Creative Kid’s Space

PHOTOS Micky Hoyle PRODUCTION Sumien Brink WORDS Matt Allison

When his young son started saying he was “off to the office”, this work-from-home father decided it was time to create a functional kid’s area.

You don’t usually expect to hear: “I’m off to my office” coming out of the mouth of a two-and-half-year-old but, alas, I’ve raised an artist. You see, I believe that every child deserves to grow up with an appreciation for design, decor and architecture, both form and function.

I come from a line of craftsmen. My grandfather tinkered away in his workshop 24/7, teaching me to wire a plug at the tender age of 10. I remember him fondly, and his legacy lives on through his tools, which I still have and use daily. My stepfather, a master craftsman, taught  me the value of things – not just their cost. 

I learned the intricacies of a dovetail joint, the practicalities of a biscuit joint and even how to upholster a chair (though nowhere nearly as professionally as an upholsterer). Having these skills allowed me to design what would become Nathan’s “office”.

As a work-from-home father with my own studio, my son felt the need for his own, carrying around an old computer mouse, “plugging” it into all sort of things and creating makeshift laptops on the go. 

It’s not uncommon, after enjoying our breakfast, for him to pack his backpack and “head out for the day”.

The core structure of the “office” is based around a standard 1.8m x 2.4m timber-framed Wendy house. The raised deck provides additional recreational seating when entertaining, and the almost floor-to-ceiling aluminium corner window allows us to keep an eye on things. 

Inspired by my love of Nordic cabins and their use of dark stains, I settled on using Plascon’s Wall & All (in Black) for the exterior. To withstand the radical temperature changes between the Cape’s seasons, I insulated it in 50mm Isotherm, a material made from recycled PET bottles, cladding the interior with 8mm pine ply.

I hired contractors to realise it all, only to be let down, firing them midway and then completing it myself over a particularly long and rainy winter. The end result bears the tool marks of an avid DIYer, but I learned the joy was not in perfection, but in the process.

When the time came to add accents and features, I called upon designer Joe Paine. He mapped out a configuration for the adjacent brick wall using his modular Kreep Planter system and went to work designing custom planters. It escalated and we added a set of Joe’s concrete TriHard stools and have subsequently added several additional pieces to our home, including his charming bird Fold Feeder.

The modular ply storage boxes house various toys and books and, along with the wall organiser, were part of a series of DIY projects I conceptualised and designed for Plascon, the step-by-step instructions of which can be found on my website curatethisspace.com.

The “boardroom” table is a recent acquisition and comprises a Duco-sprayed MDF tabletop, fabricated by my stepfather, and sits atop a pair of custom basic trestles designed by Cape Town makers, Thingking. 

I contacted Marc Nicolson and Lyle Sprong and asked if they’d be willing to shrink their standard design to toddler size. They graciously did so and these have been a great talking point when friends bring their kids over for play dates.

On sunny days, Nathan sits outside on the deck, rocking back and forth in his Eames-esque rocker, taking in the garden view – no doubt using the downtime to plan his next masterpiece.

Visit curatethisspace.com for more Matt Alison inspiration.