The nations 17th annual Shed of the Year winner, hosted by Cuprinol, has been announced as 'The Frankenshed', a shed which was "brought back to life"
Archie Proudfoot renovated shed, 'The Frankenshed' was named as Cuprinol's 2023 Shed of the Year, as well as winning the new 'Colourful’ category(Image credit: Curpinol)
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 the best plastic shed then 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.
Get the Homebuilding & Renovating Newsletter
Bring your dream home to life with expert advice, how to guides and design inspiration. Sign up for our newsletter and get two free tickets to a Homebuilding & Renovating Show near you.
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 to solar panels for sheds being 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.
The 'Frankenshed' was renovated using recycled timber, old fence posts, and some paint (Image credit: Cuprinol)
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.”
The murals inside the shed were described by judges as an "expression of his (Archie's) individuality, skill, and love of colour" (Image credit: Curpinol)
Marianne Shillingford, Creative Director and Colour Expert at Cuprinol, 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.”
Archie will take home Cuprinol Shed of the Year’s biggest prize yet, including £1,000 in cash and £250 worth of Cuprinol products.
Other previous winners include...
Last year's competition winner was Kelly who won the 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 need planning 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.
Image 1 of 5
Last year's winner was this shed built from unwanted items(Image credit: Curpinol)
Cuprinol applauded her use of second hand materials for the build(Image credit: Curpinol)
"The Potting Shed" lives up to its name with a range of potted plants lying inside(Image credit: Cuprinol)
The 2022 winner showcases its modest features inside(Image credit: Cuprinol)
"The Potting Shed" also includes a toilet and separate side table(Image credit: Curpinol)
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 on www.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:
Image 1 of 7
"The Temple of Vaccina" provides a classic example for what Curpinol are looking at for this year's competition entries(Image credit: Cuprinol)
"The Hangar Hangout" was among a number of 2022 entries to Cuprinol's annual competition(Image credit: Cuprinol)
"Fairy Garden" was amongst last year's entries and shows an example of what kind of shed you can enter for 2023's Shed of the Year(Image credit: Curpinol)
One of last year's entries called "The Apothecary" showcases another example of the type of shed used to apply for Shed of the Year (Image credit: Cuprinol)
"The Boat House" gives further inspiration for ideas for those looking to apply for the Shed of the Year 2023(Image credit: Cuprinol)
"Jane's Folly" missed out on the Overall winner's prize last year(Image credit: Cuprinol)
There are eight categories for this year's Shed of the Year, whereas only six previously(Image credit: Cuprinol)
News Editor Joseph has previously written for Today’s Media and Chambers & Partners, focusing on news for conveyancers and industry professionals. Joseph has just started his own self build project, building his own home on his family’s farm with planning permission for a timber frame, three-bedroom house in a one-acre field. The foundation work has already begun and he hopes to have the home built in the next year. Prior to this he renovated his family's home as well as doing several DIY projects, including installing a shower, building sheds, and livestock fences and shelters for the farm’s animals. Outside of homebuilding, Joseph loves rugby and has written for Rugby World, the world’s largest rugby magazine.
