Posted by Sam Kigar on Wed, Jun 16, 2010
My boss (and pal) Jennie has a Cimarron Platform Tent in her backyard. The tent sits a mere ten yards from her lovely little home Montrose, CO. Montrose, as it happens, isn't far from the mountains from which this line of tents takes it's name. The Cimarrons!
As Jennie points out, her wall tent or "canvas bungalow," solves a variety of space needs and adds a level of richness to her daily life. Jennie uses her tent as:
- A dinning room. Her home is less then 1000 square feet so; when she has a bunch of folks over for dinner it makes sense to seat all or some of them in the tent.
- A kitchen. She cooks on a wood stove and on her Coleman gas range.
- An escape to the great outdoors. The filtered natural light and breeze (when the side walls are rolled up) make guests think they're miles from civilization.
- A screened in porch. When it's hot out Jennie likes to roll up all four sides of her tent and let the breeze drift through while she lounges in her rocker... Being a southerner it makes her feel right at home.
- A guest bedroom. When she has guests, Jennie folds out her futon and lights the stove. Her friends and family are happy year-round.
But don't take my word for it, get a tour from Jennie herself!
Jennie's tent is 14 ft by 16 ft. The platform tents come in:
- 10'x12', 4'6" tall at the side wall, 9' at the ridge
- 12'x14', 4'6" tall at the side wall, 9' at the ridge
- 14'x16', 5'0" tall at the side wall, 10' at the ridge
- 16'x16', 5'0" tall at the side wall, 10' at the ridge
- and 16'x20', 5'0" tall at the side wall, 10' at the ridge
- custom sizes are also available
Folks use these semi-permanent tents to solve all kinds of problems. Outdoors men and women use them as hunting stands that they can return to season after season. The "Tent and Breakfasts" Mary Jane's Farm and Huckleberry use them as unique accommodation for their guests. But these structures don't need to be far from home... putting one in your backyard can bring the far out a little closer in.
Order a brochure to learn more...
Posted by Sam Kigar on Tue, Jun 01, 2010
Yurts run the gamut from DIY (do-it-yourself) to pre-fab. Most people who live in a yurt purchased a kit from a professional company. Recently though, I was looking at some pictures from a Colorado Yurt Company customer when hit me: all yurts, to varying degrees, are do-it-yourself. While some of our customers contract out bits and pieces in and around their yurt (e.g. site preparation and deck) the vast majority play a large role in giving shape to their yurt. Each customer builds a unique yurt; we just facilitate. Take the case of Samantha Swenson and Duncan Masters.
Envisioning
The first step in the building process for the Swenson-Masters began with a stroll across their land in eastern North Carolina. When they imagined a home there, they saw a yurt.
Actually they saw two
The Swenson-Masters wanted their yurt to be a physical expression of their ideals of economy, ecology, and luxury.
Samantha says their love of reading guided their use of space in the yurt. Between the newlyweds’ two collections there were a lot of books. Samantha says, “We figured out all the possible places to put shelves and then added everything else.” Using the bookshelves as functional walls, they divided the big yurt into quarters: the kitchen, the living room, the bedroom, and the office/craft area and future nursery.
Luxury
Moving into a yurt was obviously a step into an “alternative” lifestyle but not as much as you might assume. In Samantha’s words,
"We are still interested in maintaining a relatively average lifestyle inside eccentric surroundings, finding balance between being eco-friendly and being your average active working individuals who love high-speed internet and crime drama TV shows..."
In addition to crime TV they love having people over. They left the front half of their yurt, the kitchen and living room open and inviting, while moving the clutter of everyday life to the back of the yurt.
Designing the Kitchen
For their kitchen they decided on IKEA’s Varde series, which appealed to them ascetically and because it’s freestanding. The counter space is movable and the table expands.
The smaller yurt houses a bathroom and utility area. Luxury found its home in the bathroom. It has a shower with bench, deep soaker jacuzzi tub (with a rubber ducky)...
... and a beautiful, handcrafted sink and vanity.
Another wonderful thing about this yurt is that it is handicap accessible.
Like all great homes, the Swenson-Master’s is a work in progress. They are currently adding a loft to the big yurt for Samantha’s craft projects. By the time their baby-to-be is school age they hope to add another yurt to the mix.
Some folks are more hands-off in their approach to designing their yurt than these guys, others do more. Regardless of where you fall on the DIY to Pre and Post-Fab continuum, the decision to live in a yurt is the decision to live in house that reflects you. The round space and flood of natural light provide an inspiring place to build a your unique home.
Get started designing your yurt with our "
Color Your Yurt" tool!