Lazy days at home - home and patio improvements - Brief Article

Sunset, August, 2000 by Daniel Gregory, Peter O. Whiteley

Islands of serenity lie just outside these Westerners' back doors

* Almost 60 years ago, Sunset ran an article entitled "How to Vacation at Home," which was full of good ideas for making the most of the patio and garden for summer relaxation. Such a subject seems particularly relevant today, as the pace of life reaches warp speed and we are sucked into an accelerating spiral of carpools, commute traffic, and cell phone "connectivity."

Home is becoming the resort of last resort. Indeed, we know one busy family who packed their bags, put them in the car, drove around the block, and then checked into their house for a restful two-week holiday.

So how do Westerners turn their homes into true summer retreats? Here are three particularly imaginative prescriptions for escaping the workaday world.

Boathouse

Meet a buoyant little boathouse. The one-room, 10- by 10-foot gabled structure rests on a dock overlooking Kim and Debie Stuart's duck pond. As Debie tells it, "We wanted a place on the water to enjoy some fishing and, in the evenings, to watch the wildlife wander in to drink." Kim built the straightforward stud-wall structure with the help of a neighbor. Inside, the Stuarts chose a fishing theme for the decor: Lures, paddles, and a carved wood salmon stand out on a butter yellow, white, and blue palette. The building cost about $4,500, including $1,800 for lumber and $2,000 for windows.

Stump house

The tall fir was getting too close to the house, so it had to go. As Snohomish, Washington, homeowner Robert Gardner recalls: "We asked the tree cutter to leave about a 20-foot stump because we had decided to build our 6-year-old son, T.J., a treehouse. We figured anyone could build one. What we hadn't counted on was that most normal people build a treehouse in a tree with branches." To make up for this oversight, Gardner treated the stump as a structural column: Cantilevered beams running through it support the platform on which the tiny house is built; diagonal braces and a nearby tree reinforce the platform. The treehouse is held aloft like a tray balanced on one hand. And the verdict? T.J. plays there all the time.

Tent cabin

"We use it as a guest house," says the owner of this l2-by l4-foot platform tent, which feels a little like the sort of accommodation you would find on an elegant safari. It comfortably holds a double bed, side tables, and two chairs. There's even room for two Adirondack chairs on the small deck at the front door. A variety of these all-weather houselike tents are available in kits, costing from $2,900 to $5,900. Called the Sonoma Bungalow ($3,714), this model includes a wood frame, a vinyl canvas shell (with rain fly, eaves, and awning), a glass door, three windows, and platform plans. It's available from Sweetwater Bungalows (800/587-5054 or www.sweetwaterbunglows.com).