A Couple Spent $18,000 to Transform a Shed Into a Cozy Library

Ciesla wasn’t always a voracious reader. Instead, the Virginia local picked up the hobby after giving birth to her daughter.

“I was struggling with postpartum depression, and we don’t live around a lot of family,” she said. “The first book I read was ‘Verity’ by Colleen Hoover, and it kind of took over. Reading became something that I really love to do.”

Ciesla had been watching videos from @amystinylibrary on TikTok and realized she could follow in the creator’s footsteps to make her own library shed.

“I half jokingly asked my fiancé how many likes I would need on a TikTok to get my own,” she told Business Insider. “He played along and said 100,000. He would’ve got me one regardless.”

“I posted the video and it doubled the goal in less than 24 hours, so we just went for it,” she added.

The couple visited local businesses that sell Amish-built sheds and found one on clearance for $13,000. The 12-by-16-foot structure had a weatherproof door, weatherproof windows, and an electrical panel already installed.

By May 31, the shed had been delivered to their home, and renovations had begun.

Robinson’s best friend is an electrician with experience in construction, so he helped the couple through their renovation journey.

Here’s a breakdown of what they added to the structure and what each part cost:

Electricity (indoors and out): $250Insulation materials: $320Rented insulation blower: $250Shiplap for the walls and ceiling: $540Cooling and warming window unit: $500Floor panels: $393Trim: $50Caulk: $17

Robinson and his friend had never built bookshelves, Ciesla said, and the process was more difficult than they’d initially imagined.

They spent a full day constructing the shelves on the shed’s ground before securing them to the wall the next day.

“I think they did a great job,” she said, adding that the bookshelves cost $900.

Ciesla wanted the space to feel feminine, so she chose a vibrant pink color to paint the walls.

Paint supplies cost the couple $145.

Additional costs included a $140 chandelier and $1,875 worth of “fun stuff,” like furniture and decor.

“It was a little surprising at the end how much we paid,” she said. “We didn’t think the bookshelves would be that much. But everything else, we were pretty much expecting.”

The process was also relatively quick. Though it spanned three months, Robinson and his friend only worked on the space during two weekends and one extra day.

Renovations were complete by July 6.

She envisioned the space filled with vintage decor, florals, and gold accents, so she bought exactly that.

Inside Ciesla’s library, you’ll find decorative plants, framed photos, a fuzzy rug, and about 275 books.

“There’s lots of room to keep building my collection,” Ciesla said.

The $708 piece comes from Ashley Furniture, though Ciesla bought it from the online retailer Luna to save money.

“It is so comfortable,” she said of the cushioned seat. “It rocks, it swivels, it glides, and it reclines. It’s the perfect chair.”

Most recently, she added a coffee cart so she can make her favorite drinks without leaving the shed.

So far, it includes a rose-print tea set, a Keurig machine, and a minifridge — all in pink, of course.

Ciesla, a budding content creator, has gained over 32,000 TikTok followers who have watched her create this library. One of her most viral videos about the space has 5.9 million views.

Those viewers will be happy to know she plans to keep going. In the coming months, Ciesla hopes to add a porch, a decorated walkway outside, landscaping, and blinds.

In the meantime, though, she’s enjoying every second she gets to spend inside.

“As a mom and someone who has a loud brain that never really turns off, it’s so grounding to have a little escape from reality where I can do something I genuinely love,” Ciesla said.

“It’s honestly not just about the books,” she added. “It’s about having a space where I can reconnect with myself and breathe. Every person deserves to have a place like that.”