You don’t have to be a kid to want your own treehouse, and actually living in a treehouse is more viable than you think! We were inspired by Cypress Valley Canopy Tours’ luxury treehouses, located outside of Austin. Practically floating among the trees is a multi-teared treehouse system complete with a kitchen unit, a bedroom/living room unit and a crow’s nest for ultimate sightseeing. All of this is surrounded by gorgeous decking where you can just relax and take in nature and all its beauty. Oh, and did we mention it even comes with air conditioning?

The owners actually built all of the treehouses on their property with their own hands. You can see the labor of love in every detail, from the wood they chose to the thoughtful design. Just because we adore this place so much, we’ll also mention that they offer zipline tours along the tree-lined creek, including nighttime adventures lit up by fireflies and paper lanterns. It’s a magical way to experience the Texas landscape.

So maybe you don’t have the time or interest in building something so elaborate, but having your own treehouse can be pretty easy. Still, you should give yourself a moment to dream. You could have a gingerbread Victorian, a rustic cabin, an open-sided yoga studio or something even more unique. Here are some tips to get you started.

1. First things first – you can’t have a treehouse without a tree, so make sure to choose a sturdy one in a good location, because once this thing is built you won’t want to take it down.
2. One of the first rules of treehouse building is make it light-weight. You should keep weight and stability in mind the entire time. Instead of having a foundation like a house, your treehouse will have a platform.
3. Pick a wood that is strong yet rot-resistant.
4. Ask yourself some questions to help you make better design decisions. Are you building a treehouse for the kids or is this an adult hideaway? What kinds of things would you like to have in your new treehouse? A little kitchenette perhaps? Or just a lot of pillows you can lay back and take a nap on?
5. It’s very important that you properly level the floor to achieve stability. The load should be centered over the trunk and the weight spread out among several branches.
6. Build in gaps around branches and trunks so as to not restrict the growth of the tree.
7. Make your life easier by building sections of the house on the ground and then lifting them up into place.
8. However, before doing anything, you might want to check your neighborhood HOA and municipality regulations to ensure you won’t be breaking any rules.

Did we say this would be easy? Well, maybe not easy, but pretty amazing once it’s done. Of course, you can always call us if you need some help! For a consultation on a more traditional-sized home, please call us at 210-494-5400. If you wish to be added to our private email list for our newsletter, please sign up here.