It Was a Picnic Table That Actually Inspired This Kelly Green Home in Austin

An owner scaled up what he loved most about his beloved outdoor furniture: how off-the-shelf lumber could be used to make something as useful as it is beautiful.

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Project Details:

Location: Austin, Texas

Architect: Charles Melanson

Builder: Meeks Slack

Photographer: Andrea Calo / @andreacalo

From the Architect: “A friend of mine built a picnic table for my family several years ago. It was built from random leftover lumber. The pieces were sized, cut, and assembled and within a few hours the table was being used. It is still in my backyard and has been a dining table, cutting surface, plant potting area, and even a play place for my son and our dog.

“The shape and form are easily recognizable and forever useful. The picnic table requires all the pieces involved to be located specifically in order to do multiple tasks. Framing lumber provides both structure, surface, and space simultaneously.

“This small residential building located in Central East Austin is a tip of the hat to the refined craft of the humble picnic table in my yard. Architectural elements (walls, columns, roof, stairs) were pared down to the basics and precisely located and sized to provide structure, surface, and space. The color for this small-scaled building was chosen to match the surrounding trees in springtime and visually recess the building in the neighborhood. A home office/studio, breezeway, and under-stair storage are located on the first level, with a studio apartment, alley-side balcony, and storage on the second level.”