A simple backyard picnic table became the unexpected inspiration for a distinctive kelly green residential building in Central East Austin, Texas. Architect Charles Melanson drew from the humble functionality and honest construction of outdoor furniture to create a small-scale building that embodies the same principles of efficiency and multi-purpose design.
The inspiration came from a picnic table that a friend built for Melanson's family several years ago using random leftover lumber. "The pieces were sized, cut, and assembled and within a few hours the table was being used," Melanson explained. "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." This versatile piece of furniture demonstrated how off-the-shelf materials could create something both beautiful and endlessly useful.
Melanson was particularly struck by how the picnic table's shape and form remained easily recognizable while serving multiple functions. "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," he noted. This observation became the foundation for his architectural approach to the Austin project.
The resulting building, constructed by Meeks Slack, serves as what Melanson calls "a tip of the hat to the refined craft of the humble picnic table." The architectural elements including walls, columns, roof, and stairs were deliberately pared down to basics and precisely positioned to provide structure, surface, and space in the most efficient way possible. Each component serves multiple purposes, much like the individual pieces of the original picnic table that sparked the concept.
The building's distinctive kelly green color was chosen strategically to blend with the surrounding neighborhood environment. Melanson selected the vibrant hue to match the area's trees during springtime, allowing the small-scaled structure to visually recede into its urban context rather than stand out as an intrusion. This thoughtful color choice demonstrates how contemporary architecture can respect and respond to its natural surroundings.
The two-story structure maximizes functionality within its compact footprint. The ground floor houses a home office and studio space, along with a breezeway and under-stair storage that takes advantage of every available square foot. The second level contains a studio apartment complete with an alley-side balcony and additional storage, creating a complete living space that maintains the building's efficient design philosophy.
Photographer Andrea Calo documented the completed project, capturing how the building's clean lines and purposeful design create both visual appeal and practical functionality. The structure stands as a testament to how everyday objects and their underlying principles can inspire innovative architectural solutions that serve contemporary urban living needs while maintaining aesthetic integrity and neighborhood compatibility.
