boho chic: backyard cabana

august always feels to me to be the most relaxed part of summer...

as the light changes to a richer hue with autumn's approach,

i see this month as 'Summer's Golden Hour' and want to lean into the slower pace.

so for the next few weeks, i'll be re-visiting some of my past blog content

featuring some 'boho chic style' that fits current design + decor trends.
(and i've tucked in some NEW versions of those projects, too!)

 i hope you are inspired to try some of them!

continue reading for the biggest, baddest, 'boho-est' project i've ever undertaken...
and learn my tips on how YOU can do it, too!

the project? i turned a 20' X 20' party tent into a fabulous bohemian 'glamping' tent...

inspired by lush bedouin tents and high-end resort cabanas,

i pulled simple elements together to create a temporary living space.

[then hauled it to a farm and re-assembled it. i do not recommend that.]

this project began by setting up the tent structure in our backyard
[it was normally used as a booth at vintage shows]
then deciding how to use the space efficiently using what we already had on hand
and of course, how i would DECORATE IT so we could LIVE in it for four days!

we needed:
 a place to sleep and change clothes - bedroom.
a place to prep easy meals (plus a fabulous dinner for our hosts) - kitchen/dining area.

and a place to relax before and after very long, hard working days - lounge.

 the floorplan + construction:

the bedroom is on the top right, created with thin plywood panels as exterior walls,
a wood screen door at an angle across the back corner for ventilation,

and large white tarps as interior dividing walls. drop cloth curtains closed for privacy.

(this was the only area we really needed privacy - the tent was in a huge field!)
all of those materials were affixed to the steel tent frame using heavy duty zip ties.

kitchen /dining area is on the lower right.

one thin plywood panel formed a windbreak behind the counter.

the rest is lounge space, with either open walls or simple mesh curtains.
our primary use of this space was very early mornings and late evenings,
so we wanted to be able to look out across the open fields as we relaxed.
the mesh curtains were threaded onto clothesline rope, strung between posts.
the posts were wrapped with white cotton sheets.

the furnishings + decor:

lightweight + collapsible furnishings include plastic chairs, small cafe' chairs, and small tables.
two queen size blow-up beds are covered in matlasse' and chenille bedspreads,

then heaped with pillows for comfortable seating and sleeping.

an old wood barn door set across sawhorses formed the kitchen counter,

while a rolling metal cart beneath it held cooking utensils and dishes.

a collapsible gas barbecue was easily pulled out from under the tent for use,
and a vintage metal ice chest kept our small food supply cool and safe from critters (raccoons!)

a small metal Moroccan-style coal heater held pieces of a firelog to warm toes each morning.
(a $5 thrift store find, i painted the original rusty brass with heat-proof silver spray paint)

candle lanterns, tap lights, and one killer chandelier provided light in the evenings...

a battery charger unit provided power to the chandy for about two hours
(and was recharged each day, plugged into electric down at the barn).

i went with a relaxing neutral palette of white, tan, and silver...
and i literally raided my own house + patio for everything you see!

i was happy with the way the color palette helped create a serene setting to enjoy.

floaty fabric curtains soften the hard edges and shade the space from bright sun.
they looked really stunning when they were hanging loose... 

 sadly, it was so windy, they had to stay tied during the day or they ended up a tangled mess.
[ if i built this again, i would use weighted clips across the bottoms of the mesh curtain panels.]

the thing is, you don't have to have a huge party tent for results like this...

i've used a 10X10 popup canopy as the base for a scaled-down version of the cabana:

the walls were canvas drop cloths zip-tied to the pop-up frame,

with a few 5' slatted shutter panels on the back wall to let fresh air flow thru. 

the door was mesh curtains for ventilation. [privacy? nah. it faced a large pasture, 

and only the bull & llamas in that pasture could look into our tent at night!]

vinyl and canvas tarps created a soft floor and a bit of a 'porch' in front.

furnishings were a blow up bed, a few wire crates to hold clothing, and plastic lounge chairs.

no chandelier - just a few candle lanterns and tap lights for illumination.

i 'decorated' with tan & white linens, pillows, a mosquito net canopy over the bed,

and a ruffle across the front of the tent (made from an old tiered midi skirt!)

still relaxing, airy, and enjoyable. much simpler and faster to set up.

this just goes to show that you can scale an idea up or down to make it work for you...

how to create a luxe cabana:

start with a structure: a large party tent, perhaps - or a simple pop-up tent.

(be sure to anchor those to the ground with weights and/or tie lines.)

even an existing covered patio or gazebo would work.

decide how much privacy you want/need.

should there be solid walls to block sun/views/noise? use thin plywood panels

or hang large tarps/drop cloths to screen out unwanted distractions.

DO remember to allow enough open space on each wall to let air into the space.

soften the hard edges:

hang fabric, sheets, curtain panels, drop cloths, or mesh curtains

across the open areas  (zip ties work well on every structure, as does my clothesline idea),

then tie the panels back to the posts on your structure for a graceful 'swoop'.

cover the ground with rugs, tarps, or drop cloths for a soft finish.

add lighting:

hang lines of patio or holiday lights across the interior roof, or across a wall.

bring in lanterns with battery-op candles (be safe!) or tap lights in corners.

or, hang a chandelier and plug it in with an extension cord!

(heavy duty zip ties work well for this)

create relaxed seating with inflatable air mattresses, cushions, 

chairs that are low to the ground, or even camp cots!

cover with cozy fabrics, then load them up with pillows for comfort.

add a low table in the center for convenient serving of treats.

add green plants at the entry and in corners to make it feel like an oasis,

and a vase of beautiful foliage or flowers on a table.

they add color as well as scent!

don't forget music...

create a playlist that sets a mood, bring out some wireless speakers, and hit play.

or simply plug in a small fountain to fill the air with tranquil sound.

when it's time to enjoy,

bring out some tasty eats, refreshing beverages, a book, and a friend.

you can use your new space for a party, daily meditation,

writing, napping, or actually camping!

___________________________________

and since i KNOW you're gonna' ask....

the WHY:

no, i don't normally go THIS all-out when camping!

but Joe and Jermonne 'The BarnHouse Boys',

hosts of the Battle Ground, Washington 'BarnHouse Marketplace' vintage shows,

decided to have 'a little friendly competition' among vendors, and instigated 'a shenanigan'

wherein participants would create whimsical lodgings to stay in during their July 2009 show.

when i heard that Cindy, Queen of Tarte, was bringing A CIRCUS TENT,

i knew i needed to step up my game!

our big tent ended up being a true show-stopper

and Cindy wasn't able to bring her circus tent after all... so we won the challenge!

[she and the other vendors at the show dubbed our abode 'the Taj Ma Tent']

during the two days that the BarnHouse Marketplace vintage show was open to the public, 

the meadows were filled with cars and other campers, and thousands of attendees & shoppers.

many of them thought that the Taj Ma Tent had been created as a resting area for them!

since we were off in our booth selling our wares, we didn't mind sharing.

while we were working,

professional photographer Robin Laws took gorgeous photos of the Taj Ma Tent:

this photo appeared on the title page of her article about the BarnHouse event

in the Winter, 2010 issue of Somerset Life Magazine:

what a joy to have something we created appear in her wonderful feature story on the Boys!

i'll be honest, it WAS a lot of work setting that baby up. and tearing her down.

but oh, was it FUN! and it was wonderful to see it enjoyed by so many people.
 i hope it inspires you to create something similar!

find Robin Laws Photography here

sadly, the BarnHouse Marketplace show and Retreat Home are no longer in business.

shared online:

creatively beth | creative crafts linky party #53

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