The 17th annual Cuprinol Shed of the Year 2023 overall winner has been announced as 'The Frankenshed'.
The shed, named by its owner Archie Proudfoot as it was "brought back from the dead" was also the winner of the competition's new 'Colourful’ category, one of two new categories for 2023.
If you think you have the best cabin, summerhouse, outside pub, or just thebest plastic shedthen you can enter to and be in with a chance to be 2024's Shed of the Year winner and claim the grand prize.
What is Shed of the Year?
Shed of the Year is an annual competition in the UK that celebrates the best and most unique sheds across the country.
The competition is open to anyone who owns a garden shed, and sheds can be entered into several categories, such as 'Budget', 'Cabin' or 'Summerhouse', 'Nature's Haven', 'Pub' or 'Entertainment', 'Unexpected' and 'Unique', and 'Workshop' or 'Studio'.
The competition is organised by Cuprinol, a brand of wood stain and paint, and the winners receive a cash prize and Cuprinol products to enhance their sheds.
Cuprinol aims to inspire UK residents to add a pop of colour to their outdoor spaces for an uplifting boost. Winners will receive a £1,000 cash prize and £250 worth of Cuprinol items to further enhance their gardens.
The Shed of the Year competition has become a popular event in the UK. Sheds of all shapes, sizes, and ideas from sheds with clock towers tosolar panels for shedsbeing just some of the features included in previous entries.
"Rotten shed" transformed into 2023's winner
Archie Proudfoot, an independent artist and sign painter from London, came out on top against over 200 shed entrants to become Cuprinol's Shed of the Year’s for 2023.
His shed was voted top of the new ‘Colourful’ category by the general public and chosen by judges as this year’s overall winner.
The Frankenshed – named after Archie “brought it back from the dead” – was once a standard shed left to rot but was rebuilt with recycled timber, old fence posts, and some paint to become the nation's Shed of the Year.
Archie stated: “What started as a bored attempt to save a rotten shed turned into the most elaborate and enjoyable piece of artwork I’ve ever created.
“The Frankenshed is now a beautiful place to escape and enjoy an afternoon sketching, writing, tinkering or potting plants for the garden.
"Rebuilding and decorating the shed was a very personal undertaking for me and to see it win not just the ‘Colourful’ category, but be crowned overall winner – well, I’m over the moon.”
Marianne Shillingford, Creative Director and Colour Expert atCuprinol,added: “It’s wonderful to see such artistry and craftsmanship triumph in this 2023 Shed of the Year.
"The extraordinary mural work in the interior of Archie’s ‘Frankenshed’ are such a unique expression of his individuality, skill, and love of colour whilst the bold Rich Black painted exterior makes what’s inside even more alluring and delightful.
"A true labour of love, Archie’s shed shows how it’s possible to bring anything back to life with a bucketful of passion and a lick or two of paint.”
Founder and Head Judge of the competition, Andrew Wilcox, said: “I’m so pleased Archie has been crowned 2023’s winner – The Frankenshed is unlike anything I have seen before in the nearly-20-years of running this competition. His artistic flair takes centre stage, but the way he transformed his sorry shed into something so elegant has to be seen to be believed.”
阿奇将带回家Cuprinol今年的biggest prize yet, including £1,000 in cash and £250 worth of Cuprinol products.
Other previous winners include...
去年的比赛的胜利者是凯利,他不会he top prize in the "Budget" category of the Cuprinol Shed of the Year competition, becoming the first overall winner in the category's 16-year history. She built her shed using unwanted items like old doors, pallet wood, and recycled materials she found on Facebook Marketplace and around her house.
Her shed, called 'The Potting Shed', is 2m x 3m and did not needplanning permission for sheds(this article is worth a read for those building a shed). It also featured a small kitchenette, a potting area, a tool store, and an off-grid bathroom. Kelly decorated it with pastel hues, including 'Sweet Pea Pink,' 'Wild Thyme,' and 'Black,' to protect and colour the shed's wood.
The shed only took five weeks to complete and cost approximately £200 to create, making it a budget-friendly option.
Head judge and Founder of the competition, Andrew Wilcox, commented: “In 2022, we crowned Kelly Haworth the winner for her incredible Potting Shed. Her use of second-hand materials amid the cost-of-living crisis really impressed us, showing that you can still create something very original on a budget.
"Kelly loves using her upgraded allotment plot as a place to grow fresh plants and ingredients for her bakes – just going to show the varying and innovative ways sheds can be used.”
A number of other sheds entered last year's competition ranging from hangers to boat houses, proving there is a category for every shed.
How do I enter Shed of the Year?
Those aspiring to participate in the Cuprinol Shed of the Year 2024 competition can submit their entries onwww.readersheds.co.uk.
They must include at least six images of their shed, along with a description of the inspiration behind their design and what makes it stand out from the rest.
The categories for entry are:
- Most Colourful Shed (New for 2023)
- Simple but Effective (New for 2023)
- Budget
- Cabin or Summerhouse
- Nature’s Haven
- Pub or Entertainment
- Unexpected & Unique
- Workshop or Studio
