I want a "cute" chicken coop!

[BJ]

My DH is building me a new coop. He is designing as he goes... I told him I wanted it draft free, warm in the winter/cool in the summer, and safe from preditors. I also want it to look CUTE! He is using the old swing set to make an A-frame. It is about 75% finished....he is insulating it for warmth, sealing up drafts, and using strong wire netting to keep critters out....BUT it ISN'T cute!! Does anyone have any ideas on how to "finish" the outside (siding, etc) to help hide the many imperfections in wood cuts, etc?? My DH has a great heart, but he's not a carpenter! What can I do to "cute-en my coop"!?

 

[tiffanyh]

Paint can make it what it aint!!!

Think of adding trim line with paint, or a "chair rail" line with paint and that blue tape. Youd be suprised what painting the house and the fram will do for it. Get some ideas and go for it!

 

[Barnyard Dawg]

We painted ours the same color and with the same roof as our house to match.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

Painting, decorative painting, stenciling, wood trim, little signs, flower boxes, hanging baskets and garden statues can all make a coop much cuter. Little imperfections on a bare coop are a lot more noticeable. Also, you might be able to use a little container of wood putty to smooth out some of the worst offenders, before you paint.

 

[HenHaven]

Good suggestions. Lathe strips can cover a multitude of sins. It is lightweight, cheap, and easy to do-it-yourself, since DH has done his part. I nailed on some metal "art" on my coop here and there and used a few signs that I thought were cute. I even thought of decoupaging posters or large pics and then sealing them to weatherproof, but haven't done that yet.

I am a big believer in colored stains. They don't peel, but will give you a unifying color.

 

[BJ]

Thanks everyone! These are great ideas and I am feeling encouraged. I might even purchase a strip of picket fence and nail it up against the back part of the coop. My mom can help me paint mural scenery behind it (a flower garden, etc.). I am feeling SO MUCH better about getting my CUTE coop!! It might not be until next spring, but I'm gonna make sure it happens!

 

[HenHaven]

Before:

This is what I inherited when we moved here: raised flowerbeds with a chicken wire frame. The only thing attractive in this pic is the snow on the ground!

After: Not a lot to brag about here, but it does look a lot better:

 

[Sandrachx]

we inherited a roosting coop which was out of vinyl siding and some poles. my husband replaced vinyl with some of that outdoor paneling and used some scrap lumber to frame out some windows and a door. i painted it all bright yellow and painted the framing white; then we replaced the hinges with some bigger hinges and painted them bright red. i got a gift of a wire chicken silouhette for the garden - i thought it would look cute on the outside, so i found out where she purchased the gift and bought 3 more. they are painted red and screwed on the coop. looks cute and i will enjoy the sunshine during the middle of a MI winter!

 

[Kanchii]

Paint it, and maybe plant something that will grow along one of the walls that is pretty.

 

[Nugget]

Do a google image search on either Play houses or Garden sheds. You should get a ton of inspiration