A Dedicated Space

PORTLAND — When Kristen used to work from her home’s spare bedroom turned home office, she found herself wasting a lot of time.

“I would think, ‘I should be working. I should be writing this article,’” recalls Kristen, a freelance automotive writer and book editor. “Instead, I’d putter around and read and go downstairs and then realize I hadn’t gotten any work done.”

Kristen began doing Internet research on how to have a separate work space — the idea seemed to be gaining traction, as more people gravitate toward having a home office separate from their home, she said.

In most of the articles she read, Modern-Shed kept popping up.

“I went to Modern-Shed’s website and downloaded the catalog and kept going back to it,” Kristen said. “By the end of February of this year, I made the decision to call.”

Kristen hasn’t looked back since — she purchased a 10’ by 12’ shed, which she personalized with green panels indoors (inspired by the leaves of a wild iris she saw on a hike) and inspirational quotes.

“It’s made a difference already,” said Kristen. “I just needed that mental break. My Modern-Shed is still in the backyard, so I can see my house from here. But it makes a difference to have to go out the back door, cross the yard and go into a separate space.”

Now, when Kristen’s at home, in her 100-year-old house, she spends time with her husband, three cats and her dog.

And when’s she’s at her Modern-Shed writer’s studio, she’s writing.

“When I’m out here, there’s really nothing else to do,” said Kristen, whose dog curls up with her in the studio. “It’s really become such a dedicated space already. When I know I’m going to work, I stay out here. If I know I’m not going to work, I stay inside.”

Kristen painted her Modern-Shed writer’s studio brown with gray trim, inspired by a wild iris she saw on a hike.

Kristen decorated her Modern-Shed with inspirational quotes and a sturdy hardwood desk.

Kristen painted some panels of her walls bright green, mimicking the green of an iris’ leaves.

Kristen keeps organized with whiteboards and markers.

Kristen used to work from her spare bedroom turned home office. Now, she has a separate space to write.