This eco-friendly ‘Shed of the Year’ looks good enough to live in

If you thought your shed was modern with its electric heater and snazzy IKEA workbench, think again.

The recently announced winner of the U.K.’s prestigious Shed of the Year contest has created an extraordinary space that you could pretty much live in. And there’s not a single spiderweb or rusty saw in sight.

Kevin Herbert’s winning design, which recently came out top in a nationally televised contest, took eight years to build using mostly recycled materials.

Inside you’ll find everything you’d expect to see in a regular apartment, including a comfy-looking sofa, television, and shelves full of books and DVDs. It has a garden on the roof, too, a feature that adds plenty to its green credentials.

The elaborate construction has three separate sections (hang on, it’s starting to sound a bit unshed-like) that include “a spacious loft” (loft?), a large workshop space (OK, that sounds more like it), and, according to Herbert, “a secret bookcase that reveals a hidden room for the kids to enjoy.” No, we don’t know how the contest judges defined “shed,” but clearly Herbert’s grander-than-usual design was not an issue.

In a blog post, the victorious shed builder described his creation as “a quirky getaway at the bottom of the garden,” at the same time lauding its “warm and cozy charm.”

There were nearly 3,000 entries vying for the Shed of the Year title, with Herbert’s years of hard work clearly paying off.

“We were up against some tough competition this year as the sheds were more eccentric and impressive than ever before,” Herbert said after being announced as the builder of Britain’s best shed.

If you’re impressed with what Herbert’s done with such a small space, be sure to check out this collection of equally remarkable designs showing compact living at its best.