Shed of The Year 2021: Danielle Zarb-Cousins’ 70s-inspired Crème de Menthe bar crowned champion

Lockdown and a Love Island break up helped the Essex social media influencer take the Shed of the Year crown
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Ali Masud6 August 2021

Social media influencer Danielle Zarb-Cousin has won this year’s annual Cuprinol Shed of The Year after splitting from her Love Island fiancé right before lockdown.

Furthermore, she achieved it against more than 331 entrants — the most in the competition’s 15-year history.

The entries were whittled down to a shortlist for seven categories: Budget, Cabin/Summerhouse, Pub & Entertainment, Unexpected / Unique, Workshop/Studio, Nature’s Haven and Lockdown.

A public vote decided each category winner, with a panel of judges crowning the overall winner.

Shed of the year winners 2021

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Overall winner and pub & entertainment category winner Danielle Zarb-Cousin scooped the £1,000 prize, plus a plaque and £100 worth of Cuprinol products.

She split from her fiancé — Love Island’s Jonny Mitchell — and moved back in with her parents when lockdown began.

The 29-year-old revealed how she used the break up as a motivating tool to revamp an old shed in her parent’s garden that was due to be knocked down.

She said: “Moving back in with my parents for lockdown was not ideal and I needed my own space, so it was a place I could go and write and not be disturbed.”

“It was a little sanctuary for me and it’s something I’m really proud of. The shed really represents that time in my life.”

The winning entry by Danielle Zarb-Cousin
James Linsell-Clark/

Zarb-Cousin repainted the old brown shed in orange and mint, collecting retro decorations, furnishings and vinyl records from charity and vintage shops.

She hopes her win inspires young people to challenge ‘throwaway’ culture.

“I really hope it encourages young people to get a bit more creative and stop replacing things with brand new things,” she said.

Summerhouse category winner Joanna van Bloomstein
James Linsell-Clark/ SWNS

In the other individual categories, Joanna van Bloomstein won the Cabin/Summerhouse prize for creating a bra-fitting boutique in her garden.

The Kent businesswoman set up The Bra Boss of Kent to provide a relaxing and supportive space for women to get fitted and choose their perfect bra.

Many of her customers are women who have had breast cancer, as well as women whose bodies have changed after having a baby or losing weight.

She spent four months transforming a summerhouse that once housed guinea pigs into a suitable space. She said: ”I was totally thrilled when I found out I had won. It was such a wonderful bit of news to receive after such a tough year.”

Lockdown category winner Mark Campbell
Tom Maddick SWNS

In the Lockdown category, Mark Campbell from Derbyshire created a two-storey fairytale castle for his granddaughter Sienna.

The project took three-and-a-half months for Mark, 60, to finish but it was worth it.

He said of his granddaughter’s reaction: “She was absolutely amazed. She went very quiet which was quite rare. She had a look around, went upstairs — and that was that — we couldn’t get her out.”

Unexpected category winner John Bungy Williams
Tom Wren SWNS

The Unexpected/Unique category was won by Civil engineer John ‘Bungy’ Williams from Devon who, along with son Kane, 23, and daughter Gabby, 19, built a hidden pop-up pub in his garden.

‘Bungy’s Backyard Bar’ is not so hidden now, and has become a social hub for John’s friends and family.

He said: “The shed means a lot to me, I love nothing more than propping up the bar enjoying a beer or two with friends.”

Nature’s Haven award winner Rosie Hoult
Tom Maddick SWNS

Shropshire couple David and Rosie Hoult won the Nature’s Haven award for creating a bird-watching retreat they dubbed The Hideaway.

The keen twitchers from Shrewsbury constructed a Moroccan themed shed from cast-offs bit of wood.

Rosie says: “We were fortunate to have been given a significant number of scaffold boards, framing timber and glazed units destined for a building site skip.”

Ally Scott’s winning studio The Peculiar Pear
Tom Wren SWNS

For Hampshire artist Ally Scott winning the Workshop/Studio category has extra significance.

Her mum had died in 2016 and she decided to take the plunge and become self-employed at around the same time. A bog-standard shed and a mouldy gazebo was transformed into her own studio space.

She said: “The shed changed my life. It sounds really cheesy but it did. I spoke to my friend and she said my mum would have 100 per cent said ‘yes, Ally, buy the shed, start your own business and paint stuff’.”

Les Rowe, winner of the Budget category
Tom Maddick SWNS

The keenly contested Budget category was won by Merseyside artist Les Rowe, who constructed a seven-sided garden retreat, christened Tranquility Base.

It features stained glass windows from a synagogue in Cardiff and a centre star on the floor made from pitch pine reclaimed from St James’ Church in his home town of New Brighton on The Wirral.

The shed, located in the centre of the garden near a large pond, is a space of tranquillity for Les and his wife Dot.

Les, 67, said: “My wife and I never used to spend much time in the garden relaxing but now we have the shed, we use it as a place to unwind and reflect.

“I’m not at all religious but I love the atmosphere created in religious buildings and have tried to create some of that in the shed.”

Head judge and founder of the competition Andrew Wilcox said: “We have been blown away by the creativity, passion and dedication on display from sheddies across the country. The amount of care and attention people have devoted to their sheds this year is inspiring.

“As we emerge from the pandemic and lockdown restrictions, gardens are places where friends and family can gather and reunite, so it’s wonderful to see sheds play a key role in this.”

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