Can anyone recommend a good playhouse?

[jajoom]

Hi,
I've been searching online for playhouses and have found lots of lovely ones. However, this afternoon I browsed E-bay to see what they look like 'in the flesh' and I was a bit dissapointed. The plastic ones look faded and ugly, and the wooden ones look like moudly old sheds. Has anyone had a playhouse for more than a year or two that still looks good? Also, did your child play in them much?
They're quite expensive, so any advice before I buy would be really helpfull.:-)

We have a wooden one and have painted it a heritage colour blue outside and white inside and looks much better.

Went for a slightly more expensive one with nicer windows with window boxes and put a cheap rug,pictures and blue gingham accessories and lots of IKEA wooden things in such as ironing board,cooker,table and chairs with pencils/paper.Looks like a little Swedish house and was done cheaply.

DD used it less than I thought she would - I would have loved it as a child but ds now really enjoys being in there.

My advice would be to paint and customise a wooden one.

What sort of budget, as there's a HUGE range. There's a pic of dd's on my profile. Expect it to last into her teen years at least (she's 2 atm).

In answer to your question 4 years old and still looks good , not tatty and much admired.Haven't repainted it yet but give it a good spring clean inside and out each year

Thanks for the suggestions. I had originally thought of painting a wooden one (in the same colours as you actually)and filling it ikea toy furniture. The painted ones I saw on E-bay didn't look that good, but they probably weren't painted that well to begin with.

CantSleepWontSleep that is some playhouse! Looks wonderfull, but I'm guessing my garden is about a sixth the size of yours and my budget even less. I'm looking for something between 400-600.

RainingCatsandDogs, do you remember the name of your playhouse? And, was it rainproof so you could leave your stuff in all year?

Thanks for all your help ladies

Sorry, can't remember name - is much smaller than CantSleepWontSleep's lovely one but our garden isn't that big .

Is rainproof - but after winter on the inside bottom edges of the walls there is sometimes a bit of mould which I tackle with a toothbrush and bleach .Sometimes spiders etc also. Everything stays in including the rug,etc and none of it seems damp.I do spring clean and wash everything though anyway.

I would definately try and put wooden stuff in rather than normal plastic kids stuff as I think it makes a difference - both their favourite things are the metal bucket,wooden mop and wooden brush and dustpan.The decking outside is kept very clean!

If it is well painted it will look fine and keep looking this way.Our one is much admired.

wow i would love something like this

or these

WOW Cantsleep was that custom built?? It's amazing

We have just got this one and it is great, really well made. I have painted it in a nice green colour. It was really good value compaired to some