Steve and Jeri Wakefield had the idea nine years ago to build a fancy tree house for their grandsons, Lincoln and Sullivan Scott, within their Dallas backyard. They hired family friend James Curvan to craft a whimsical playhouse with steeply pitched gables, multilevel decks and staircases. To maintain pace as their grandsons climbed, the Wakefields added exciting updates, such as a climbing wall, rope ladder, suspension bridge and zip point.
“To make a good tree home, you have to think like a child and take care of the tree,” Curvan says. A streak of steel articles, which Curvan painted the color of bark, support the child-size structure, even though a giant pecan tree grows through the home but does not tolerate any weight. Together with their grandsons all grown up now, the Wakefields invite kids from all around the area to their tree home mansion to play queen or king for a day.
Sarah Greenman
Project at a Glance
Owners: Steve and Jeri Wakefield
Location: Dallas
Size: 100 square feet; two exterior decks, two sleeping lofts and a crow’s nest
The Wakefields’ grandsons have been in preschool when Curvan constructed the tree home. “Some children have a hard time with ladders, so I generated a staircase with four landings,” the architect says. “That manner even little ones can feel secure and safe on their way to the very best.”
View a movie of this tree home in action
Sarah Greenman
The main floor is laid out like a typical mature residence, complete with kitchen, hearth, seating, storage and sleeping spaces. The Wakefields lovingly gathered the furniture and decor through recent years. Their favourite spot for classic toys and children’s furniture is First Monday Trade Days in Canton, Texas.
Flooring: Pergo laminate
Sarah Greenman
Jeri discovered the front window in a consignment shop and asked Curvan to put in it in front. The timber service detail beneath the rectangular window came from a Victorian-era bed frame.
Sarah Greenman
It took three months to build the very first structure, a 100-square-foot air-conditioned, dimly lit area. Curvan and Jeri, an artist who works with found items, both had tons of thoughts, all of which took the time to execute.
Sarah Greenman
The tree house’s front door has been repurposed from an old church member.
Sarah Greenman
The interior side of the doorway still shows the brand and manufacturer tag as well as the access box.
Sarah Greenman
A foyer inside front doorway boasts a window chair, a classic telephone (for play) and a view of this enormous stained glass rainbow window place at the rear of the home.
Sarah Greenman
Curvan discovered many uses for Jeri’s extensive collection of classic hardware. A Sinclair Oil doorknob shares space with three antique spigots that the kids use for Indices water, milk and tea.
Sarah Greenman
The kitchen area consists of a small table and chairs and a working refrigerator for maintaining cold juice boxes on hand. A family friend sewed small tablecloths with holiday themes to rotate in during the year. The Wakefields are currently dressing the tree home for their annual Easter egg hunt.
Sarah Greenman
A working light fixture casts a warm glow over an elevated sleeping attic suspended between the sides of the gabled roof. A number of the construction materials used in the playhouses of Curvan are repurposed. Engineered stone and wood are used during this one.
Sarah Greenman
Among the big factors for a playhouse in Texas is proper ac. Curvan set up a small $88 AC device beneath the home. A fan pushes the air up through a vent.
Sarah Greenman
A dining room with window seat provides a escape. The reclaimed window looks over the main property. “There are lots of little mementos round the tree home that come from past generations in our loved ones,” says Jeri. “You will find trinkets, buttons and plaques from every grandparent.”
Sarah Greenman
For security reasons Curvan installed Plexiglas from the windows on the main floor. He created the etched-glass look using a hand saw on a really shallow atmosphere to match the rest of the windows.
Through the window is the recently added crow’s nest in a tree.
Sarah Greenman
Curvan’s one gripe about his creation is the back door. “Adults often whack their heads on the minimal frame. I should have left the doorway either smaller or larger,” he says. Jeri glued Scrabble pieces over the doorway spelling out “watch your mind.”
Sarah Greenman
The rear door opens to a broad deck. Curvan likes to utilize small sample windows gathered from window manufacturers for his playhouses. A child-size café table and chairs complete the look.
Sarah Greenman
Among Jeri’s many artistic additions to this home is this set of mission illustrations from New Mexico. Children twist the wheel to create a succession of bell tones that may be heard across the yard.
Sarah Greenman
A couple of years after the initial construction, Curvan added a zip line from the tree house to the yard. The weight limit online is 100 pounds.
He produced a soft, secure landing pad against the back fence. A classic Moon Rocket–ride sign is nailed to the gate that opens to the zip line.
Sarah Greenman
A suspension bridge connects the tree home to a floating crow’s nest. A neighboring tree is home to some small glimpse that towers far over the Wakefield property.
Sarah Greenman
The architect wanted the platform to create as little effect as possible on the tree. He invented a structure that sits upon a sliding base constructed to sway and grow together with the tree. The base is bolted to the tree key points, and the platform is attached to the base.
Sarah Greenman
After taking a ride on the zip line, children climb back up to the home on a rope ladder on the rear side.
Sarah Greenman
Emerging from beneath the home is another one of Jeri’s art installments: a train created with found items, buttons, scrap wood and metal.
Sarah Greenman
Curvan still has a close relationship with all the Wakefields and proceeds to maintain the structure with love and care.
Your turn: Can you get a lively tree home in your garden? Share a photo below!
Next: View a movie of this play home decked out for the holidays
See the Wakefield’s Most Important home
Browse more beautiful kids’ rooms and play spaces