“Shed” is a not a word that telegraphs a high sense of style. But today, designers and fashion-conscious builders are offering what they call studio sheds, or prefabricated one-room structures, that appeal to the architectural aesthete.
Many of these sheds are small enough that they allow homeowners to bypass local ordinances requiring permits for additional structures on their lots. Unlike “accessory dwelling units” that have bathrooms and kitchens, these stand-alone rooms are typically used as home offices, play rooms or...