Thursday, 21 August 2014

The Growing Trend Of Treehouses For Adults

By Deanne Shepard


Imagine going to sleep at night with the rustling sounds of bird life in the branches. Imagine waking up in the morning and looking out over a forest while eating breakfast. Treehouses for adults are built to fulfill dreams such as this. These houses have outgrown their role as merely playhouses for children and are increasingly being constructed for other purposes.

The popularity of such houses is evident in the formation of a World Tree Association that holds conferences for those involved in this industry. Many specialist companies are involved in their design and construction. They are built wonderfully and strangely in all sorts of shapes and designs and are often featured in designer blogs and architectural magazines.

Despite the growing popularity, the fact that it is often the strangest versions that receive the most attention, results in many people not even considering the possibility of owning one. They feel that it is only celebrities and the very rich who qualify and do not realize that more moderate, affordable versions are available. After all, most of us have dreams of living closer to nature, especially due to the complex, stress filled lives we often lead.

There are many different uses for such houses. Some are used as a refuge or retreat, others as a spare bedroom or even as a studio or office space. There are those who live permanently in such houses and these obviously have to have kitchens and bathrooms as well as bedrooms and living areas. There are even such houses that function as treetop hotels or restaurants.

Designing and constructing such houses offers its own unique set of challenges. This is why it is essential to enlist the services of a company that has experience. Factors such as how healthy the tree is and whether it will support the house in all weather is vital. The design and construction have to take the tree into account and make sure that it remains healthy and able to support the structure.

These houses come in a great variety of shapes and forms and the boundaries of possibility are constantly being pushed. Some are made of spheres or globes of plywood suspended from cables between trees. This is adaptable to many tricky situations. Some resemble nests and are constructed by weaving branches together to form enclosed spaces. Others offer precision engineering and all the creature comforts.

Eco-friendly custom built varieties are offered by companies using only reclaimed materials. Water is collected and recycled. Double glazed windows offer comfort and energy efficiency. Photovoltaic panels are used to provide electricity.

The size of the treehouse, the location, the materials, the level of finishes required are all factors that determine cost. Each project is different and this is why a site visit is necessary. A site visit is usually charged for as it involves tree selection, conceptual drawings and rough budgeting. More and more people are realizing that this is within their reach. It is interesting to contemplate whether this trend will eventually end in the existence of tree-communities in the future.




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