Are the sides open or screened in? If the sides allow light in and are not solid it might be okay. If it gets enough slanted morning sun coming in, and enough slanted afternoon sun it would prob be enough while keeping the direct overhead afternoon sun off. If the sides are solid -could they be rolled up? I put up a shade structure up using the shade cloth at lowes also. It is just about perfect as far as letting the light in (The leaves don't fry and everything still flowers). I was gonna use the gazebo tent we got but the kids sort of took it over lol. Perhaps you could try putting a tarp up on a few stakes and just sort of watch were the sun goes before taking all the effort of putting up the gazebo first? ~SJN

I know I will have to do this at some point and I am dreading it. I know there are methods now where they don't have to tent. I'm hoping that will be effective for me as I stuff planted ALL around the house including some palms that will likely have to be cut down :( On a small lot, you can't help planting around the house. I was told at one point I would have to remove my satellite dish, my fence that butts up to the house and all plants I didn't want fried. That was 2 yrs ago but I know I am biding my time. I haven't seen termite wings this last year though thankfully (I know, I know...they are doing their damage behinds the scenes LOL)

I'm a little late to this post, as I don't craft much anymore, except knit. We have had an E-Z UP since they first came out. Mom & Dad got if for us for an early Christmas gift that year, pai around $149 for it. Now you can get a 10 x 10 ( ours is an 8 x 8) for less that what mom paid. I can put the 8x8 up alone. Dad's is a 10 x 10, I think. I haven't put his up only a few times and had help, so I don't know if I could do it alone, but probably could. The new ones are much more stable than my old one is. The big thing to remember is that you need to stake them down, they come with what we call gutter spikes, for that purpose. Also, if it rains, you get pockets of water in the canopy. You need to keep the water drained out, remembering to not use your hands, due to the oil in your skin. It will make it leak! Use a yard stick or something. If it rains to hard, get the canopy off. We had ours actually collapse in a storm, and it was a bad enough one we didn't care if it ruined the ez up! We weren't going out in it to take the top off. We were camping at the time. In fact, we went to Wal-mart to get out of it, cause we didn't feel safe in the camper! But, they are long lasting if you care for them. We have had ours at least 6 years, probably a few more. Yes, my husband repaired it after the storm damage, and it's a little harder to put up, but it's still a good canopy. Oh, and if you are on black top or concrete, you can always use coffee cans filled with cement, or milk jugs full of sand to tie them down with. Tami

The mock up is a little box, shaped to scale like the room. Here's a pic of the ceiling: Inside the hole you see is the current light fixture, which is a hanging lantern currently installed in the room. They left the two walls blank so we could talk placement of furniture. His bed is a 1930's style bed, and it will be beneeth the monkey tree so below that will mostly be foliage. It won't be tucked tight against the window wall. On one side there will be a stack of antique suitcases (all made child safe) with his other lantern (when I find one good for a child's room). Then he has a short amoire which will go between the bed and the closet wall (the other blank wall). They'll paint some monkeys high in a tree playing with the giraffe above it, but still do the foliage all around the room. His only other piece of furniture is a small toy storage unit, in black wood and wicker. It will go in the corner opposite the lion, again blocking only foliage, not animals :) On the floor we'll have a few worn rugs like you might see in an African safari tent now a days, and then there will still be the canvas curtains in each corner. There are wood supports on each wall and around the ceiling like crown molding, which will appear to be holding the tent up. We have to keep the bed fairly simple so it won't block too much (It's not a huge room). I picked up some wonderful faux furs from Diva Design Fabrics for nothing which I will make into huge throw pillows for the floor, and I also picked up several of those $1.99 twin cotton duvets from Ikea on our last trip outside which I'll be using for his comforters. I've also been collecting seffra bedding (twin size) in white, tan an browns, for his bed decor. They're amazingly cheap if you only get one or two things (like a brown pillow slip etc). I love ebay LOL The back wall, where the lion is, and the window wall, are the primary decorative walls. They're not really good for furniture placement given that they have a door opening up into the room (which would hide the lion somewhat when open all the way) and then the window, which is off center on the shorter wall. The long wall with the monkey and giraffe are the best for furniture. I'm also having his closet built out on the inside so he won't need a dresser in the room. (We have one just outside the room in the family room that we will be using for him). I want to leave as much floor space as possible for play. I can't wait until they get started :) Today I have to go paint the closet doors and the trim in the base colors. The artist that is doing the walls is still at work upstairs, but he'll be done on Tuesday, then he'll be working on the mural with his wife who is also an artist (she does the animals, he does the trees). I know it's an over the top room :) LIterally with that ceiling, but for both DH and myself, it's nice to imagine him enjoying it, since we had many times in his first year that we didn't expect him to make it to toddlerhood. And having my design come to life (I could NEVER have done this well) is really a kick. Gad knows in two years the kid will want Star Wars on the walls LOL. But we'll try to talk him out of that for a while. Hopefully Sue is right, his friends might talk him out of it instead :)