Create a Garden Room

Use our plan to build the perfect backyard getaway.

Over the years, we have sung the praises of outdoor rooms and garden shelters. These extensions of the home are great for visiting with family and friends, escaping a spring shower, or just lingering after garden chores are done. One of our favorite spaces was that of the late Dan Franklin, an Atlanta landscape architect.

Popular Place

Dan's garden has graced the cover of Southern Living numerous times, and many an editor and photographer have finished a shoot by sharing cocktails and good stories with Dan in his "Outhouse," as he fondly called the outdoor room. Franklin's Retreat sits at the highest point in his garden and is a wonderful place to be. The room, which is screened on the front and two sides, offers stunning views of the garden, free from bugs. To provide privacy, the sides are partially covered in lattice, and the back is solid. The vaulted ceiling gives the 10- x 13½-foot space an airy feeling.

Dan added electricity and decorated the space just as he did his home, complete with comfortable chairs, tables for books, and lamps to read by when evening fell. With the flip of a switch, an exhaust fan in the roof draws out hot air. Even a ceiling fan echoes the comforts of home, so the retreat can be enjoyed on hot summer evenings.

An Outdoor Room

Franklin's Retreat is the perfect solution for all of you who long for a screened porch but just don't feel the addition is right for your home. Not only will this simple plan make an elegant focal point in any garden, it could also become a welcome addition to a lake or mountain property.

Lasting Impression

I first met Dan in Atlanta at the Southeastern Flower Show back when I was a design student. Dan really made an impression on me-as with everyone else he met. His quick wit (and sometimes sharp tongue) kept us all on our toes. But what I will always remember most about Dan is his ability to create gardens people loved. It is our pleasure to offer you a little bit of Dan's garden with Franklin's Retreat, a backyard getaway that you'll enjoy as much as we did. -REBECCA BULL REED

ORDERING THIS PLAN

The detailed plan for Franklin's Retreat (SL-1000) is available for $39.95. To order call 1-800-755-1122, or visit southernliving houseplans.com.

Copyright Southern Progress Corporation Apr 2006
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