They met when their two kids went to high school together about a decade ago.

A longstanding friendship started between the two Vancouver families, and with it, a shared affection for the outdoors.

They’ve gone on long walks, camping trips, and enjoy meeting in each other’s backyard gardens almost every week.

“I’m a chef so we always have barbeques together outdoors,” David Maranda related to the Straight in a phone interview.

Along the way, Maranda and wife Colleen would talk with Angelito Camaclang and Laurel James about starting some sort of company together.

Camaclang and James founded Novell Design Build in 2005, and have been constructing homes in and around Vancouver for many years.

For their part, the Marandas have extensive experience in hospitality, business, and marketing.

When COVID-19 struck, the idea for a business crystallized.

“Together we are uniquely qualified to craft outdoor environments that work for people,” Maranda related.

In the summer of 2020, Novella Outdoors was born.

It’s a company dedicated to helping families enjoy their outdoor living space through various services.

These include landscaping and hardscaping (example: driveways); outdoor kitchens, dining areas, firepits and showers; select outdoor furniture and related items; and Novella’s core product called the “signature sheds”.

Maranda noted that the pandemic led to lifestyle changes.

“For most people, backyard staycations became a reality and many people became woefully aware of neglected back yards,” he noted.

Moreover, the demands of multi-generational living and having to work from home have put a strain on spaces available for all.

Maranda said that these factors had the two families envision a business that would embrace the outside space of a home.

At the heart of Novella Outdoors’s business is its custom-made sheds.

Available in various sizes, the huts can be used for practically any purpose.

The sheds could serve as backyard offices, pool houses, glamping cabins, workout and yoga studios, contemplative retreats, artist studios, sound rooms, and entertainment dens.

In the interview, Maranda recalled to the Straight that the first Novella Outdoors shed was installed at a North Vancouver home for recreational purposes.

The client plays his guitar in the shed, and the family had video gaming equipment installed.

“The children use it for playdates and parties,” Maranda said.

Novella Outdoors’s signature sheds are “plug and play” installations, which are powered by an electrical extension cord from the main house.

The sheds are made of western red cedar, and come with a metal roof, two casement windows, skylight, designer lights and dimmer switches, and USB ports.

“It gives you a tranquil place where you can live, work, and play outdoors without the distractions of the home,” Maranda said.

With Novella Outdoors, Maranda believes that he and his friends have come up with a business that will remain relevant beyond the pandemic.

"We truly feel that the need for space beyond the home will continue to be a factor in our lives," Maranda said.

For more details: www.novellaoutdoors.com