After a record breaking 2,000 entries and 20,000 public votes, the Allotment Roof Shed from London has been crowned winner of the 2014 Shed of the Year competition sponsored by Cuprinol.
Revealed for the first time by George Clarke on Channel 4’s Amazing Spaces Shed of the Year, the nail-biting competition came to a close with Allotment Roof Shed owner Joel Bird, 39, taking home the coveted title along with £1,000 courtesy of sponsors Cuprinol, £100 of Cuprinol products, winner’s plaque and a giant crown for this shed.
After winning the eco category, the Allotment Roof Shed went head-to-head with the winners of the other categories including the Appleton Arms shed winner of the pub category, The Little Thatch garden office winner, My Caribbean Retreat cabin/summerhouse category winner, Reelwood cinema shed winner of the unique category, Disco shed winner of the normal shed category, Stencil Shed winner of the workshop/studio category and The Mini Doctor’s Tardis, winner of the tardis category.
The overall winner was selected by a high-profile judging panel of shed experts including the founder of the competition Uncle Wilco (Andrew Wilcox), last year’s overall winner Alex Holland, and Amazing Spaces Shed of the Year presenter George Clarke and his expert team of craftsman William Hardie, architect Laura Clark and industrial designer Max McMurdo.
Built from scratch using recycled materials, the Allotment Roof shed is used to grow an array of vegetables. Eco-friendly lights, powered by a solar panel, are used to light the inside where Joel spends hours painting and making music in his specially designed studio. When winter sets in, a wood burner keeps the fire alive and heats the shed without the need of a gas supply or radiator – proving its eco-friendly credentials.
When asked about his winning shed, Joel said: “Sheds are no longer just places for men to escape to, they are transforming the way people live their lives and subsequently how they see themselves. It’s an incredible honour for my shed to be crowned ‘2014 Shed of the Year sponsored by Cuprinol’ and I’m hoping to use the award to promote the benefits of a more sustainable life.”
George Clarke says: “The nation’s love for transforming their garden shed to an extension of the home is really trending right now. The TV show highlighted some of the most creative, beautiful and unusual sheds in the country, as well as allowing me to meet incredible people – like Joel – who are so enthusiastic about what they do.”
Uncle Wilco, Head sheddie of Readersheds says: “This year’s competition has been the best yet. With a record breaking number of entries and public votes, people are embracing the fascinating world of sheds like never before.”
Brand Manager for Cuprinol, Kay Bartlett says: “We’re incredibly proud to sponsor the Shed of the Year competition for the fourth year in a row. The three-part Channel 4 series brought some of the best sheds into the homes of millions and will hopefully inspire the nation to get creative with their own gardens. For further inspiration visit www.Cuprinol.co.uk for simple tips on how to cheer up your own shed.”
If you think your shed has what it takes to be crowned Shed of the Year, enter it into the 2015 competition at readersheds.co.uk.
THE CATEGORY WINNERS
PUB SHED WINNER
The Appleton Arms: Owned by Mark Appleton aged 52 from St Helens, Merseyside
The Appleton Arms was built as a tribute to Mark’s late father and brother, and contains a traditional hand-made wooden bar, a snug area, real pub signage, a dart board and a wood burning stove.
GARDEN OFFICE SHED WINNER
The Little Thatch: Owned by Jamie Dix, aged 33, and Gemma Mitchell, aged 35 from Bedford
Designed and built by Jamie Dix in 2010, the picturesque shed has a beautiful thatched roof, bunk beds for the children and exposed oak beams.
CABIN / SUMMERHOUSE SHED WINNER
My Caribbean Retreat: Owned by Alison Kynaston Jones, aged 57 from Shropshire
The My Caribbean Retreat shed houses a day bed, stereo, small mementos from trips away and Moroccan tapestry cushions. The roof is lined with pink and purple folded voile and embroidered with butterflies.
UNIQUE SHED WINNER
Reelwood: Paul Slim, aged 37 from Stourbridge
Reelwood is a shed-cinema made with exact dimensions for the surround sound. Reelwood also contains a full film collection, movie memorabilia and a cinematic screen.
NORMAL SHED WINNER
Disco Shed: Owned by DJ’s Paddy Bickerton and Aidan Larkin, both aged 35 from The Cotswolds
The Disco Shed is a fully mobile shed that travels the country to play at music festivals. It contains DJ decks, lights, a smoke machine, giant rooftop visuals, disco ball and a record sleeve lined roof.
WORKSHOP/STUDIO SHED WINNER
Stencil Shed: Owned by Luke ‘Syd’ Hollingworth from Malmesbury, Wiltshire
The ‘Stencil Shed’ was created to house Syd’s art work. It features a smiley face optical illusion, a cider bar, as well as a full sized gorilla that guards the entrance.
TARDIS SHED WINNER
The mini doctor’s Tardis: Owned by David Lifton from Little Bentley, Essex
Built for his Doctor Who mad son Rhys, the slightly scaled down version of the original took five months to create.
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