This Home Has an Indoor Slide, and Now We Need One
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Just because you're serious about interior design doesn't mean interior design has to be serious. And that's exactly why we love this playful idea: a slide leading down to a combination mudroom and laundry room is definitely the best way to make laundry a lot more fun.
When the owner of the Austin, Texas, home first mentioned the idea to architect Tim Brown, he thought she was kidding. She wasn't. In her mind, the playful feature for her three kids would tie together the room's multiple functions (laundry, entry drop zone, office, and storage space for sporting gear). Plus, it serves a practical purpose as a laundry chute from the second floor and floods the room with natural light via its shaft.
Brown had never designed a slide for a home before, but he got to work and ordered the custom steel structure from an Indiana company that makes oversize slides for firehouses.
It took a bit for Brown to adjust to the finished product, though: "We had underestimated the visual scale of the slide itself," Brown told Houzz. "When the framing was completed, the shaft opening was cut, and it did not look too menacing. Once the slide arrived and was placed, it was a beast. It took a few visits for me to get used to the hulking structure. Now it just blends right in."
Of course, we just had to ask if Brown took a turn down the slide himself: "Yes," he tells CountryLiving.com. "It was a bit tight for a 6' 2" tall guy. It was fun, however."
The youngest residents approved too: "The kids have mastered the talent of walking up the slide barefoot with a snack in their hands," Brown said. "It's pretty impressive. Note: The slide is not intended for dogs—even though it's tempting."
The idea seems to be catching on. Brown says he's in the middle of constructing two more for clients right now.
The rest of the house is pretty incredible and kid-friendly too. Check it out below!
[h href= 'https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/82061124/list/new-this-week-3-incredibly-creative-features-for-kids' target= '_blank">Houzz']
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