‘Wrinkly and rusty’ garden hideaway wins Shed of the Year
The winner of the annual Shed of the Year competition has been named, with a Crewe-based artist scooping the crown with his ‘rusty' and 'wrinkly’ hideaway.
Wayne Dawber picked up the 2024 accolade for his ‘Wrinkly, Rusty and Retro’ shed – beating off 160 other applicants.
His creation was voted top of the ‘Unexpected/Unique’ category by the general public and selected as the overall winner by the judging panel.
The winning shed was built using disregarded materials, such as corrugated metal from a torn-down stable roof and windows from a recently demolished chapel.
The most eye-catching element, however, is the colourful hand-painted vintage signs that adorn the shed’s interior and exterior – in a style Wayne likes to call “industrial, ghost town chic.”
Many of the mural paintings are inspired by (or even from) 1950s magazine adverts, with the indoor walls embellished with old product labels and matchbox graphics.
These features, as well as the weathered effect Wayne has given to the metal, helps to ‘age’ the shed, adding to its retro aesthetic and vintage charm.
Wayne explained: “As I began constructing the shed, I started to get a bit carried away. The finished product brings together everything I love to work with – from the rusty metal to the old wood, it’s feels very special to give all these old materials a new lease of life with a touch of paint, while still encapsulating that old-fashioned feel.”
This year's champion says he initially constructed the shed as a hideaway for him and his wife, as a place for them to sit and watch nature from the comfort of their garden.
Marianne Shillingford, Creative Director and Colour Expert at Cuprinol, adds: “Wayne’s shed pays homage to everything I love about this competition. From such creative use of second-hand materials, to a head-turning use of colour and artistry, ‘Wrinkly, Rusty and Retro’ is a masterclass in how to bring style and creativity to what many would shrug off as mundane or useless.
"Everywhere you look there is something new to see, and I’m delighted that Wayne’s tireless work on the shed has paid off – just going to show that there are no limits to what can be achieved with scraps, paint and a vision.”
As part of his prize, Wayne will receive an overnight getaway as well as £1,000 in cash, and £250 worth of Cuprinol product.
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