Andys Woodwork Workshop

Step inside Andy’s workshop…

I recently had the absolute pleasure of meeting Andy who showed me around his beautiful woodwork workshop.

Andy was a nurse for most of his life. It was tough, gruelling and rewarding. He shared that he had the opportunity to retire early and when he took that opportunity he had to discover a new way of life for himself. And so he discovered woodworking.

Starting off in his home, he worked on developing his skills and passion and as that passion grew, so did his tools and his creations. The more it started to take up space – the more his wife wanted the space back. You know how it goes 🙂

So he had to create his own space – and a shed felt like the right kind of solution for him. His own workshop.

Andy began the process of looking around for the right shed – he had a dream of exactly what this shed should look like. He began visiting local shed companies across Fife and Edinburgh. They were ok, he said, but nothing really stood out to him. Nothing matched what it was he was dreaming about. Until one day, his Dad mentioned Gillies & Mackay.

So Andy listened and took the 40-minute journey to our Show Area…

“Straight away I knew this was it. This was the right shed for me. The quality, the construction –  exactly what I was looking for.”

He fell in love with what this space could become for him and without hesitation ordered his 16′ x 10′ Apex Shed Workshop.

Andy spent time kitting out his space – lining and insulating his shed so he could use it all year round, adding in frost beaters (which he highly recommends) and a small heater. He organised and hung up all his woodwork tools and centred his crafting bench.

“I spend all my time in here – it’s so comfortable. Cool in the summer and cozy in the winter – I’m never out of here. It’s my pride and joy. I love coming in here and spending time with my granddaughter. She loves it. It’s just us two. Recently we’ve been crafting this board game out of wood that we all love – I’m just about to add some paint to it”

Andy started talking about his pride in the quality of the shed.

“There’s nothing like it. I’ve never had any issues with moisture. I look after it. I’ve recently gave it its second coat of paint after 4 years and it’s good as new. I need to paint the gable end more often as that’s what gets the wind and rain the most. It’s holding all my tools in place and I can move things around easily if I need to. I could do with a bigger one!”

Andy showed me some of the work he has crafted. His own garden chairs and table, a little woodpecker ornament that slowly bobs down a shaft that his granddaughter would fall asleep to and the lamps he is currently working on. We bonded over what it means to be in a creative flow and he shared that the space does exactly that for him. He can shut the door, move into his creative world and not worry about the mess or his things. He can leave it and pick it up the next day.

“Grumpy’s Shed” is the name of his workshop. We had a little giggle together and he shared that the name was a wee gift from his daughter.

“I recommend Gillies & Mackay to anyone that I can. I had a guy passing by who actually came to my door asking to see my shed because that’s exactly what he was looking for and he loved it. I’ve even got my son interested in one – he’s got to save up a bit first!”

Andy is living the ShedLife. He has a dedicated space where he can spend all day in his creative craft and a place where he can make memories with his family. The whole time I was speaking with Andy I was aware of the sheer joy of what he’s created there. It’s truly a space where he can spend his time all year getting lost in his passion.

And this is the thing about sheds – they have many possibilities. They’re much more than just a storage space. Sheds can be places to live a life, places for peace and introspection, places for creative flow, and places to live out a dream.

The possibilities of a great shed are endless.

Here’s to Grumpy’s Shed 🍻