When Jon and I were discussing what to get Cecile for her birthday, an overwhelming refrain was, "Well, she doesn't need anything." Lucky her--or really, lucky us--she's the first grandchild on both sides of our family, each helmed by two rather eager grandmothers with exquisite taste. In other words, Cecile's wardrobe is fuller than mine and her playroom is in constant need of editing. It's great. So after we made the decision to keep her birthday party small this year (hey, it's likely the last year we can get away with it), we decided to go all out for something that she could grow into. Enter: Bee Ridge Restoration.
I found Bee Ridge on Craigslist, when I was scouring the internet for a cute playhouse at a price less than the monthly rate for a three-bedroom rental apartment in Dupont. (Seriously! People shell out some serious dough for these things!) The folks behind Bee Ridge got into the playhouse business as a side job after seeing some DIY playhouses on Pinterest. Working with his father-in-law, Josh Burrows (of Shenandoah Spice Company) made a playhouse for his two young daughters out of old pallets. Several friends requested similar playhouses or cabanas and the business has more or less taken off from there. Not only are these little playhouses adorable and have a little wiggle room to add your own flair, but also everything that goes into one of their creations--except for the nails and glue--is recycled material. Now that is a message I can get behind. What's more, the Burrows allowed me to add some custom elements to our house. There's a front Dutch door, a fold-away/Murphy table on the ground floor, and window boxes for summertime flowers. Upstairs, a portion of the floor can fold upward and latch, in case an adult (ahem, moi) needs to get in and stand up. I should mention that Bee Ridge will deliver, anchor, and assemble your playhouse if needed. Oh, and they are some of the nicest people to boot. So there you have it. Rah, rah Bee Ridge!
As for Cecile, she loves--loves, loves, LOVES--her little Bee Ridge creation. On sunny days, "In the playhouse?" is a constant question I hear. Inside, I hung and old mirror and some spare hooks for a dishtowel, and Cecile has moved her tin tea set, an old tablecloth, and a faux votive to her foldaway table. What a little hostess, seriously. In the spring, I hope to find the energy to paint the exterior and plant around the house, but really there's no immediate need to fuss over it just yet. Our birthday girl loves her house as-is.
If you have any other questions about our experience with Bee Ridge, don't hesitate to ask in the comments and I'll give you as many details as possible. Until next time, xx :)
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