When you're thinking about adding a garden shed to your property, it can be difficult to know where to start, including selecting a style that suits your purpose. Building styles and levels of complexity abound. So it helps to be clear about your purpose for adding the structure. Will you be storing tools, potting or growing plants, creating a space to reflect or socialize, or all of the above? What about the surrounding landscape - is there a garden or existing architectural style you want to match or harmonize with? Answering these questions can help you focus on what your final structure needs to accomplish.

If you gravitate to the notions of simplicity, tranquility and natural materials, one very versatile style to consider is that of a Japanese garden shed. Whether simple or ornate, Japanese architectural style often exemplifies the idea of creating harmony through thoughtful use of space, line and proportion. In the case of a garden shed, perhaps this could mean taking special advantage of the view from inside the structure or incorporating doors and windows that you can open to welcome the outside in.

Because architects of other styles such as Craftsman and Arts and Crafts have borrowed and improvised on these elements to achieve similar aims, a Japanese-influenced garden shed can be a versatile and compatible complement to many architectural styles.

To achieve an exterior Japanese garden shed feel, some classic elements to consider include a tiled overhanging roof and large translucent-paned windows and doors traditionally known as Shoji. Though Shoji are traditionally paper panels in a wooden frame, you can place such panels behind glass sliding doors and windows to achieve a more durable exterior. A bench outside the door for taking off your shoes will complete the look.

In terms of interior, even small spaces can achieve multiple purposes. In the tradition of Japanese tea houses, which celebrate aesthetic as well as intellectual engagement, you may want your garden shed to be a place of reflection and beauty as well as practicality. Consider borrowing elements from your lawn to echo inside, such as water, rocks, gravel or plants. Create storage space by hanging tools on a wall and storing items on a bank of shelves so you can use the remaining space for potting, reflection or social gathering.

By thinking about your shed through the filter of Japanese architectural sensibility, you'll be well on your way to creating a space that is rich with style and purpose.