Thursday, March 29, 2012

Let your kids "Rock-It", with this really cool Rocket Tent/Fort....


Another simple yet clever playhouse or play space for kids. I'd LOVE to see a load-bearing version of this for camping (well, it wouldn't have to look like a rocket) where the 2nd "level" would be useable/sleepable, and the whole thing could be supported by hanging it from a hefty tree limb. Its probably been done, but the fact remains, I'd still like to SEE it- lol....

Its got "Ikea" written all over, but its actually made by the company "PB Kids"

  Derek "Deek" Diedricksen runs the blog Relaxshacks.com, Hosts "Tiny Yellow House" TV on youtube, and is author of the tiny house, fort, cabin, treehouse, and cottage design book "Humble Homes, Simple Shacks" which you can check out by clicking HERE.

Monday, March 26, 2012

A ship fort/treehouse bed mounted to the ceiling of a kid's room....

I might be a little afraid of my kid climbing up and over the rope rails and really messing himself up, but WOW, for an eye candy shot alone, what a cool fort. Is the bed inside? I wish I could see more. Part ship, part treehouse, part tiny wooden cabin- ALL incredible playhouse- I'll take it!

 Derek "Deek" Diedricksen runs the blog Relaxshacks.com, Hosts "Tiny Yellow House" TV on youtube, and is author of the tiny house, fort, cabin, treehouse, and cottage design book "Humble Homes, Simple Shacks" which you can check out by clicking HERE.

Sunday, March 25, 2012

A junk fort/treehut made from lumber scraps.....



Now THIS is the kind of fort I love stumbling across- hokey, fun, sloppy, and clearly made by a kid. I wish all the fort books out there had more of this line of shacks in 'em- MUCH more "Real" than all the father-built or designer playhouses, treehouses, and clubhouses out there.

 Derek "Deek" Diedricksen runs the blog Relaxshacks.com, Hosts "Tiny Yellow House" TV on youtube, and is author of the tiny house, fort, cabin, treehouse, and cottage design book "Humble Homes, Simple Shacks" which you can check out by clicking HERE.

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Friday, March 23, 2012

An angular, modern playhouse/fort for kids....

All plywood, I'd assume, with some plexiglas windows added for good measure. It almost looks like a giant kitchen sponge, or a huge hunk of backyard cheese....

Derek "Deek" Diedricksen runs the blog Relaxshacks.com, Hosts "Tiny Yellow House" TV on youtube, and is author of the tiny house, fort, cabin, treehouse, and cottage design book "Humble Homes, Simple Shacks" which you can check out by clicking HERE.  

A Lord Of The Rings-Style Hobbit House for kids- One funky playhouse/fort


 I've been seeing more and more of these hobbit-style houses and playhouses as of recent, but thought that this one looked particularly fun. Its kind of a J.R.R. Tolkein-meets-Timothy Leary thing going on here. It also appears as if its a simple plywood-shelled structure, topped with a tongue and groove roof- 'couldn't be any simpler, and the result, with the cool paint job, its just so much fun.

  Derek "Deek" Diedricksen runs the blog Relaxshacks.com, Hosts "Tiny Yellow House" TV on youtube, and is author of the tiny house, fort, cabin, treehouse, and cottage design book "Humble Homes, Simple Shacks" which you can check out by clicking HERE.  

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

A Folding Blanket Fort/Kids Tent- SO SIMPLE!

A nice spin on the age-old blanket fort for kids. Its foldable, stowable, affordable, easy to make, and it MIGHT ensure your kids aren't rearranging and climbing all over your good furniture- MIGHT....

It could also work as an outdoor (good weather) playhouse for camping or picnics. A seasonal fort or play tent for children.

A very simple one-tree treehouse for kids (or a tree cabana for adults)


This treefort/treehut is about a simple as it gets. When the kids outgrow it, move in the deck furniture (if you haven't already) and drag in the grill, and its your own outdoor, entertainment, oasis (for a limited size crowd, naturally).

 Derek "Deek" Diedricksen runs the blog Relaxshacks.com, Hosts "Tiny Yellow House" TV on youtube, and is author of the tiny house, fort, cabin, treehouse, and cottage design book "Humble Homes, Simple Shacks" which you can check out by clicking HERE.

Monday, March 19, 2012

A Wittle, er...Little Woven Willow Hut

A truly green (and literally ONCE green) take on kid cabins and play spots...(and it'd be fun to make one of these with your kids- a great learning experience too).


You don't see these style forts/playhouses in a landfill, never to decompose, a la those Little Tikes huts....(which are really durable, and pretty fun/well designed, for the record). When your kid eventually outgrows it, no need to pawn it off on someone else, sell it, or junk it, just let it rot (well, IF it hasn't fallen apart before its use has run its course)

Derek "Deek" Diedricksen runs the blog Relaxshacks.com, Hosts "Tiny Yellow House" TV on youtube, and is author of the tiny house, fort, cabin, treehouse, and cottage design book "Humble Homes, Simple Shacks" which you can check out by clicking HERE.

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Holy Spoiled Brats, Batman! Wow... a Mega-McMansion Playhouse


What do you get for the kid that has it all?? Well, technically nothing, as well, he has it all- but, if you're looking for a pretty incredible, and extravagant, playhouse for your yard, few will beat this one in its over-the-top, overindulgent, grandeur. Its a T-111 McMansion playhouse- very well done, if you're into this look/style- if not....
    PerfectPlayhouses.com is the maker/designer and they have some pretty wild, fun, and eclectic stuff in their catalog- check 'em out...Victorian Playhouses, Tiny Cape Cod Cottages (I like these the best), Indoor Clubhouses, and Gingerbread Cabins/Small Homes (also pretty gorgeous) are among the styles they provide- they ship 'em as kits too!

-Derek "Deek" Diedricksen blogs for Relaxshacks.com, hosts the Youtube show "Tiny Yellow House", teaches workshops for the Tumbleweed Tiny House Company, and is author of the Tiny House, Cabin, Fort, and Treehouse book "Humble Homes, Simple Shacks"- which you can order by clicking on the photo to the right in this blog. ------->

A Treehouse Bed/Bunk/Loft Bed for Kids (well, perhaps Adults too...)


 Designed by Marjan Godrie, the "Boomhut" kids Treehouse Bed.....available through the Danish retailer "Kidsfactory"- Pretty slick....

-Derek "Deek" Diedricksen also blogs for Relaxshacks.com, and Tumbleweedhouses.com, and is the author of the tiny house, fort, cabin, shack, and treehouse book "Humble Homes, Simple Shacks"- which you can check out by clicking HERE....

Friday, March 16, 2012

Orange you jealous? A tiny kids cabin by Joel Hendriques

     I actually posted a photo or two of this one on Relaxshacks.com a long ways back, but while going through my collections of fort. cabin, and tiny house/playhouse photos I came across it again and just had to toss it up here. I love the simplicity of it- box-framed 2x4 work, the blackboard-paint wall, and I'm a total sucker for the color orange, which gives this place such a fun look. The cool, modern, Ikea ceiling lamp doesn't hurt either. Very nice work Joel, your kids must be thrilled!


Joel also runs the STELLAR (I didn't know of it until now, but I'll be back!)- MADEBYJOEL.com and just released a really cool looking book (below) titled "Made For Play". He was also recently featured (Congrats!) on the Martha Stewart Show- well deserved too.

Blogger Derek "Deek" Diedricksen is the author of the kids (and adult) fort, cabin, tiny house, and treehouse book "Humble Homes, Simple Shacks"- check it out HERE...

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Edgar Blazona's MD20 Playhouse- Tiny Plywood House For Kids

I came across this little modernistic playhouse/fort today, and wasn't a bit surprised when I found out its designer was Edgar Blazona- who seems to have a signature style of sorts. I blogged on his MD100 guest house on my other blog www.relaxshacks.com not that long ago. The man does some very interesting/unique/great work and I love the colors he employs in most of his works- very vibrant, fun, playful. This 277 pound playhouse lists at around $1200.00- and you can find more info HERE.

   Derek "Deek" Diedricksen is the author of the fort, shack, tiny house, and treehouse book "Humble Homes, Simple Shacks"- which you can check out at the link below...

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

A kids Bunk with Funk! Fort n' Tiny House themed beds

I keep scheming on how I want to build my kids a REALLY COOL and UNIQUE bunk bed so I'm always searching and coming across cool ideas online. Here's one of them....

I've got a few of these type ideas in my book "Humble Homes, Simple Shacks"- (ie. "The Bort" (bed-fort)- so check that out if you'd be so kind- MADE/PRINTED in THE USA too!

                                      CLICK HERE TO CHECK IT OUT/THE REVIEWS etc.

-Derek "Deek" Diedricksen

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

A tiny house/cabin/kids fort on stilts- (a cheap n' easy cabin)

Heck, just exponentially increase this one's measurements, and I'd LOVE something like this as an adult vacation cabin/cabin/tiny house. So simple, so cool.... As its on stilts, it'd be a good fit for "unfit" land- a swamp, marsh, hillside- you know, the land that still is ALMOST affordable...  I love the choice of windows too!


Monday, March 12, 2012

A Clever Tansu-Stepped Kids Loft/Bunk/Fort

Love this one- space saving loft/bunk, that makes use of tansu-style storage steps to get up top. So simple, but with the curved plywood cuts, it looks great. Perhaps a decent idea for your small house, as you could tuck an office or play/reading area underneath quite easily.


If you like forts, treehouses, tiny shelters, bunks, lofts, and kids spaces- check out my NEW book....
-Derek "Deek" Diedricksen