Little Houses & The RTMC Playhouse Project

There's something about kids' playhouses that I'm crazy about. I used to looooooove my treehouse when I was a little girl & I spent hours up there making it perfect.  Today in our own backyard play"shed," I love seeing my boys (4 and 2) so entertained & excited.



I've been in touch with a local housing nonprofit organization, Rebuilding Together Montgomery County, for the past year or so about an amazing fundraising event  taking place this May.  RTMC is auctioning off 8 one-of-a-kind playhouses & the money raised will go towards the organization, which provides free home repairs to low-income homeowners in Montgomery County.  They focus on helping those with disabilities, making homes safer for seniors (fall prevention) and they place a huge emphasis on serving our veterans.  RTMC strives to help others maintain homeownership and helps keep its families warm, safe and independent.  They've recruited 8 builders/remodelers to construct playhouses in a variety of themes to be auctioned off (& display through the month of May in Bethesda)  on May 31st.  


There are photos of the 8 houses being auctioned online (you can even bid online) but they're exterior photos of the houses sitting on their display sites in Bethesda, so I thought it would be fun to take a look at a bunch of other playhouses that are installed in permanent spots & also check out some interiors.  Above, I love the cedar house & its wavy roofline.  It's nestled under a willow tree, which is perfection!!

This Victorian cottage below is adorable.  I wouldn't want a pink house in my backyard (I've got boys) but I just love how the roses are growing up the cottage and the curvy garden path that leads to it:

{image via pinterest}

OK, this next one is Heaven...

A rooftop deack?!!!  loooove!!
{image via pinterest}

And I kind of want this one (below) to be my real house:

modern-shed.com  (I think this one might be for grown-ups but I had to include it because I'm so in love with it.)

Even the interiors of kids' playhouses can be amazing... 


How cute is this?!:


And seriously???.....



Ok, these might be better than most kitchens!!



Here's a shed version where the family converted a standard shed into a playhouse like we did... 

{I'm actually not sure if this is for kids or for a very girly gardener...  The boots look kind of big.  So cute though.}

And the next playhouse has 2 floors.  Here's the kitchen on the first floor:



And here's the upstairs little loft!!!:


Would love to nap there!!!

And finally, here's a look at our playhouse (shed).  From the outside it looks like a normal shed:

{can you please imagine it with lots of pretty landscaping around it?? we're still in the middle of that ;)

But inside, it's the "fun" shed:


I covered the floors with an outdoor area rug from overstock.com and we've filled it with our nature finds & old bottles & "kitchen goods" (ie empty cans ;)



We made the botanical prints above out of plants in our yard, which we photocopied & labeled. 

The boys feed me when I hang out in there on the bench... It's usuallya meal of olive oil and leaves...



Here's where I've been flopping lately:


My boys are actually pretty calm when they play in the playhouse (a big change for them) and they'll even cuddle with me and we look up at the ceiling at our globe & sing songs...


Lately we've been pretending the playhouse is a pirate ship.  We were out there during a rain storm last week & it was perfect. 

...Anyway, our playshed is one of my favorite things we've done at our house & we actually spend a good amount quality family time playing there.  (It also converts into a bar during adult parties where we stack the kitchen shelves with beverages & load it up with coolers ;) ;) I can't recommend doing one of these enough if you can.

And finally, here's a look at a few of the sheds that are being auctioned off....  (in case you've got the perfect spot for one!! ;)

The epitome of the "playhouse"-

{I love this one and the window baskets are so sweet!!  The door is beautiful.}

And check out the General Store:

{This one is actually being donated to Walter ReedNational Military Medical Center & you can help.}

A bunch of them are incredible & very themed:

{I can imagine clematis growing up this one}

My boys would FLIP over this Lighthouse:


...Anyway, to view all 8 of the playhouses up for auction, click here.

The event is for such a good cause & there are so many ways you can help, even if you're not local: 

* Check out their website at www.rebuilding-hope.org<http://www.rebuilding-hope.org> and pass it on to your friends and family, especially if you're local.  (Don't forget about your schools, congregations, neighborhood parks, and civic groups - anyone can bid on a playhouse!)

*Twitter about it!  Every little bit helps!

* Shop at Bloomingdales in Chevy Chase on May 12th...  They are hosting an in-store campaign, where Rebuilding Together will receive 10% of your purchase total as a donation from Bloomingdales if you request a duplicate receipt and drop it in the Playhouse Collection Box. (This is a pretty easy one if you're local!! :)

* Purchase a raffle ticket for a chance at a gift basket valued at over $5000 and still climbing! Tickets are $10 or 3/$25, and you can place your order online and RTMC will mail you ticket stubs. The drawing will be held the night of the event, and you need not be present to win. For a complete listing of the items included in the basket, check out the website.

* You can make an online dontaion.  Again, every little bit helps! Rebuilding Together has designated one of the playhouses (The General Store I showed you) as a community fundraiser. Their goal is to raise $15,000, at which point, they will give the house to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for their playground. DONATE HERE

* Join them on May 31st for the Live Auction & Reception in the plaza at The Shops at Wisconsin Place. All details can be found online, but tickets are $75, and it includes music, open bar with beer/wine, heavy appetizers and desserts, the raffle drawing, and of course, the playhouse auction!

Again, here's a link to the website & if you have some time, please try to pass it on: RTMC PLAYHOUSE PROJECT

Good luck to the playhouse project!!

xoxo, Lauren
If you'd like help creating a home you absolutely love, contact me about our design services.

25 comments:

michelle said...

Those are amazing!!! I love how you used a shed. My {almost} 5 year old twin boys would LOVE that!

Cailan said...

I have great memories of a little playhouse out at my grandparents. Love your converted shed house - so sweet and so you ; ). Going to have to give this idea some serious thought before too much more time passes!

................. said...

Oh how I would love a playhouse...and I dont even have kids. These are amazing, especially the 2 story one with a little loft upstairs. I have always loved your shed. Thay rug looks amazing. Xo

Acquired Objects said...

What a great cause and playhouses to bid on to boot, love it. I love how you've turned a shed into a playhouse. I'd want a playhouse but I almost have the husband talked into an outdoor room...playhouse of sorts.

XX
Debra~

pve design said...

I seriously think that every Interior designer has deep seated love for playing home be it in a cottage, castle or shed.
Love these and hope you are feeling fine. I suspect you are getting anxious for the baby...and nesting!
pve

Ann said...

I think I said "Awww" after every photo!

Ann said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Ann said...

Oh and let's not forget Queen Elizabeth's playhouse :) http://thesewallsofwhite.blogspot.com/2012/01/unpainted-inspiration-petite-palace.html

Tawna said...

We must be on the same wavelength...I had to fix a "garden" on this amazing playhouse under some stairs in a home. It looks like a Swiss Chalet. It's over at the blog, if interested :). I love your shed too. It feels so natural, and like some of the old sheds and houses I played in as a kid!

Tawna

P.S. And I would live in that "modern shed" too :).

Unknown said...

You had me at rooftop deck!!!! Oh, my!

Carole Gee said...

Love your kid's playhouse! And it is such a good idea to have them keep their "nature finds" in there. If you can avoid having a preying mantis egg sac hatch in your kid's bedroom, by all means do it! (I didn't know he had put one in his night table drawer - and there are thousands of tiny mantises in one egg sac!!) Also, a good reminder: if you have any pets, make sure the kids don't accidently shut them up in the playhouse. That can be disastrous!

Diana said...

We did that exact same thing last year. We turned out shed into a playhouse for the kids and they still LOVE it. They want This was one of the best projects we did in the yard.

I was blogging (sporatically, at best) about it last year, so you can actually see some of the playhouse here.

http://www.sarahsimple.blogspot.com/search/label/playhouse

Brooke said...

These are darling! I love yours!! What a great idea with the shed. I'll have to keep that in mind once we have a larger back yard. I would love for my kids to have a play house!
www.inside-outdesign.blogspot.com

Elizabeth@ Pine Cones and Acorns said...

What a wonderful cause! And beautiful little houses to boot! I hope this is a great success!

I love all of these little houses and the shed you built for your boy is a wonderful little retreat for the whole family.

Take care, Elizabeth

Windlost said...

A beautiful post and what a wonderful organization RTMC is...
helping people maintain their homes is the kindest thing. I know when my Dad was disabled with his neurological disease, my mother struggled to pay the bills and keep up the house. Their situation was a bit better but I can totally relate to how anyone with reduced finances or any physical challenges can end up being unable to keep up their homes. There is just so much all the time that we able-bodied people take for granted. I am veyr touched by this charity and will see if I can make a donation online.

xo Terri

Kasey McKay said...

i love your playshed, it's very charming!

Shelly said...

That modern playhouse, cottage, whatever it is...has been on my Pinterest for a while. I LOVE IT!! I would love to build something like that in our backyard to actually be my office. I don't think I'd ever come out!

designchic said...

Just the perfect "getaway" for children. Absolutely adore the Patrick Ahearn image and your shed is wonderful!!

Jeremy said...

These are lovely houses, or should I say home? Hahaha. Nice pictures, it looks like the perfect getaway for the family.
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Rose Smith said...

I love those cute and very adorable cottages. Kids will definitely love them all and even grown ups would simply want those too!

Melissa @ Lived In said...

Playhouses are magical and the best! But, got news for you ---- yours is the most comfy and stylish!

Chase Hart said...

I really like the playhouses they rock. They are awesome I wish my wife deiced to put some of it in our house for my future little ones.
remodeling

Jo said...

I want a grown-up playhouse like one of these! So adorable.

Abbi Jordan said...

Their situation was a bit better but I can totally relate to how anyone with reduced finances or any physical challenges can end up being unable to keep up their homes. There is just so much all the time that we able-bodied people take for granted.
Household Management

How2home said...

these are such great photos! playhouse can be so much fun to design and decorate. fun post, really loved it! We have a post about playhouses too..check it out and let us know what you think!
http://www.eieihome.com/blog/7-awesome-playrooms.html

Enjoy!