A couple transformed a simple shed into a cozy library. The ‘escape from reality’ cost more than $18,000.

Jess Ciesla, 29, is a stay-at-home mom and an avid reader.

For a long time, she’d spend her mornings reading in her bedroom before her daughter woke up.

The routine was fine, but could have been better. Ciesla wanted a devoted reading space where she could curl up with a book and escape reality — even if only for an hour each day.

So, Ciesla, her fiancé TJ Robinson, and a friend renovated a shed in their backyard into a cozy library.

Now, the pink oasis is a dream for readers everywhere.

Jess Ciesla discovered her love for reading in 2022.

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.”

She quickly ran out of space to store her growing book collection. Then, inspiration struck.

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.

Ciesla and her fiancé had no building experience, so they purchased a premade shed in early May.

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.

The shed needed insulation and electricity, among other things.

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

Building bookshelves proved to be the most difficult part of the renovations.

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.

Eventually, it was time to paint.

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

Paint supplies cost the couple $145.

Ciesla and her fiancé didn’t set a budget for this project. They spent about $18,380.

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.

Once it was time to decorate, Ciesla knew she wanted her library to feel cozy and feminine.

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

She complemented the space’s pink walls and glass chandelier with rose vines, floral curtains, and more.

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.

When people see the space, they immediately want to know where Ciesla got her chair.

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.”

The project was technically finished on July 15, but Ciesla is still adding final touches.

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 describes her library as an “escape from reality.”

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.”

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