The Most Incredible Kids' Tree House You'll Ever See?
Duck your head to enter this unforgettable Dallas wonderwork, lovingly crafted with imaginative delights
Sarah Greenman
March 29, 2013
Steve and Jeri Wakefield had the idea nine years ago to build an elaborate tree house for their grandsons, Lincoln and Sullivan Scott, in their Dallas backyard. They hired architect and family friend James Curvan to craft a whimsical playhouse with steeply pitched gables, multilevel decks and staircases. To keep pace as their grandsons grew, the Wakefields added exciting upgrades, including a climbing wall, rope ladder, suspension bridge and zip line.
“To make a good tree house, you have to think like a kid and take care of the tree,” Curvan says. A series of steel posts, which Curvan painted the color of bark, support the child-size structure, while a giant pecan tree grows through the house but does not bear any weight. With their grandsons all grown up now, the Wakefields invite children from all over the neighborhood to their tree house mansion to play king or queen for a day.
“To make a good tree house, you have to think like a kid and take care of the tree,” Curvan says. A series of steel posts, which Curvan painted the color of bark, support the child-size structure, while a giant pecan tree grows through the house but does not bear any weight. With their grandsons all grown up now, the Wakefields invite children from all over the neighborhood to their tree house mansion to play king or queen for a day.
Project at a Glance
Owners: Steve and Jeri Wakefield
Location: Dallas
Size: 100 square feet; 2 exterior decks, 2 sleeping lofts and a crow’s nest
The Wakefields’ grandsons were in preschool when Curvan built the tree house. “Some kids have a hard time with ladders, so I created a staircase with four landings,” the architect says. “That way even little ones can feel secure and safe on their way to the top.”
Houzz TV: Watch a video of the tree house in action
Owners: Steve and Jeri Wakefield
Location: Dallas
Size: 100 square feet; 2 exterior decks, 2 sleeping lofts and a crow’s nest
The Wakefields’ grandsons were in preschool when Curvan built the tree house. “Some kids have a hard time with ladders, so I created a staircase with four landings,” the architect says. “That way even little ones can feel secure and safe on their way to the top.”
Houzz TV: Watch a video of the tree house in action
The main floor is laid out like a typical adult home, complete with kitchen, hearth, seating, storage and sleeping spaces. The Wakefields lovingly collected the furniture and decor over the years. Their favorite place for vintage toys and children's furniture is First Monday Trade Days in Canton, Texas.
Floors: Pergo laminate
Floors: Pergo laminate
Jeri found the front window at a consignment store and asked Curvan to install it in the front gable. The wood support detail under the rectangular window came from a Victorian-era bed frame.
It took three months to build the initial structure, a 100-square-foot air-conditioned, electrically lit space. Curvan and Jeri, an artist who works with found objects, both had tons of ideas, all of which took time to implement.
The tree house's front door was repurposed from an old church organ.
The interior side of the door still shows the brand and manufacturer label as well as the access box.
A foyer inside the front door boasts a window seat, an antique telephone (for play) and a view of the enormous stained glass rainbow window set at the back of the house.
Curvan found many uses for Jeri's extensive collection of vintage hardware. A Sinclair Oil doorknob shares space with three antique spigots that the children use for pretend water, tea and milk.
The kitchen area consists of a small table and chairs and a working refrigerator for keeping cold juice boxes on hand. A family friend sewed small tablecloths with holiday themes to rotate in throughout the year. The Wakefields are currently dressing the tree house for their annual Easter egg hunt.
A working light fixture casts a warm glow over an elevated sleeping loft suspended between the sides of the gabled roof. Many of the building materials used in Curvan's playhouses are repurposed. Reclaimed wood and stone are used throughout this one.
One of the major considerations for a playhouse in Texas is proper air conditioning. Curvan installed a small $88 AC unit below the house. A small fan pushes the air up through a vent into the tree house.
A small reading nook with window seat provides a private getaway. The reclaimed window looks over the main house. "There are lots of little mementos around the tree house that come from past generations in our family," says Jeri. "There are trinkets, buttons and plaques from every grandparent."
For safety reasons Curvan installed Plexiglas in the windows on the main floor. He created the etched-glass look using a hand saw on a very shallow setting to match the rest of the windows.
Through the window is the recently added crow's nest in a neighboring tree.
Through the window is the recently added crow's nest in a neighboring tree.
Curvan's one complaint about his creation is the back door. "Adults frequently whack their heads on the low frame. I should have made the door either smaller or bigger," he says. Jeri glued Scrabble pieces above the door spelling out "watch your head."
The back door opens to a wide deck. Curvan likes to use small sample windows collected from window manufacturers for his playhouses. A child-size café table and chairs complete the look.
One of Jeri's many artistic additions to the house is this set of mission bells from New Mexico. Children spin the wheel to create a succession of bell tones that can be heard throughout the yard.
A few years after the initial construction, Curvan added a zip line from the tree house to the side yard. The weight limit on the line is 100 pounds.
He also created a soft, safe landing pad against the back fence. A vintage Moon Rocket–ride sign is nailed to the gate that opens to the zip line.
He also created a soft, safe landing pad against the back fence. A vintage Moon Rocket–ride sign is nailed to the gate that opens to the zip line.
A suspension bridge connects the tree house to a floating crow's nest. A neighboring tree is home to a small lookout that towers far above the Wakefield property.
The architect wanted the platform to create as little impact as possible on the tree. He devised a structure that sits upon a sliding base built to sway and grow with the tree. The base is bolted to the tree at key points, and the platform is attached to the base.
After taking a ride on the zip line, kids climb back up to the house on a rope ladder on the back side.
Emerging from under the house is another one of Jeri's art installations: a train made with found objects, buttons, scrap metal and wood.
Curvan still has a close relationship with the Wakefields and continues to maintain the structure with love and care.
Your turn: Do you have a playful tree house in your backyard? Share a photo below!
Next: Watch a video of the play house decked out for the holidays
See the Wakefield’s main house
Browse more amazing kids’ rooms and play spaces
Your turn: Do you have a playful tree house in your backyard? Share a photo below!
Next: Watch a video of the play house decked out for the holidays
See the Wakefield’s main house
Browse more amazing kids’ rooms and play spaces
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This tree house makes this grandma want to play in it. Fabulous!