Gerringong, NSW – A Beach Bungalow Cubby House

Continuing our series of blogs where we introduce you to some of our client’s cubby house play spaces, we bring you this delightful set up in Gerringong on the south coast of NSW! Jasmine and Rob, along with their boys Flynn and Beau (and dog Cohen), live amongst wineries and historic dairy farms in this beachy town. Once again, we’ve been blessed with some amazing client photos of an interstate self-installation!

Train driver Rob is pretty mechanically-minded and loves a handyman project. Teacher Jasmine is a stickler for instructions, and thus, an all-star cubby building duo is born! Not long after despatching a dismantled cubby house, accessories and instructions, Jasmine tagged us in the photo below … are your hearts completely melted yet?!

Flynn and Beau had been asking for a cubby house for quite some time, and while Mum and Dad initially planned to surprise them, Valentine’s Day rolled around and they decided to spend the day on this project together as a family (nawwww!!) and have it ready for Flynn’s fifth birthday a few days later. The boys love construction and playing with their wooden tool kits, so it was a dream activity for them!

Jasmine discovered us on Instagram, and says the idea of making cubbies from apple crates sparked her love of DIY and upcycling. Their backyard is not massive, and they wanted a unique cubby that made a playful statement. Once she decided on the Beach Bungalow theme, they checked their space and layout. A Midi cubby was perfect, but the addition of lots of decking and deck chairs gave extra space for lounging in the sun. They painted the exterior black, and the back interior wall white, leaving the rest raw.

When family and friends visit, the first thing they do is compliment the cubby, even suggesting they AirBnB it! There’s been many a summery afternoon nap in the cubby – everyone needs a siesta after eating pretend sandy sangas and juice!

We asked Jasmine how she decided on the cubby details and styling pieces: “We are very much a beachy family and love everything about coastal living. Having two boys, we wanted to design a cubby that was fun, a little masculine, and incorporated their love for the ocean. That’s where the idea of building a ‘beach bungalow’ stemmed from. A little haven in the backyard where they can enjoy the salty air, listen to the waves and enjoy a laid back surf shack vibe. As our home is inspired by soft colours and natural materials, this has also been incorporated into the cubby. This includes a jute rug, wooden table, white chairs and Turkish towels which were all sourced for the interior decor”.

The ‘Ankle Snappers’ menu was inspired by the family tradition of Friday Fish n Chips – the Fitzy Fries are named for local professional surfer Sally Fitzgibbons!

Jasmine and Rob are continually adding to the cubby play space. It is now decked out with solar powered lighting (with the option of indoor lighting or serving window lighting – !!!). They love a cosy campfire night in the backyard, so now the boys can continue their play under the stars. The installation of a vintage hand water pump next to the mud kitchen has heightened their imaginative play even further.

All images here were kindly supplied to us by Jasmine – a huge thank you! There were just too many to choose for the post, so here is a full gallery for you all to have a gander!