed.com, which is full of modern playsheds, dwelling sheds et. al.: