The aptly-named Mushroom House (aka Mushroom Shed), designed by Ben Swanborough, has been declared the winner of the 2017 Cuprinol Shed of the Year competition. The quirky cabin has an impressive level of craftsmanship and includes lots of nice little touches, such as stained-glass windows, a trapdoor, and a small glazed floor section.
Swanborough was handed £500 (roughly US$670) by his 12 year-old daughter and asked to build a small cabin in the shape of a mushroom. From these humble beginnings, the project went on to beat strong competition in this year's Shed of the Year competition, including an underground bunker, trailer-based police station, and a miniature fire station, to grab one of the most interesting prizes in British architecture.
"When we started the project we never could have dreamed we'd be here now," says the sheddie. "We've already made so many lovely memories in our shed, and now have so many more from the competition. There were so many innovative and amazing sheds in the running, and we're absolutely thrilled to have been crowned Shed of the Year 2017."
The Mushroom House is located in a back garden in Surrey, England. It comprises two parts: a ground floor "stem" and an upper floor "cap." The former includes a small vintage desk area and seating, with steps and a trapdoor leading upstairs (the upper floor can also be reached directly by stairs outside).
The upper floor looks quite spacious and is furnished with some vintage ornaments. In addition to the stained glass windows, it also includes a small glass floor section that offers views of a stream below and a skylight to encourage stargazing. A small hammock chair is suspended outside.
Following the win, Swanborough has been awarded £1,000 ($1,355) in prize money from competition sponsors Cuprinol (a garden supplies firm), in addition to £100 ($135) of Cuprinol products, a winner's plaque and, erm, a giant crown to place atop his shed.
Source: Shed Blog
