Paula Inwood yearned for a room of her own in which to write. She found it in the form of a seldom-used concrete-block shed that had been around as long as her 1906 Berkeley, California, house.

Tough-to-get building permits for new construction in Berkeley dictated the reinvention of the 250-square-foot toolshed. It sits up a steep rise from the main house and backs up to a neighbor’s fenced yard. Not only was it in a damp corner of the yard, but it was set into a rising hillside. The almost flat roof made excess moisture a chronic problem. The shed was stripped to its studs and a watertight gabled roof was stitched to the existing framing.

A baseboard heater helps dry interior dampness. Windows on the fence side were eliminated, three windows along the front side were enlarged, and clerestory windows were added in the roof peaks. A sleeping loft for guests was tucked under the rafters at one end. The concrete floor was stained and left bare for easy cleaning, and the wood between ceiling rafters was stained turquoise to evoke the sky. The sewer line from the house was extended to accommodate a toilet, and a plumbing upgrade allowed a darkroom to be converted into a half bath.
 

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