Backyard
The round design here was striking!
Again, nice clearance underneath for a sandbox! Love that rope bridge, too. And the balcony feature.
I sort of like the nested feel of this spot.
Nice clearance on this design — easy to imagine a sandbox fitting nicely underneath.
I actually don't love this playhouse. But I see something useful in this photo: It's very easy to imagine simply taking out this structure when the kids have outgrown it, and then look how easy it could be to repurpose that large area of the backyard — could be a spot for vegetable planters, for mounded gardens, for more grass, whatever. This picture could help us imagine how relatively easy it could be to transition sections of the yard to different uses over the years, if we want that flexibility and design for it.
Another view of the same playhouse. See note on the previous one for my thoughts.
Okay, this is sort of selling me more on a setup like this — imagine the grown-ups in these chairs — easy to watch the kids, but also relax, and sort of call out conversation and guidance as needed.
Raised playhouse — we'd be looking at doing something significantly taller to allow comfortable clearance underneath for the sandbox (and for adults in the sandbox, too — I know I would forget to duck in there and would bonk my head otherwise), but it's neat to see the balcony feature. And I think this one has a pulley and a mailbox — love those ideas!
Corner playhouse with swing. More modern style than I like, but it does feel like a nice way to use a corner!
Playhouse at the rear of the yard — I can feel it as a draw in this photo, an invitation to use the whole space. Also, imagine how exciting it could be for children to feel that far from the main house! Probably feels like a vast and thrilling separation to them, but also, hopefully, a safe and calming one.
I love how woodsy this is, and also love that there are two levels and a balcony. Could be a very sweet use of some of our extra door material, too!
The color of these planters is pretty to me.
Nothing remarkable about this yard, but I do notice the planters-edging-the-lawn relationship, and also it looks like there are some cords/trellises to support vertical growth behind those planters.
Love the mix of colors and plants growing amid the stones here!
This just looks so relaxing to me! And I feel like I can hear that little waterfall. Like the nestedness of the table and chairs in the greenery, too.
I like the aliveness of these shapes, and the use of different natural materials here. Can't quite tell what's going on with that water feature, but it looks like a spot that kids would enjoy rearranging and "working" in.
I just love hammocks. Anywhere.
What is appealing about this one to me? I think it's the small children and the big trees. Not something we can duplicate easily, but something about the spaciousness here and the children's movement, and the possibility of experiencing oneself as both small (relative to the open space) and free and powerful (in play and in the movement of one's body) feels very powerful to me here.
I like the irregularity and playfulness of this structure. Also, sort of interesting to see these two areas in such proximity — the play area and the sitting area — and I like imagining how these spaces could affect one another.
Who lives here?! I'd like to meet them for sure!
Like the greenery amid the stones.
These stones are pretty to me.
Sort of like this transition from patio to grass. Also feels like something we could do even on a temporary basis with that area around the current "bridge" if we wanted to try an interim grassy area as we test our our use patterns with the hot tub for a few months.
This is a little manicured for me, but I do like the moss/greenery growing up amid the flagstones.
Sort of interesting relationship of interior and exterior spaces here.
Q