This little gem of a bench was my latest addition to the playhouse project. I found it at the thrift store for $7. I nearly walked past it, until I considered its size. It’s the perfect spot for two dolls who want to bask in the afternoon sunshine.
Meet “Charlie and Lola” (yeah, like the show – Lila is obsessed). These crocheted dolls are the handiwork of Grandma Gardener.
Now the bench joins the little tete-a-tete of wee adirondack chairs at the front of the playhouse. My grandfather built these chairs for the girls, and I slapped some white paint on them (and my little thrifted bench) to match the playhouse trim.
As I was painting, I imagined the lively conversations that the girls will have with their dolls. Of course, in reality, the girls are often scolding their dolls or re-enacting stories where a princess prevails and a doll ends up crying in a time-out somewhere. But still.. I like to let my imagination have her Pollyanna moments.
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| Is she Vogue-ing? Or just exclaiming, “MOM! Stop taking my picture!” |
Here is where I need some help, dear readers. See this awkward little pokey-outie piece of wood? It’s bolted onto the playhouse and used to be where the play center attached to the house. I’ve considered chopping it off with a saw and leaving it there (as the bolts are serious about being bolted on… I don’t know if I want to go there). Or is there something creative I can do with this?
And while you’re considering this picture, please fire away with any ideas you have for my playhouse project. I’d love new eyes on it.
So far, here is my list of things-to-do:
1. Planter boxes on the porch
2. Curtains (but ones that won’t turn into dingy rags)
3. A pathway leading to our patio
If you’re struck with a lightning bolt of brilliance, please share it in the comments.
36 comments
Judy Clark
Oh gosh, being a grandmother with grandchildren who already have a playhouse, I do have some suggestions. If the weird board is plenty high enough that there’s not a danger of someone running into it, I’d leave it and hang a pretty hanging basket full of flowers on it. Definitely put window boxes, a mailbox and maybe a little (one 6′ length) of picket fence. You’d probably want to cute it down in height so it doesn’t overpower the house. We put birdhouses on our picket fence that the kids helped paint. Use some of the outdoor fabric for curtains. You can buy those 12: concrete blocks at HD for $1.27/each and make a path.
I hope your girls enjoy their playhouse as much as ours did.
Judy
Tara
Oooh, Judy… you’ve got lots of great ideas! I love the picket fence idea – I hadn’t considered that at all! How adorable would that be for the girls? We could even maybe plant a small garden on the inside of their “yard”! (Or perhaps just a row of carrots, as I don’t know how long a “kiddo garden” would last.) The birdhouse idea is so lovely too. Thank you so much for popping by and leaving a comment! I’m getting even more excited to get started on this project! 🙂
Judi
Hi there
Lovin’ the playhouse, wish I had one to play with, lol. With regard to your sticky out piece of wood, couldn’t you maybe make it into a sign, maybe with an arrow, so perhaps ‘Ye Olde Tea Shoppe’ or To the Beach with an arrow, you get my drift???
Judi in the UK
Tara
I like your sign ideas! I think that might be the direction I go. I also had a suggestion of a doll swing. I’m thinking that I’ll sink some eyes into the board and then have signs (and a swing) that can switch out? I was thinking a Tea Shop (though I like your medieval wording better), but I hadn’t considered the beach. That’s a great idea! Thank you so much for commenting! 🙂
Rebecca
What a transformation! It looks great, Tara! You might be able to make a little welcome flag to hang out on the end of the board. A hanging flower basket would be cute too though. If you were to do a hanging flower basket I would paint “Welcome to Lila’s” on the board! Can’t wait to see what you decide to do with it!
Tara
Thanks for the comment, Rebecca! I love the idea of the flag (and of it saying “Welcome”… perhaps a Welcome mat, as well?) – I’m considering hanging baskets and signs. I think that I need to do a bit of measuring and see exactly what I’ve got to work with!
So glad you popped by!
Adrianne
Oh my – what a great addition and I LOVE THIS WHOLE IDEA! I was thinking treehouse someday but something on the ground would be SO much smarter!!
Tara
Oh, thank you, Adrianne! We had treehouse ideas in our head for a long time too – but then this “freebie” house showed up and opportunity knocked! It’s going to be a lot of fun adding a bit of fuss to the house. 🙂
Callista
I was also thinking hanging flower basket from the sticky outty piece or even a bird feeder. The signs a cute idea though!
The playhouse looks great, and I agree that it was more scary than rustic before, only because I feel like the wooden playhouses are so dark inside so the outside needs to be fresh and clean feeling. Still on the hunt for on for our girls, le sigh!
Tara
A bird feeder is a good idea, Cal. I’m worried that a traditional one might entice the squirrels (as they’re first-class jerks around these parts), but maybe a hummingbird feeder?
You’re right – wooden playhouses are very dark inside. I’ve though about painting out the inside, but then it’s like I’ve committed to doing something that I probably don’t want to do.
Fingers crossed that something pops up on CL for you guys soon!
Sam @ Thrive 360 Living
Tara – this playhouse is amazing!! I want one. I actually like that piece of wood. I feel like it would be a fun place to hang an official playhouse flag with a personalized crest. Or it would also be a great place for some DIY wind chimes.
Tara
I’m loving the flag idea (and I know that my girls would love that – maybe even decorating their own?), but the wind chimes is another seller. I love the sound of good wind chimes (the heavy ones, with the low tones?). Maybe CL can cough something up for me! 🙂
Jeannie
Great playhouse and great suggestions from the other readers. I can visualize a hanging banner and a pretend garden entry there with the picket fence.
Tara
I’m just starting to tackle some of my playhouse ideas right now. I love the idea of a banner. I’m debating whether I’m going to give the girls a “yard” or not. It could be so cute! But then, it could also just eat up real estate and they may not use it… decisions….
Rebecca, Soap Deli News
How adorable is that! I want one for myself! I think a hanging plant would look lovely on the wood to the left you aren’t sure what to do with. Or – even better – a swing for dolls!
Tara
I love the doll swing idea! I wonder… how on earth would I set about making one of those?
mary w.
So easy! Two pieces of rope and a board. Drill two holes in the board, slip the rope ends through and knot. Hang the rope from the bar! Or, find another one of those little doll benches and cut off everything but the seat and back, ta-da! Swing!
Tara
I was thinking about a doll bench – though the simple swing with a board and rope is a good one too (and would be just as cute). I’m going to have to scour the thrift shop for a cheap-o bench and let that decide my project. Thanks for the great ideas~!
Letitia
I would definitely hang some kind of flowers or something from it!
Tara
Oh, we’ve just put some flowers on the playhouse! Can’t wait to show you in our soon-to-be-posted projects! 🙂
Julie Fagundes
I LOVE this!!! Our girls are oh-so-lucky to have a fabulous playhouse like this at my parents home! We have one…not this cute at our house…yours is adorable!!!
Julie@http://www.thevintagebarnhome.com
Tara
Julie – I’m so glad that you like the playhouse! The girls adore it, and we’ve been working on all of our little projects slowly, but diligently. Thanks for popping by! 🙂
mary w.
My first idea for curtains was to head to the dollar store for those flowery shower curtains they always seem to have. Easy to hang and easy to cut to thr right length. And you don’t have to worry about them in the elements!
Tara
Mary – that is an awesome idea! I hadn’t thought about shower curtains! I must find some adorable ones! 🙂
Andrea C
Hang a doll swing from it 😉 Then it will look like it should be there!! 🙂
Tara
Andrea – That’s an idea that I’ve been kicking around… I’m trying to hunt down a doll bench to cut into a “porch swing” of sorts. I need the thrift stores and garage sales to cough one up! 🙂
Andrea
How about a cut up plastic shower curtain for the windows? Definately water proof and there are some cute designs out there!
Tara
Andrea – This is a great idea! I honestly hadn’t even thought of it. I wonder what Target has waiting for me?? 😉
erin @ dfmi designs
You did a wonderful job cleaning it up! It looks very fun!
Maybe use burlap (from free coffee sacks) for the curtains or cut down and old shower curtain (made from thick opaque plastic or polyester. Just to hold up better.) Looking forward to updates!
Tara
I love the idea of burlap! So rustic! I have been keeping my eyes peeled for an old shower curtain with a fun design. Of course, I always fall in love with the patterns that cost big bucks. I think I need to remind myself that this is just a play house! 🙂
Lauren
Do you have anything in your playhouse? We have one a similar size and I’m wondering if I should put stuff inside or just leave as is.
Tara
Hi Lauren! We don’t live there anymore (and giving up that playhouse was harrrrdd….), but we did have a plastic play kitchen (a cheapo one from Craigslist that they made mud-pies in), and some bins of toys. There was an old school chair that got dragged around inside and out of the playhouse too, but we didn’t have a little table and and chairs set-up in there, only because with two kids and the kitchen, it was already fairly crowded. I will say, though, the kitchen got a LOT of use. The girls played restaurant incessantly.
Shauna
Oh my, this is so adorable! Too bad you sold it with your house, but I’m sure you’ll do something even better with the next one.
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I love the little white Adirondack chairs you’ve got to go with the playhouse. They’re so cute!