The One Thing That'll Make Sunny Weather Even Better
Condiment: Five Faves: Apt2b.com's Mat Herman
Photo: Kids Crooked Houses
Can't lie: These playhouses are far more fascinating than divorce papers and family feuds and here's why.
Built in Maine, Kids Crooked Playhouses originated from the concept that kids should be outdoors, running around and, well, being kids! The founder, a dad named Glen, plotted to lure his kids outdoors with a playhouse. The only problem was that all of those on the market were nothing short of boring.
Disappointed and frustrated, Glen and his cousin Jeff decided to use the very TV cartoons their children loved so dearly as inspiration to build their own playhouses.
"They liked the cartoon shows featuring houses with wonky lines, skewed angles and off-kilter windows...houses where everything is just a little bit funky, sort of off, and, well, crooked." Just like that, these fantastic kid houses were born. (Can we get a time machine to zap us back to childhood? Please?)
Already, these wonderful and wonky houses are popping up everywhere -- and we mean everywhere. What started in Maine has reached as far away as Kenya and Pakistan. Talk about shipping fees.
But hey, who can blame them? The houses are all handcrafted, hand-painted and frankly, a childhood dream. What kid's imagination wouldn't fully let loose in one of these? That is, of course, if mom and dad are willing to shell out the cash (to be clear, Kate & Jon did not foot the bill for theirs). We can't say these playhouses are cheap, in fact the least expensive one comes in at $1249. But handcrafted work, be it for kids or grown-ups, tends to cost a pretty penny. Would you buy one? Comment below!
Take a look through some of the coolest Kids Crooked Houses out there.
http://xml.channel.aol.com/xmlpublisher/fetch.v2.xml?option=expand_relative_urls&dataUrlNodes=uiConfig,feedConfig,localizationConfig,entry&id=895796&pid=895795&uts=1276525790
http://www.aolcdn.com/ke/media_gallery/v1/ke_media_gallery_wrapper.swf
Reader comments (Page 3 of 3)
These houses are adorable..I would like to have one in my backyard to hold my gardening materials & all the things I need when I entertain in my patio. Nowhere have I seen mentioned wether or not they have installation available, and what the additional cost would be..does anyone know? I'll be willing to bet that homeowners across the USA could find many uses for them other than solely for children.... us old kids are also a market.
ReplyThe men who installed the Gosselin's Crooked Houses seemed amiable considering that they must have been working under a less than desirable atmosphere. Now I wonder, will the kids actually play in them when the newness wears off?
total cost to build one of these houses, $250 in lumber,$30 in paint
ReplyI don't think anyone should feel bad about being able to give their kids some perks in life. Yes there are starving children in the world and our hearts go out to them. However seeing kids being care free and playing in crooked houses should a celebration of innocence.
ReplyWhile these crooked houses are cute, they look to me like a rip off of the crooked treehouses that have long been made by Daniel's Wood Land. Now THOSE are spectacular!
Replythe houses are adorable! but whatever happened to putting together a "fort" or "clubhouse" out of scraps of wood. does no one do home repairs theses days? my hubby would have made one for our child...what a great family project!
ReplyThough cute, they are very pricey for what you get. On the website, the dimensions do not seem big at all. I would like to see a much larger accommodation for that kind of money. I completely agree that a little handiwork could create a kid's playhouse for a fraction of the cost, and be the right size for your kids to play in (not to mention fix the issue with the door hinge). These houses can't even fit a table and chairs - how would a little girl have a tea party?
ReplyI knew from the first time I saw the preview about the Crooked Houses that everyone who be googling them, and many would want one for their own children.
And BTW, I don't know why everyone is so hard on them for making lots of money, and how do you know that they DON'T give back? Anyone see the episode where they bought toys and went to the children's hospital to pass them out? Does EVERY celebrity donate to charity? Doubt it.
I have to say, the cost is outrageous... but for all of those people complaining that they are sick of jon and kate getting handouts, well, I bet that if you were offered a TV show deal and they gave you things you would take them as well. Walk a mile in the other persons shoes before you say things about them.
ReplyAnd regaurdless of their fame or whatver, these are real people with real children that are being affected... So what if TLC wanted to give them something after all of this hell they are and most certainly will be going through.
I think they are stupid. My kids dont need a crooked house. Just like the Gosselin kids dont need a crooked house. What they do need is two parents with enough sense to keep family matters private and end the exploitation.
ReplyAnything with a door that opens in is not safe. Children do play with lighters sometimes. Plus The roof ,or soffit will rot out if the porch butts up to it. That could be fixed by running the porch all the way across the front. With the over hang above it. The size is very small. Any one who knows kids ,knows how much stuff they love to put in a fort ect. Plus you would need to tilt it toward the front so any rain water would run out. How many kids remember to shut a door. One more thing for you do it yourselfers The tire on the roof. Bad idea, breeds bugs. It is very cute tho and for the lumber ect,plus labor. The cost is not out of line. I have built play houses and have learned from my own mistakes.
ReplyIt amazes me that someone would begrudge the show or Jon and Kate for not paying for these adorable houses because of your personal circumstances. The houses are great. Good for Jon and Kate for buying a million dollar house because no one wants to watch a show filmed in a hovel. They made a choice to do a show and there are pros and cons to this decision. Clearly, anyone would have thought long and hard if approached with the same offer from TLC. This does not make them greedy or any different than another other person on this blog. People get perks with their jobs all of the time....didn't the president just fly his wife to NYC for a date night and guess what, good for him too? There are thousands of celebs who live exceedingly outrageous lives like Micheal Jackson for one, who no one is writing that he should be giving his money to needy families than renting out literally floors of 5 star hotels. So, why are you picking on some regular people who happened to have an opportunity to change their lives and took it. You act like Jon and Kate stole these houses and your sense of entitlement is more obnoxious than your negative comments about Jon and Kate.
Reply