TRADITIONALLY a bolt-hole for harrassed husbands or a refuge for the eccentric, the humble garden shed is usually nothing more than a dusty store room at the bottom of the garden.

Spider-filled corners, old tins of paint and rusty lawnmowers mean that most of us will only venture in if we need to find something amongst the junk, but could your shed be the hidden gem of your home?

If you need more space but can't be bothered with the hassle of expense or extending your house, then putting your shed to good use could be a solution. It's versatile, close to home and, in most cases, needs no planning permission so the only limit will be your imagination.

For people who regularly work from home, turning the shed into an office could be a great way of freeing up some space in the house.

Many people who work from home complain that it's easy to get distracted, either by visitors, children or an irresistible urge to clean under the fridge. So having a work space away from the house in the shed, for example can be a great way of avoiding the rush-hour commute while being slightly removed from home life and all the accompanying distractions.

For a very basic work space, a lick of paint, some lighting (so you can see what you're doing) and a desk is probably all you will need to get you on your way.

Take care not to leave any expensive equipment in the shed when you're not in there, but in these days of lap-tops and mobile phones, most things can be picked up and stored in the house when you've finished.

For something a bit more-luxurious, some companies supply purpose-built, prefabricated home offices to put in the garden.

The obvious benefits of this are that security is built in along with insulation and power points to make it a fully functioning office space.

If you want a bit of peace and quiet but don't fancy sitting in the shed yourself, why not turn it into a playhouse for the children?

Get them involved in painting it in bright colours and let them furnish it themselves with old furniture, crockery and curtains.

It's a good idea to make sure it's clean and bright inside as they probably won't want to use it if there's a danger of creepy-crawlies lurking in the corners.

The versatile nature of garden sheds mean that some people have thought up some seriously unusual uses for them.

Sheds which house jacuzzis, saunas and shrines to football clubs or film stars are hidden in back gardens all over the country.

Sheds with bars are particularly popular, with one shed in Scotland playing host to a fully functioning pub with a beer garden and dance floor.

There's even a shed that has been designed in the shape of Dr Who's Tardis.