In the early months of the pandemic, Matt and Julie Thomas began working on perhaps the most important job of their careers for their most important clients yet—a playhouse for their three kids.
School was out for the summer and indoor playdates were still a no-no, so the Thomas kids spent most of their time playing outside with neighbors. A playhouse was the perfect way to take the kids’ outdoor time to new levels of fun.
The husband-and-wife duo are used to tackling much larger projects—kitchen flips, garage conversions, additions—through Hinge Remodeling and Construction, their residential remodeling company in Charlottesville. Matt and Julie frequently work for clients with growing families or young children, so thoughtfully designed spaces that can adapt and grow alongside a changing family has become somewhat of a specialty for them.
“I was really resistant to building them a playhouse that was gonna just collect dust and rot somewhere in the yard,” says Matt. “The big aha moment was brainstorming with Julie and saying, ‘Oh, we can build them a shed.’ It’s full height, and once they grow up we can repurpose it.”
The kids also helped with the design, advising their parents on what fun elements they needed to incorporate. High on the wish list was a working elevator, a loft, trap doors, and tunnels.
Despite Mom and Dad’s best efforts, not all of the kids’ ideas made it in, but the finished playhouse is modern, practical, and promises endless amounts of fun.
“Our house was a 1950s Cape Cod. It was more traditional, so we thought it’d be fun to go a bit more modern with the playhouse, but still keep it feeling integrated,” says Julie.
A black, penetrating stain on the exterior pine board cladding gives the playhouse a contemporary look, and makes it cohesive with the house and other backyard structures. The 8’x8′ dimension ensures the inside isn’t cramped, and a high ceiling fits a ladder and loft. The pine board and galvanized metal roof were purchased new, but most of the other materials were bought secondhand or repurposed from other projects. The skylight came from Habitat for Humanity, and the countertops are repurposed IKEA bookshelves.
And when the kids eventually outgrow the playhouse, the loft can easily be torn down and the structure can be converted into a sauna, garden or potting shed, man cave, or she shed.