Even Young Martha Stewart Would Approve

This grand-scale interpretation of an upscale residence is fancy, but full of fun.

Eastborough has long been known for its beautiful eye-catching homes. One that captures the attention of a younger age group is a backyard playhouse owned by Dan and Kendall Drake.

Thirty years ago, a child might have dreamed of a playhouse with a wooden floor, glass windows, siding and shingles; the Drakes’ is decorated in high style and includes almost all the amenities of a grown-up residence. Colorado playhouse-builder-to-the-stars La Petite Maison built this two-story, diminutive dream home that boasts everything from heating and air conditioning to electricity. (There would have been indoor plumbing if not for the parents’ rightful concerns about someone forgetting to turn off the faucet and an ensuing flood.)

Kendall, naturally inclined as an interior decorator, hasn’t missed any details. She’s furnished it with a chandelier over the kitchen table, a collection of vintage baby plates, a wingback chair, and antique French linens, which she discovered a few years ago on a buying trip to Provence.

The playhouse may look formal, but it’s totally kid-friendly. The Drake children often hold sleepover parties on an upstairs deck with their cousins. On Christmas mornings, they open their stockings down below, in front of the fireplace.
Perhaps more for Kendall than her children, the tiny home is a dream come true. “I’ve always wanted a playhouse in my backyard,” she says, “ever since my Grandma [Joyce Price] had one in hers.”

La Petite Maison designer Alan Mowrer helped the Drakes’ fantasy become a reality. The company, which offers a variety of luxury playhouses for children (and dogs), recently won the “Dream House Design Award.” Visit lapetitemaison.com or call 1-877-404-1184 for more information.