Coastal Kids Playhouse
I recently completed the renovation of an old downtown Charleston playhouse that became a fully renovated coastal kids' playhouse. This was a gift from a friend whose kids had outgrown their playhouse and my friend was only using it as a storage shed. When he heard that I was looking for one for Christmas...he offered me his shed!
The funny part is that it was summertime and my oldest daughter Juju had been asking Santa for a playhouse for the last two Christmases since her best friend Hunter had one in his house. I didn’t have a place to hide this gigantic gift so I told Juju that Santa was sending her and Stella an early Christmas gift so they could enjoy it while it was still nice outside, but since the elves were all on summer vacation, we would have to finish the present. Needless to say, it was my favorite gift because I love starting with something old and creating a new, fresh design that became both an oasis for my kids to play and a Christmas present (all in the shape of a fun project for me). On Christmas day they each got a doll to play with inside the playhouse so the gift kept on giving!
When creating this space, the first step was to move the playhouse from its old location to its new home. This was a hard step, trust me! My husband, Danny, and my friend helped load up the old shed on a flatbed truck (like those that tow cars) and drive it across town through low power lines and all. It was difficult to convince a driver to agree to move this piece. Truck drivers normally don’t like taking on jobs such as this because it is tricky and time-consuming.
When the shed arrived at my home, another group of neighbor friends helped Danny and me to move the structure with PVC pipes into our backyard. It took a village of people to maneuver the playhouse to its new home and get it leveled. I am forever thankful for all of my neighborhood friends who played a special part in this project.
The little house had been neglected so it required plenty of cleaning up. I chased out all the spiders, a dead rat, dusted and cleaned, then painted both the interior and exterior. For the outside, I selected the Sherwin Williams Alabaster white color to match my existing home on the property. Then, I painted the inside the same color as the exterior and polished up the hardwood floors. I added lighting from Ikea and a floor fan from Lowes. Despite being painted white inside, the little home still needed something to brighten it up in the evenings and to keep the kids cool during hot summer days.
Just like a real home, the playhouse needed a personal touch to really bring it to life. Since the space was intended for my two little girls, the color scheme selected was teal, pink and gray. With these colors in mind, I purchased furniture and decorations to match, mostly from Homegoods.
First, I paired a small white kitchen table with two chairs on top of a colorful accent rug, all from Ikea. This was placed next to a corner bookcase that was painted a greenish gray, a local Charleston color from Sherwin Williams called Mount Pleasant Sage. I decorated the bookcase with pictures, stuffed animals, and all of the girl's favorite books. A doll cradle from Amazon was then placed in the corner.
To complete the living area, I placed a pair of teal and white polka dot chairs and ottoman from TJ Maxx, a white plush side table and a soft accent rug from Target. Finally, I added artwork in teal and pink colors to the walls, as well as pink accent pillows in the shape of a whale and a rose. I completed the house with plenty of the girls’ favorite games. Last but not least, I added flower boxes on the front windows, 12-inch painted-to-match flower pots from Lowes and a cute little mailbox outside the door that I found on Etsy.
Now it's almost impossible to get the two girls to come back inside for meals!
I would like to thank the following people for all the hard work and help they gave me on this project. I could not have done it without them!
Mason Pope for donating the playhouse
Bryan Faliero for lending us his tools
Jon Mazzoli for his encouragement especially when I couldn’t find a flatbed driver
The Angermans - Jeff, Liz, Ashley, and Charlie for helping with the whole move and even bringing the popcorn and margaritas when we were beyond exhaustion
Matt Crawford for his hard work and strategy in getting the house moved
The Boykins for helping to shop for the interior furniture
Karen Weber for help with painting and even leaving letters in the mailbox for the girls. She still does that when she visits!
Dennis Jones for plenty of strong muscles
My sister Ana Moreira for her help at every stage of the renovation
Gustavo Navas for the electrical work and lighting
Steve Dalnekoff for getting the house leveled
My favorite person Danny Dalnekoff for everything!
I am so blessed to have friends and family willing to lend a helping hand anytime...even on a late hot summer night in Charleston. This whole process made me feel so blessed to be surrounded by a community of people who care. The experience was more enjoyable than the destination itself. Such a great reminder in our lives to always enjoy the journey!