Eye candy of the week

Property: Tallulah’s Folly, 1220 Turner St., Lansing

Owner: Clair Lindemann

Assessed value: $100,700

Lansing residents love their outdoor spaces, clamoring for them at the first waft of warmth. One of these beloved outdoor spaces is the courtyard at Tallulah’s Folly in Old Town. Whether for feasting on delicious food from a food truck or to relax during an afternoon of shopping, the courtyard is an oasis.

And why is it so great? Because it follows all of the rules of a great outdoor urban space. It is of good scale (not too big and not too small), well articulated and defined by edges. Visually pleasing, sorbet-colored masonry walls define the sides with planters filled with beautiful plants lining their edges. It is whispered that these walls may become living walls home to vines and foliage. The entry to Tallulah’s is the terminated vista at the end of the courtyard. It is also a sensory place that plays to more than just the visual sense: Glass glitters in the concrete paving and the sparkling sound of water from the fountain greets you, beckoning you in. 

David Gregware, owner of Tallulah’s Folly, saw what few did: An opportunity to create a really inviting place in what was once a driveway to a garage. It has been transformed into a magical bit of urbanism.