About a year ago I produced a few reports on the explosion of 'man caves' - those converted rec rooms, basements and, in some cases, separate out-buildings decked out with all the creature comforts that men crave.

So in the spirit of equality, we're going to spend a couple of accompanying segments on the female equivalent of the man cave: the she shed. These spaces have become all the rage, so let's figure out how to outfit one of these functional and often beautifully decorated out-buildings just for you!

Sara Yang at House Beautiful  showcased a number of them in a recent blog, including a very feminine unit in a relatively tiny 8x12 foot outbuilding painted white inside and out, with glazed French Doors, delicate white cotton curtains, a matching wicker chaise and spindly white metal furnishings accented with a couple of patterned throws and a floral print on the wall.

She shows another, more ambitious she-shed interior outfitted like a '50s malt shop with a bright red and white wrap-around booth, a pink antique pay phone, mini bar, fridge and popcorn machine.

Nicole Jewell at inhabitat.com mentions that Writer Barbara Techel loves the premise behind the shed idea, but prefers to call hers a “Zen Writing Cottage.” She also encourages women to put their own personal sense of style into the decor of their sheds to really make the space a personal retreat.

Techel says that her cottage, which she built with the help of her husband eight years ago, is full of her own special touches. She decided to hang three different whimsical cardboard cutout fairies from the ceiling in front of three of the cottage's long windows that slowly spin catching her eye now and then as she relaxes to the meditative stream of water from a tiny tabletop fountain.

In our next post we will further explore the inner workings of the she shed, so stay tuned!