Back in 2012, we received a call from a grieving father who had lost his son Leo to leukemia at age 5. He wanted to create a unique memorial in the form of a playground at the site of Leo’s nursery school, which had been one of his favorite places to play.
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Although this rugged playhouse looks like it stepped right out of the Wild West, it actually began its life looking more like a pink-and-blue cupcake.
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With the arrival of spring comes the promise of warmer weather, baby animals and budding plants. For many kids, however, spring means chocolate bunnies, colored eggs, flowery dresses and good old-fashioned Easter Egg hunting.
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The year is 1987 and the last thing on Barbara’s mind is play structures. Her focus is on building beautiful, intricate decks as part of Outer Space Design with her then-boyfriend Bob.
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After a busy day of building, the BBAB crew makes times for their outside passions, from Barbara’s yoga practice to Rudi’s miles of cycling. For David Rodriguez, that passion is breakdancing.
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Besides giving Mom a little peace and quiet in the house, are they any true benefits to sending the kids outside to play?
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Sometimes you have to do a little gymnastics to get a treehouse just right. Above, Marco gets upside down to bolt this tunnel slide’s sections together from the inside. Although our large twisty slides come in sections, assembly is anything but child’s play!
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Handmade Valentines never go out of fashion. Just as our personal attention to detail during the building process results in a unique and fun-loving treehouse, breaking out the scissors and glue is a sure way for kids to let you know how they feel. From our family to yours: Happy Valentine’s Day!
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In addition to our big charity event, Dreams Happen Gala & Auction, where we donate a full play structure biannually to benefit Rebuilding Together Peninsula (RTP)‘s efforts to refurbish homes for those in need…
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With her love of the outdoors and all things playful, it comes as no surprise that Barbara adores dogs! And luckily for the fur babies in her life, they get to join the team at the shop every day — and sometimes on-site too.
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We recently had the pleasure of installing a rope tunnel, which offer kids a smorgasbord of sensory experiences: the texture of the rope, the sway and give as you move across it, glimpses of the outside world seen through latticework, and the tantalizing focal point at the other side.
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Of all the play accessories we add on to our one-of-a-kind treehouses and play structures, zip lines are perhaps the biggest rush for kids. It starts with a moment of spine-tingling anticipation as they prepare to hop on. Once in the air, the stomach-flipping thrill of flying through the air…
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For the last four months of 2015, we’ve had the pleasure of having a Media Event Manager Intern join us. Panzu Nzao-Ngola is from a small town in the Netherlands and came to us through her university’s international student program.During her time at BBAB, Panzu worked on various media projects,…
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Each of our projects has its own unique flavor, and Woodside Treehouse is no exception. Currently in the installation phase, this treehouse combo is characterized by its finely crafted details. Above, two doors complete with mailbox and “who-goes-there” peep-holes drying at the shop. The treehouse walls are made in a…
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At the cusp of a new year, let’s take a moment to savor some of the highlights of 2015. It’s been quite a year for BBAB, chock-full of innovative projects and exciting collaborations. Magical Bridge Naturally, one of the highlights of the year was the long-awaited opening of Magical Bridge…
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The greatest gift of this season is undoubtedly spending time with family. However, a close second is the privilege of doing inspiring, fulfilling work surrounded by a creative and fun-loving crew. In this picture from 2004, Barbara and Suzy are playing the part of holiday elves hiding amongst a crop…
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Meet James Butler: an owner of Barbara Butler, Artist/Builder, big brother to Barbara and a key player in the day-to-day operations of the company. Originally a general contractor, James is currently the resident AutoCAD Wizard.
Read MoreSure, kids love to climb, but is it really that important? After all, they love staring at screens, too, and the jury is still out on whether that’s good for them. Turns out, young growing bodies are made to pull, grasp and leap and spending enough time on these activities…
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Every Thanksgiving, the Butler clan gathers for a family dinner in the small California town of Sebastapol. Here they are in 2014, celebrating with good food, conversation and red wine. (Absent are James, Patty and Eileen, who weren’t able to make it that year.)A table massive enough to accommodate the…
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