Archive for July, 2010

Fun Article from the USA

By Lori Fralic, Vancouver Sun; Postmedia News July 24, 2010

Playhouses have come a long way. If ever there was an iconic symbol of the carefree childhood days of summer, it’s the backyard playhouse. It’s the one space where the little ones can go that grown-ups can’t — or shouldn’t, unless they’re invited.

And while I remember my own playhouse with fondness — it was a collection of old boards nailed to a fir tree — it wasn’t until I saw my three-year-old sitting inside the old cedar playhouse in his Nana’s yard that I realized the summer landscape plans had changed.

With excitement in his voice, Jack called me over to the little Dutch door and promptly told me I could stand on the porch, but couldn’t come in because I was too big.

After running through the various features of the little abode, he pointed out the odd cobweb, and then, smiling contentedly, kicked back in a miniature Adirondack chair.

And so it began: the search for my son’s first home.

Turns out, the playhouse has come a long way from the days of The Little Rascals’ rundown clubhouse. These days, no matter what your architectural preference, you can build or buy plans and kits for playhouses that range from traditional cedar structures to more ornate versions that can be whimsical, modern or even mini-mansions.

Playhouse kits can be found online and at big-box stores and lumber yards, with prices ranging from less than $1,000, to bank-breaking custom builds that can set you back more than $100,000.

Coombs charm

Mike Tilkin of The Playhouse Factory handcrafts charming little cedar cottages for children out of his workshop in Coombs on Vancouver Island.

Tilkin says his most popular model is the 1.83-metre by 2.44-metre Little Cedar Cottage, which features a front porch, dormers, working shutters, scalloped fascia, flower boxes and a Dutch door.

You can select from more than 20 different playhouse styles or bring your own ideas to Tilkin, and he’ll work with you to create a space your kids will love. All cottage exteriors are painted with two Behr colours of your choice, and interiors are white. Shipped as complete kits with all the necessary hardware, they range from $799 to $2,600.

If doing it yourself is more your style, you can order a set of blueprints from The Playhouse Factory for $15. Full information and order details can be found at playhousekits. com.

Playhouses to potting sheds

Cedarshed in Langley, south of Vancouver, offers an impressive selection of traditional cedar playhouses. Co-owner Bruce Cheng says more and more of his customers are opting for larger-sized models that can be converted

– say, to potting sheds — once the kids have outgrown their backyard play places.

If you opt for the larger adult-sized cabana, the folks at Cedarshed will help homeowners retrofit the structure with an interior loft, lower windows and a half door, making it a cosier space for little ones.

Of the playhouses on off er, the Children’s Delight is the roomiest, with a six-by-nine-foot space. It starts at $1,700. They also offer a smaller 1.83-metre by 1.83-metre model that can be easily deconstructed, making it ideal for reuse. This model starts at $999.

All the playhouses are shipped as assemble-ready panels and use standard-sized walls, making them easy to customize with additional doors, windows (non-functional or functional), al), shutters, window boxes, porches and more.

The company also has a precut kit that’s easier on the pocketbook — it starts at $599 — but it requires a little.

Go to cedarshed. com for more information.

Something out of Dr. Seuss

For the ultimate in backyard whimsy, you’ll want to check out Kids Crooked Houses, which look like something out of Dr. Seuss storybooks, with crooked roofs, windows, doors and mouldings. About the only thing level is the cedar floor.

Mom Lisa Watson says her three-year-old son, Jon Robbie, can’t stay away from his new Blueberry Crooked House in their backyard. back-

“I wanted him to enjoy the same fun I experienced in my own playhouse as a child,” says Watson. “Watching him in it for the first time brought a tear to my eye.”

Jon Robbie now takes great pleasure in telling his mom: “I’m going to my house now and if you want to come in you can, but you have to knock.”

The new pad is even a hit with young ladies: Jon Robbie’s little neighbourhood girlfriend welcomes any opportunity to play inside.

“If your child can imagine it, we can build it,” says Brian Wooding, who co-owns Kids Crooked House Canada with his brother-in-law Ted Glover. That means everything from kids’ “garden shops” and wagon houses to surf shacks and tree houses.

Their most popular playhouse is the Deluxe Model, which has a 1.22 -metre by 2.44-metre base and is shipped as seven panels with screws in place ready to assemble. Your little ones can choose from a variety of kid-friendly colours, or you can opt to have it unpainted and put your own finishing touches on it.

All playhouses are built in Ontario, are green-friendly and start at $1,450.

Check out canada. canada.kidscrookedhouse.comfor more inspiration and order details.

For the modern set

If mid-century modern is more your style, then the KIDDO cabana might be right up your alley. This ultrahip hideaway from San Francisco’s family-owned Modern Cabana features a translucent roof, a Dutch door, chalk-paint interior walls, a folding table, and a paper roll art station. The KIDDO is 1.22 metres by 1.52 metres, green-friendly and sells for $1,500 US.

Modern Cabana’s Casper Mork-Ulnes says some of his customers have even put “living roofs” on the KIDDO, adding an extra element of fun for the kids. Customizable upgrades are available and they ship to Canada. For more information, visit modern-cabana. com.

Junior luxury homes

If the sky’s the limit where junior is concerned, then the pint-sized dream homes available through Virginia-based PoshTots may fit the bill.

Featuring both kits and custom-built luxury homes for little people, this online boutique offers everything from a grand Victorian complete with a turret, bay window and scrollwork detail to a pirate ship with upper and lower decks, private pirate’s quarters with leatherette benches and cannon peepholes.

Others come with faux fireplaces, hardwood floors, built-in kitchens, window covering and optional utilities, including wireless.

Designed by architects and artisans, these posh pieds-a-terre start at $2,449 US and can top out at a whopping $122,000. PoshTots ships to Canada and you can check out their luxury lineup at poshtots. com.

Before you build, be sure to get their imaginations in gear and enjoying the outdoors.

And when it’s done and ready for occupancy, check your city’s building codes and restrictions; you may need a permit.

Whether you decide to build your own structure from scratch (or scraps), build a ready-made kit or have something custom-designed, there is no better time than summer to let the kids enjoy while mom and dad sit back and admire all that added square footage.

Read more: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/entertainment/Dream+homes+kids/3317262/story.html#ixzz0umX8Xfpr

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