BACKYARD PARADISE
2 October 2008
“Hey, Cabana Boy!”
One of the most cutting things anyone ever said was when Gertrude Stein said of Los Angeles, “There’s no there there.” I bring that up because one of the keys to a successful design of a backyard paradise is to have something in it that serves as a destination. It can be seating, an outdoor kitchen of some sort, a swimming pool, anything and everything, really, just so long as there is, in your yard, someplace to go to, a “there.” And, really, one of the most charming things one can do is to make some sort of outdoor structure: gazebo, cabana, raised deck, just someplace nice to sit. And if it’s a large enough space to accommodate a table and chairs, then both family and guests will always feel special whenever you are able to entertain outdoors.
Vixen Hill is a manufacturer of a line of pre-engineered cedar wood products for what they describe as “enhanced outdoor living,” and if you spend any time on their site, you are bound to come away agreeing with them. They have a whole line of products that range from the very reasonable in price to the “holy smokes” range, but it all depends, I suppose, on what a body is willing to pay and what a person wants for his dream yard. I have to admit that I often find myself thinking that the better course of action for me would have been to do all the things I wanted to do in our home, start my business, and hire people to do the work in the back yard.
Had I taken that course, I would have wanted to find a company that would provide something with both imagination and quality, because I pride myself that both of those elements are present in the yard I did make (you can check it out on Thinking About It, if you’re interested). And that brings us back to Vixen Hill, because a pre-built structure is considerably cheaper than one that is built on-site by someone who may, or may not, have the creative imagination and skills to provide something well-made, detailed, and innovative.
If you don’t have the skills for it, of course, you will need someone to do the installation for you, but it is normally not that hard to find someone with the necessary skills (NOT ME!!!!!!). My own experiences with the prefabricated storage shed we installed were fine. It was not as easy as the manufacturers of that particular product (I hasten to add that it was a different company altogether!) made it seem, but I was glad that I have my skills as a cabinetmaker, because the work went forward without any real difficulty.
Having a place to go to in one’s dream yard, though, is one of the things that makes it a backyard paradise. It can be as big or as small as you want it to be, as simple or elaborate, and expensive or inexpensive as your budget will allow. But having a structure of some sort will make all the difference, believe me. Those with the skills and time for the project can easily make a raised deck of their own. How long it takes them will depend on how elaborate the work is (please don’t ask me how long it took me to make mine!), but a skilled do-it-yourselfer can always do it for less. But if you are one of those who will hire someone to make a raised deck, you may want to look into something like what this company has to offer. Their products have a lot of charm, and by the time you price out what it is going to cost you for that raised deck, you may have spent as much, or more, as you would have spent for this product—and not gotten anything nearly as charming.
Finally, I would be remiss if I did not point out that Vixen Hill has a wide range of products to enhance one’s outdoor living. Those with swimming pools may find their outdoor showers to be just the touch of elegance they have been looking for. And depending on the size of it, the cabana Vixen Hill manufactures may be just the thing for one’s portable spa, which would give rise, I suppose, to a call for cold drinks. Say, isn’t that the cabana boy’s job?
Joseph
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