Atherton Treehouse

Atherton Treehouse: The goal was to design a play structure that incorporated the trees, tucked into this corner of the yard, that wouldn't overwhelm but would be big enough for the many grandchildren that visit every year.

Barbara's "stickout" (above) and Artist's Sketch (below) shows the ultimate design the client's settled on: King Fort up front, bridge to the back, passing by the sapling, up to the Clubhouse perched on a tree deck 9' off the ground, with steps down to a Zip Line ride "take-off" platform.

Swinging Bridge leading up to the Tree Perch...

Great Zip Line Ride:

fun for grandchildren and grandfathers!

Robin Hoods Fort 1 Swing in classic colors

A few weeks ago we installed our classic Robin Hoods Fort with 3' long bridge over 1 swing. It fits beautifully into a small backyards. This installation is almost complete: Jeff will return the following day to remove the bracing (which keeps the bridge level while the concrete footings set overnight).







Barbara's Artist Sketch in the color palette chosen by the client is an exact match.









The Robin Hood's fort offers plenty of challenging play activities: hand-woven rope net ladder, turbo tube slide, rock climbing wall, firepole and swing underneath the bridge.












The outside colors are cool and natural while the inside colors "pop"! This fort has one of Barbara's favorite play accessories: drop leaf table (under the shuttered window) & drop seat.









To check out our many different Robin Hoods Forts click here.

Synopsis of Rugged Ruckus Big Fort

Here's a peek at one of Barbara's latest projects, from start to finish:

Barbara started with a design sketch that combined rustic tree stumps & limbs with rugged construction to create a rough & tumble outdoor play structure.

Early on in the process, Barbara & Jeff went on site to choose logs to be cut into stump steps and limbs to be used as "pickets" for the railings.

Next, Barbara & Jeff did their traditional "stick-out", making sure the structure would fit within the boundaries of the play area.

Once the final design was approved, construction started. The exterior was stained with a "natural wash" so that the structure would blend into the surroundings.

The interior, however, really POPS with Wild Orange walls, Russet floor, Parakeet doors and shutters with Parsley trims and Red Earth Drop Leaf Table & 2 drop seats. Oh, and the ceiling is Cape Cod Blue!

Barbara and Jeff spent lots of time checking out the play structure during the detailing process and, inspired by Rugged Ruckus, took time out to create a little ruckus themselves...






Meanwhile, out on the dock were lots of tree limbs and branches. Marco is lead on selecting,

cutting, grinding to shape and then...

attaching the sturdy branches to complete the railings.
Each opening is tested with the white "Safety Probe". If it goes through, then the opening is too large and too dangerous for young children.

It's like a jigsaw puzzle but Marco likes doing it and he's good at it! Almost done and proud of his work.

Install was scheduled to start in a week so the guys were hurrying to finish the Public Use Play Structure in Lafayette. Plus Jeff and Aubrey had to break away to deliver the Garden Potpourri playhouse to the Coyote Point Museum for auction that evening. We were stretched thin!

Once again, everything went great and we finished in time. The play structure is a huge success with parents and kids. We love the natural look and the fun log climb. Hope you do too:

Robin Hoods Fort with 2 swings

Barbara's "pre-designed" Robin Hood's Fort is popular for good reasons: lot's of play activities, choose how many swings (1, 2 or 3), add features like a roof, choose your style of railing (rope or wood), pick the configuration that works best for your yard (how about the rock wall on the front?) and choose your own colors!














The finished play structure looks exactly like the drawing Barbara does ahead of time.

Crooked Gap Clubhouse installation

Crooked Gap Clubhouse starts out in the design phase with Barbara's sketch:











During the initial design process, Barbara, Jeff & Marco spend a day doing a "stick-out" on site, using rough strips of wood to layout the shape of the Clubhouse on the hillside.
Then later, after building, staining & detailing the structure in our shop, we bring in the pieces to install. The deck goes in 1st, matching the original stick out to a "T".









On this site, the truck is parked below and every play structure piece, along with all tools and materials, are lugged up the hill!









The Gable roof is in 2 pieces, and like everything else, has to come up the hill, across the bridge









and then up into place.











The crew, happy but weary at the end of the day from a job well done.

Crooked Gap Clubhouse clings to side of the hill

Crooked Gap Clubhouse is custom designed to fit on the side of a very challenging hill. The entrance ramp let's kids walk across to the Clubhouse deck which is perched on the hillside.


















The Clubhouse is built in our shop in modular pieces then pre-assembled for detailing and fit.
Once stained, the Clubhouse walls are laid out in the sunshine to dry.










At night, all the parts are stacked inside the staining bay along the walls.









Here's a sneak peak at the final play structure, delivered and installed. A great place for the kids to play!

Cozy Cabin Playhouse finished

The Cozy Cabin is our smallest playhouse: perfectly sized for kids ages 1 to 5 years old. It will fit in a corner, on a deck, inside a play room or in the middle of a garden! Young children love to go inside, close the door, open the shutters, slide the "peek-a-boo", put mail in the mail slot, peek through the cut-outs and then invite you in. It is exactly right for their size.

While we are building the playhouse, Barbara works with the client on creating the color palette:











This beautiful color palette reflects the colors of the garden:


















Because this Cozy Cabin was installed on a slight slope, we secured it with 2 front footings, hidden by the extra skirting on the front.

No playhouse is complete without the sound of laughter coming from the adorable kids that really own it!