Dreaming Spires Willow Playhouse
This is the largest of the playhouses I make and is based on the very first one which I made for my daughter.
It's more obviously aimed at children than my 'onion' shapes. The curvy lines and arched windows give the house a fairy tale quality. The twin spires and forked flags swinging gently in the breeze put one in mind of a knight's encampment, but it could equally be a cottage or a castle. The dappled light which enters the house through the woven willow makes it a magical place to be.
Any small child would be enchanted to find such an intriguing structure in their garden and will quickly make it their own.
Handmade in England from natural English willow, the playhouse has impeccable environmental credentials. Willow is a material which is annually renewable and, when your children have grown out of the playhouse, rather than needing to go into landfill, it can simply be recycled in your own garden. It has a limited lifespan outdoors but that can be extended with an annual coating of linseed oil. It can, of course, be kept inside where it will last indefinitely if well cared for.
The playhouse measures 2.4m (8') wide by 1.2m (4') deep (front to back) and is a little over 2m (6') tall at the top of the spires. Many playhouses don't allow for the fact that parents are inevitably invited in for tea parties! The Dreaming Spires playhouse allows adults a reasonable degree of comfort on such occasions!
Flags are available in a choice of colours though I think red looks best! The playhouse comes complete with a wooden base.
Delivery cost will vary from zero if you live in my home town to thousands of pounds if you are on the other side of the world! Please ask me for a delivery quote before purchasing. Alternatively, you are welcome to organise collection from my studio.
I can only make the larger playhouses (everything except the Podkin) in the Spring and early Summer when freshly cut willow is available. Hence, I only make 10-20 playhouses a year - most are made to order. However, I do currently have in stock one podkin. I usually stop making around mid-July and start again in January. Whilst I'm making, you can choose to either buy a specific playhouse or pay a £150 deposit which will put you on my waiting list. For the remainder of the year you will need to pay a deposit which will put you at the head of the queue for the following Spring. If you have any questions please email me on judith@judithneedham.co.uk.
