Practicalities all too often are hidden away in the landscape because they are unattractive. Ordinary potting sheds, storage structures and even chicken coups are usually considered eyesores. But what if these buildings could improve the looks of your garden? If you think of these structures as an opportunity to create a focal point, you can transform the ugly into something wonderful. Here are some examples of creative ideas that you can use to inspire interesting designs in your own garden.

Here’s one example of how a potting shed can become the basis to a whole landscape design. This potting shed is a fully functional little house that will be the central design element in the overall garden picture. This is a cottage landscape design that will have window boxes overflowing with flowers, ornamental shutters, and colorful gardens. In the back is a double door that allows even a heavy wheelbarrow to enter the shed.

Chickens are becoming popular additions to landscapes in these days of self-sufficiency, but they don’t have to look like nailed boards and chicken wire bashed together to keep your chickens safe. Instead you can make the materials into statements in the garden. A small chicken coup can built like little chicken hotel. It can be small, attractive and even display character with a decorative coat of paint and a little added décor. Or you can really be creative as you can see in this Old West shed. You can even add a “Marshall’s Office” or “Country Store” sign.

Making a structure into a stylized design can underscore a theme garden, like a Japanese garden with a pagoda-like shed, or a building with a palm-thatched roof to appear tropical. Color can be added to create color schemesto repeat or contrast with flower colors. You can even sculpt a shed to blend into the landscape as a huge boulder with a hollow interior.

These are examples that can help you use your imagination when it comes to designing practical sheds, storage, work spaces, utility areas or chicken coups into your landscape. These structures don’t need to be eye-sores. Convert practical essentials into assets in your garden. Dress them up to make your landscape decorative and exciting.