Play house builder enjoys booming business

MODEL HOME- One of Arthur Gelb's fantasy play houses resembles a fine manor house. Gelb creates a variety of play structures for children through his company Folk Art Playhouses.

Business has become child's play for one entrepreneur.

It started when Arthur Gelb built a miniature cottage that was displayed at a retail outlet specializing in backyard play equipment. That led to the opening of Folk Art Playhouses, founded in 2006 in Van Nuys.

Interested buyers made requests that inspired Gelb to expand to three playhouse models and add Dutch doors, operating windows, lofts, porches and larger dimensions.

Recently Gelb created a madetoorder playhouse for an 8yearold Westlake Village resident, a gift from her parents. The birthday girl designed a manor house with dormers, a balcony and an interior loft. She chose the paint colors, style of doors, window shutters and floor covering.

Gelb's newest creation is a pirate ship 6 feet wide, 14 feet long with a 12-foot mast that flies the Jolly Roger. The forward deck has a slide and a cannon, and the rear cabin has a captain's loft.

Folk Art playhouses are weatherresistant and are constructed using professional building materials and nontoxic waterbased paints. The playhouses are made in panels for ease of delivery. The company delivers and constructs every house sold.

For more information, call (818) 988-1652.