Caravan Cubby just for kids

Is there any end to the vintage caravan craze?

A boutique Australian construction company has capitalised on the growing popularity of vintage caravans by introducing a clever twist on the children’s outdoor cubby house.

The owners of the Melbourne business originally bought an old van with the intention of turning it into a cubby house for their young children. But after deciding it would be better used as a stylish holiday van, the idea of manufacturing a retro caravan-style cubby came about.

Launched in late-2013, Caravan Cubbies supplies a small range of cute cubbies in flat pack form, ready for assembly, with styling reminiscent of 1950s teardrop vans.

Painted white with a choice of red, blue, green or pink exterior highlights, they’re manufactured locally from a combination of PVC, melamine and acrylic sheeting, with plywood and treated pine for the floor and frame and perspex windows.

A cheaper plywood, pine and masonite version, that arrives raw and can be painted any colour, is also available.

Weighing 144kg, the pre-painted Caravan Cubby measures 1.8m high, 2.6m long and 1.2m deep when assembled. Interior furniture supplied is limited to a built-in bench seat.

Pricing starts at $1495 for the basic plywood Teardrop cubby to $1995 for the painted version. Add extra for delivery throughout Australia, or pick up for free from Melbourne. Assembly takes two people around three hours, according to the Caravan Cubby website.  

As well as finding homes in domestic gardens, the Caravan Cubby is also attracting interest in the commercial world. A custom built version with Union Jack livery recently found a home in the showroom of a MINI dealership in Melbourne.