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After two decades of happily working alongside her employer in the city, Belinda felt ready for a new challenge and the opportunity to put her passion for creating beautiful spaces into action.
Like many of us, she had seen the familiar saying about spending so much time working to pay for a home you barely get to enjoy. It sparked an idea: why not create the best of both worlds by bringing her work closer to home? With space available on her property, Belinda began imagining a small, purpose-built hair salon of her own.
As Belinda explored different kitset options, the SheShed Cabana immediately caught her eye. “When I started looking at kitset options, the SheShed stood out to me straight away because it complemented the style of my villa perfectly,” she says.
Belinda loved the character of the timber, the charming lattice-style windows and doors, and the pitched ceiling, which creates a wonderful sense of light and space. She also had the perfect location in mind: an underused area beside her home that was occupied by an old woodshed, an overgrown camellia, broken trellis and plenty of ivy. What had once felt like wasted space was prime real estate and an absolute sun trap. Even better, the location allowed Belinda to create a separate entrance for clients directly from the street, keeping the salon private and separate from her home.
With the help of her very handy family and friends, work soon began. A digger was brought in to remove the old tin shed and concrete pad, along with the overgrown plants and trellis. Belinda’s builder son then prepared the foundations, and the cabin came together quickly from there. Although he was a little unsure about the project at first, by the end of the build he admitted, “I really enjoyed building your little cabin, Mum.” Belinda loved being part of the process and helped wherever she could, digging trenches for plumbing and electrical services, painting, and, of course, keeping the refreshments flowing.
One of Belinda’s initial concerns was how the visible plumbing and electrical work might look inside a solid-timber cabin without wall cavities. She wanted the finished salon to feel chic, clean and minimalist. Fortunately, her tradespeople brought the vision together beautifully. “My electrician did such an amazing job with the wiring and conduit that you barely notice it’s there,” says Belinda.
The family also designed and built a generous custom veranda and deck. It has become a peaceful place for Belinda and her clients to relax between appointments. With the Cabana’s double doors open, the outdoor area feels like a natural extension of the salon and almost doubles the usable space.
The 3m x 4m Cabana needed to comfortably accommodate two styling chairs, including a large barber chair - a shampoo chair and basin, a client waiting chair, a colour-mixing and drink station, a reception desk, and product storage. Before committing, Belinda spent hours at home measuring, planning and marking out the proposed layout in chalk on her floorboards. “I was nervous about fitting everything in, but it’s perfect,” she says. “There isn’t a centimetre of wasted space.”
As soon as the cabin floor was completed, her family encouraged her to bring everything inside to see how it felt. Five people sat together in the space for a celebratory drink, and it didn’t feel crowded at all.
Creating a salon at home has transformed Belinda’s work-life balance. Between clients, she can quickly pop inside, put on a load of washing or run the vacuum around. She can also complete her weekly salon reset in the comfort of her weekend clothes, without having to travel back into town. “I absolutely love how light and bright it is,” Belinda says. “With both doors open, I don’t feel stuck inside. I can listen to the birds on my lovely quiet street instead of the traffic in town.”
Her clients love the change too. They appreciate the salon’s welcoming atmosphere, easy access and stress-free parking.
Belinda’s Cabana has turned a previously forgotten corner of her property into a beautiful and functional business space. More importantly, it has given her the freedom to work in a way that suits her life. Her story is a wonderful example of how a thoughtfully designed backyard cabin can create room for a new business, a better work-life balance and an exciting next chapter - just a few steps from home.
Could your unused backyard space become the beginning of something special?
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