COMPANY INFORMATION
Welcome to La Petite Maison, and thank you for your interest in our luxury playhouses and dog houses.
ABOUT THE PLAYHOUSES
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The Houses
La Petite Maison specializes in creating exquisite, out-of-the-ordinary playhouses. We can fulfill any request, from a charming cottage to a magnificent Mediterranean villa. Or if you prefer, request a replica of your own home, complete with child-sized kitchen, reading library, or media room.
We specialize in truly custom houses, focusing on safety, craftsmanship, and beauty. The playhouses are built directly on your property, ensuring a beautiful finished product. We can also arrange shipping if you prefer. Since the houses are all custom designed, they are a wonderful choice for clients living in gated communities, as they can be built within covenant guidelines.
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The Details
Each playhouse is fully finished, with dry-walled interiors and recessed lighting. Running water can also be included at your request. The houses are designed to accommodate adults. Alan, our builder, is 6’4 and can stand comfortably inside. Prices range from about $9,000 to upwards of $75,000, depending on style, size and architectural details.
Alan hand crafts each house to create exactly what you want. To ensure the distinctiveness of his designs, Alan signs each of his houses and adds an extra surprise for the children to find. Each playhouse and dog house is a work of art, created one piece at a time and exquisitely detailed. Nothing is built in a factory or mass produced. Because of this, we can accept only a limited number of clients each year.
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The Difference
We can build around your specific needs, including designing for children with allergies or special physical requirements. You work directly with two award-winning designers: Alan Mowrer, the builder and Michelle Pollak, the company’s interior designer. Michelle, president of The Lollipop Tree Inc., is an award-winning designer who specializes in children’s spaces.
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ABOUT THE DOG HOUSES
Like our playhouses, each dog house is custom designed and built. We can design for almost any type of pet and in any architectural style. Many of our clients commission a dog house as a decorative accessory for their landscapes or gardens.
Most houses come with fully dry-walled interiors and indoor/outdoor lighting. Although our clients normally don’t keep their pets in the doghouse full time, we offer options to keep pets comfortable while inside, including air conditioning and special flooring to keep dogs cool in hot climates.
Sizes vary according to your pet’s needs. Our portfolio includes tiny, toy-breed dog houses as well as houses large enough to accommodate people standing inside. Prices average between $6,000 and $10,000, with some designs starting at about $4,000. Others can top $25,000 or more.
ABOUT THE BUILDER: ALAN MOWRER
Many years ago, Alan Mowrer, president of La Petite Maison Playhouses, Inc., built his first playhouse for his 3 year old daughter. That inspired him to build more playhouses for clients in the local Denver area. He met interior designer Michelle Pollak several years later and together they created a luxury brand of playhouses for clients throughout the country.
A commercial builder by trade, Alan soon became known for the grand dollhouses and playhouses he designed. Today, he is an award-winning playhouse builder featured on numerous television programs with international clients. His La Petite Maison playhouses have been featured in Neiman Marcus and FAO Schwarz catalogues.
Prior to starting La Petite Maison, Alan worked in the commercial construction business. He continued to build for his daughter on the side, including elaborate dollhouses for her Barbies and the grand playhouses he designed for her.
According to Alan, there is nothing more satisfying than building playhouses. For him, it’s an opportunity to be creative. Watching his clients get such joy out of the playhouses gives Alan great satisfaction. He knows he is shaping a child’s memories or sometimes fulfilling a childhood dream for a parent. When asked what he can do for clients, Alan says simply “whatever they dream of.
ABOUT THE INTERIOR DESIGNER: MICHELLE POLLAK
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Michelle Pollak, president and founder of The Lollipop Tree, Inc., is known for her award-winning childrens designs. She has been profiled in prominent magazines, newspapers and on television shows worldwide. Her television appearances include ABC’s 20/20, The Learning Channel, Discovery Network, The Travel Channel, and VH-1, as well as news programs and European television shows.
An acclaimed interior designer and color expert, Michelle works throughout the country, as well as internationally, and her products have been featured in FAO Schwarz and Neiman Marcus catalogues. Michelle believes “good taste should begin early” and that a well-designed environment is essential in supporting children’s creativity, emotional well-being, and physical health.
One of Michelle’s passions is color and the impact it has on a space. Her interest began while she was still in grade school and was assigned her first science project. With help from her father, a physicist, she made a color wheel which explained the science behind the colors we see. Recently, the French-based paint company, Eco-Deco, asked Michelle to create their children’s color palette, “The Lollipop Tree Nursery Collection.”
Michelle’s other passion is creating healthy interiors. A Founding Member of the Sustainable Furniture Council, Michelle feels it’s very important to “recognize the responsibility designers have for our environment, natural resources, and health. She offers green design options to her clients, focusing on natural and chemical-free products and finishes. Her children’s furnishings collection, which uses sustainable woods and non-toxic finishes, has won awards for its sophisticated style.
In addition to designing, Michelle has written a monthly design column for the Charleston Homebuilders Association and served as a national speaker for The American Society of Interior Designers’ panel of Distinguished Speakers.
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ASK THE DESIGNERS: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Where do you build?
We work throughout the country and internationally as well.
Do I need to put these houses together? How do they arrive?
These are not kits. The houses are built directly on each client’s property, providing a finished playhouse with nothing to “put together”. We are one of the only playhouse companies to build throughout the country, as well as internationally. The playhouses can also be shipped whole, if you prefer. Dog houses are either built on the client’s property (if it’s very large) or shipped whole.
How big are the playhouses?
Because they’re custom made, the playhouses vary in size. Some include only one room, whereas others have 2 or 3 rooms or several stories. We can build the playhouses to conform to local building codes or covenants. Each playhouse comfortably accommodates adults, once they duck through the door. This also helps ensure your child won’t outgrow the house too quickly.
What are the most requested features and amenities?
Most playhouse clients usually request lighting, electrical outlets and play kitchens. Some other popular options include running water, and multiple rooms (such as libraries or media rooms, storage areas, and sunrooms), and interior design. Popular requests for the dog houses include indoor/outdoor lighting, air conditioning for warmer climates, and special flooring to help keep pooches cool in the summer.
What is the average cost of a playhouse or dog house?
Because the houses vary in size and architectural detail, prices range widely. Most of our playhouses average between $15,000 and $50,000. Some start at about $9,000 and others run upwards of $75,000.
The dog houses also vary in price, with most averaging between $6,000 and $10,000. Some designs start around $4,000 while others can top $25,000 or more.
How big are the dog houses?
Each house is designed around your dog’s needs and your space requirements. Some houses are large enough to accommodate people, while others are tiny and cozy for toy breeds.
Have you designed houses for cats and other animals too? What are the different features in those?
We can design for almost any type of pet. So far, in addition to dog houses, we’ve created houses for pot-bellied pigs, cats, and chickens. The cat house we designed was for an alley cat that was homeless. The client lived in an apartment that didn’t allow pets. She wanted to offer shelter to a cat that always came by, so we designed a special home that she put on her porch for him. Cats require different things than dogs, and this client asked that we provide a separate dining area, bedroom” area, and litter area. Cats are particular and like to separate their activities.
What is the time frame?
Each playhouse and doghouse is custom designed, handcrafted, and individually signed. The entire process, from design to finished house, can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months, depending on the style, size, and location.
We try very hard to accommodate our clients time frames, and are usually able to do so. We regret that we cannot fulfill every request, as we build limited quantities each year. We offer a wait list when necessary, and always fulfill requests in the order in which we receive them.
What other services do you offer?
Our services include:
~ Interior design and/or consultation
~ Color selection
~ Accessories, kitchen furnishings, and artwork
~ Exterior accessories, such as custom arbors, swings, gates, mailboxes, etc.
~ Floor plans/design sketches
~ Playhouse plans
~ Custom playhouse components to go with the plans (such as windows, doors, window boxes, etc.)
~ Remodeling (yes, we remodel and update playhouses!)
What is the difference between a La Petite Maison playhouse and other playhouses?
~We specialize in truly custom houses.
~ Our master builder, Alan, custom designs and hand crafts each house to create exactly what you want.
~ We don’t mass produce, and nothing is built on an assembly line or in a factory.
~ We offer exclusive extras, including the option of specialized interior design services.
~ We usually build directly on your property to ensure a better finished product.
~ We also offer a shipping option, if you prefer.
~ We work with high profile clients and are sensitive to privacy and security needs.
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Please feel free to email or call us with any questions or inquiries.
843.216.6705. [email protected]
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