Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Wacky Wednesday: 13 Tips for Creating a Playhouse Your Child Will Love!

Artist and builder Barbara Butler hand-designs eco-friendly, custom playhouses that even celebs like Robert Redford and Will Smith have ordered. Pulling from her arsenal of playhouses, treehouses, and forts, Barbara shared some of her favorite structures with us—and her secret tricks for creating a haven kids love.

By Madison Alcedo




Hillside Hamlet

Location: Hillsborough, CA
Barbara's tip: "If you have a hill in your backyard, try working with it instead of avoiding it. On this Hillside Hamlet, the slide mirrors the slope of the hill and provides much more interest."




Fort Santa Barbara

Location: Santa Barbara, CA
Barbara's tip: "I like to design 'loops of play' that keep kids running around. It also helps to avoid dead-ends in the design."




Colorful Castle

Location: Atherton, CA
Barbara's tip: "Add a variety of ways to get up and down from the upper levels. Keep the exits easy with a ramp, or add an innovative element like a rock climbing wall."




Fort Autumn Tree Perch Fort Autumn Tree Perch

Location: Shaker Heights, OH
Barbara's tip: "Redwood is my favorite building material for all of our tree forts. It's strong, stands up to the weather, and takes color beautifully."




Castleland

Location: Atherton, CA
Barbara's tip: "A roof not only provides protection from rain and sun, but it also defines the upper play space better. I've found that as kids get older, they want a place to hang out that is higher off the ground."




Escalade Tree Fort

Location: Woodside, CA
Barbara's tip: "Firepoles are great for a quick escape, and they don’t take up as much room as a slide. We used stainless steel pipe to make ours."




Napa Valley Twin Chalets

Location: Napa Valley, CA
Barbara's Tip: "This playhouse was built like a real house, complete with electricity, plumbing, and real glass windows and doors."
 




Bluebird Treehouse

Location: Larchmont, NY
Barbara's tip: "Including a zipline adds an extra element to a treehouse—and makes it even more exciting."




Fort Mediterranean

Location: Los Altos, CA
Barbara's tip: "Kids love playhouses with doors and shutters that they can open and close a million times. We use sturdy hinges and leave a half-inch gap around the openings so little ones' fingers don't get pinched."




Kids Rule Treehouse

Location: Los Gatos, CA
Barbara's tip: "When designing a treehouse, I prefer to not have the tree limbs go through the roof because it makes harder to waterproof. So when starting a project, I look for space for the roof first."




Tropical Treehouse

Location: Saratoga, FL
Barbara's tip: "The space under a big deck is great for hanging monkey bars."




Malibu Lighthouse

Location:  Malibu, CA
Barbara's tip: "Carving and staining the lumber adds an extra level of charm that appeals to kids and parents alike."




Bright Playhouse

Location: Menlo Park, CA
Barbara's Tip: "Bright colors always appeal to kids, plus they make the treehouse stand out brightly against foliage."






read more- http://www.countryliving.com/outdoor/playhouses#slide-13

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