Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: An A-Frame Full of Treehouse Fun
A cabin nestled in the South Carolina woods holds surprises for all ages
The thrill of adventure experienced by kids in a treehouse inspired this cabin in the woods of South Carolina. Perched among the trees in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the A-frame includes an outdoor shower about 30 feet off the ground, a crow’s nest roof deck and a second-story cargo net lounge area above the family room. Ben Creasman, owner of design-build firm Owners Choice Construction, had lived in an A-frame for a time as a child, and those memories also informed the design.
The entry on the opposite side of the house opens up to the great room and kitchenette, and immediately upon entering, one has the feeling of living up in the trees. “I wanted this house to be fun and different,” Creasman says.
“I concentrated on the spatial layout, but I gave Ashley free rein on the finishes,” he says. She used a natural palette including several shades of green and botanical prints to tie the house to the outdoors.
“The exterior of the house is black, but inside we made it cozy, relaxing and bright,” Adams says.
Browse Oriental rugs in the Houzz Shop
“I concentrated on the spatial layout, but I gave Ashley free rein on the finishes,” he says. She used a natural palette including several shades of green and botanical prints to tie the house to the outdoors.
“The exterior of the house is black, but inside we made it cozy, relaxing and bright,” Adams says.
Browse Oriental rugs in the Houzz Shop
“The walls of the A-frame lead to other walls, so it was tricky to figure out what to do with paint,” Adams says. She used the same white throughout the house on most of the walls, then added the same tan hue to the millwork and windows. Along the TV wall she added a botanical wallpaper as an accent.
The floors are covered in wide-plank engineered hardwood. “We considered using luxury vinyl tile, but using wood was so important for a real treehouse feel,” Adams says.
The floors are covered in wide-plank engineered hardwood. “We considered using luxury vinyl tile, but using wood was so important for a real treehouse feel,” Adams says.
One of the most playful elements in the house is the cargo netting perch over the living room. Creasman found the netting on a treehouse website. “It’s strong enough to hold several of our big crew members at once, and it’s comfortable for three people to use it like they’d use a hammock,” Adams says.
Figuring out how to secure it was a bit tricky: While three sides are secured to beams, the window wall posed a challenge. Creasman found a quarter-inch coated steel cable to secure the netting along that wall. He hung more netting on the open side on the left for safety.
Figuring out how to secure it was a bit tricky: While three sides are secured to beams, the window wall posed a challenge. Creasman found a quarter-inch coated steel cable to secure the netting along that wall. He hung more netting on the open side on the left for safety.
The great room opens to a beautiful uncovered deck that measures 12 by 20 feet. To keep within budget while maintaining an open view of the forest, Creasman used hog wire on the railings. All the decks on the house are Trex.
Find a local deck and patio specialist
Find a local deck and patio specialist
To the left of the A-frame section is a two-story structure that has a screened-in porch on the main level, with the primary suite above it. “I thought about wrapping the deck to connect to the screened-in porch, but I loved the idea of being able to look straight down from the bedroom to the ground below,” Creasman says.
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Shop for Adirondack chairs
The kitchenette has it all, except for a range. Not installing a range meant Creasman could classify this as a kitchenette rather than a kitchen. In turn, that meant the cabin could be classified as an accessory dwelling. “We didn’t want this to be a place where people would camp out for a long time. It’s more of a weekend getaway place. And there are so many excellent restaurants in Greenville that our guests like to go out to eat or have takeout delivered,” he says.
The kitchenette does have a full-size fridge, a panel-front dishwasher, a microwave and a workstation sink. Adams found an inexpensive, readymade wood-topped island to separate the kitchenette from the great room. She used vertical tongue-and-groove paneling to add texture to the wall. The open shelving makes it easy to find everyday essentials. The large pantry cabinet on the right contains a coffee station and the microwave.
Faucet: Cassidy single-handle pullout in champagne bronze, Delta Faucet
The kitchenette does have a full-size fridge, a panel-front dishwasher, a microwave and a workstation sink. Adams found an inexpensive, readymade wood-topped island to separate the kitchenette from the great room. She used vertical tongue-and-groove paneling to add texture to the wall. The open shelving makes it easy to find everyday essentials. The large pantry cabinet on the right contains a coffee station and the microwave.
Faucet: Cassidy single-handle pullout in champagne bronze, Delta Faucet
Adams used various shades of green paint as an accent throughout the house to create a cohesive feel. Gold, champagne and brass finishes, as well as the wood shelf, warm things up.
The entry to the screened-in porch is located past the kitchenette’s pantry cabinet. The porch measures 20 by 20 feet and extends from the front of the house to the back. There are spaces for lounging and dining. Adams chose an outdoor rug to anchor the lounge space. A heater keeps things toasty on colder days, while two ceiling fans create a breeze when it’s hot.
There’s also a big TV out here. “After renters check out on Sundays, we like to go over to the cabin and watch sports out here,” Creasman says. “We turned on the heater and had a great time watching March Madness.”
There’s also a big TV out here. “After renters check out on Sundays, we like to go over to the cabin and watch sports out here,” Creasman says. “We turned on the heater and had a great time watching March Madness.”
“The powder room is really small with the stairs above it,” Adams says. “I wanted to create the most dramatic feel in here. It’s super dark and moody. There are double doors that open to it that are usually left open, so I swapped the toilet and the vanity on the original plans to create a focal point with the vanity.”
Adams sourced an inexpensive 24-inch vanity online to save money. The brass-and-green wall sconces are the icing on the cake.
Browse one-sink vanities in the Houzz Shop
Adams sourced an inexpensive 24-inch vanity online to save money. The brass-and-green wall sconces are the icing on the cake.
Browse one-sink vanities in the Houzz Shop
A tiger print wallpaper is a fun surprise and the trees in the pattern are right in keeping with the treehouse feel. “When Ashley came to me with the tiger wallpaper, she thought I would say, ‘What the heck is that?’ ” Creasman says. “But I said, ‘That is awesome!’ ”
“Because we had so many white walls, I used color to catch the eye and draw people to different spaces,” Adams says. “In addition to doing this with trim, I used green paint on the staircase railing. These little details kept us from having only all-white walls.”
At the top of the stairs is a loft area, where bunks are tucked into an alcove. “My wife was against this at first because she thought it should be a romantic getaway house for just a couple,” Creasman says. “But these beds make it more versatile for a group of four.”
Adams repeated the tongue-and-groove paneling and green paint around the bunks. She also added a reading light over each bed.
At the top of the stairs is a loft area, where bunks are tucked into an alcove. “My wife was against this at first because she thought it should be a romantic getaway house for just a couple,” Creasman says. “But these beds make it more versatile for a group of four.”
Adams repeated the tongue-and-groove paneling and green paint around the bunks. She also added a reading light over each bed.
Another staircase is located across from the bunk bed alcove. This photo also provides a view of the cargo net lounge.
A skylight door provides access to the crow’s nest roof deck. “This is such a great spot to do yoga in the morning or have a glass of wine at night,” Adams says. “It’s such a fun feature that makes you feel like a kid again.”
The amazing primary suite looks out on the tree canopy, with a serious drop below it.
“I wanted to make the room feel taller,” Adams says. “So I used a custom wood headboard and dramatic botanical drapes to draw the eye up.” The shade of green she used in here has more blue tones in it than the greens elsewhere in the house. It’s a soothing hue for a bedroom.
“I wanted to make the room feel taller,” Adams says. “So I used a custom wood headboard and dramatic botanical drapes to draw the eye up.” The shade of green she used in here has more blue tones in it than the greens elsewhere in the house. It’s a soothing hue for a bedroom.
The sliding barn door to the bathroom plays off the wood headboard. The shower is to the left. The tower on the right is for linen storage, and just past it is a toilet room.
“I wanted the room to feel like a spa with an outdoorsy scheme that would be soothing and fun,” Adams says. A brick tile floor brings in warm terra-cotta hues, and another botanical wallpaper print in warm tones plays off the terra cotta.
The designer mixed metals on the hardware, faucets and lighting and added two rattan-wrapped mirrors over the vanity for a natural texture. “I didn’t want anything to be matchy-matchy in here,” she says. Instead, she created ties between the finishes. For example, the drawer handles are wrapped in rattan to pick up on the mirror frames.
“I wanted the room to feel like a spa with an outdoorsy scheme that would be soothing and fun,” Adams says. A brick tile floor brings in warm terra-cotta hues, and another botanical wallpaper print in warm tones plays off the terra cotta.
The designer mixed metals on the hardware, faucets and lighting and added two rattan-wrapped mirrors over the vanity for a natural texture. “I didn’t want anything to be matchy-matchy in here,” she says. Instead, she created ties between the finishes. For example, the drawer handles are wrapped in rattan to pick up on the mirror frames.
The shower stall is the most spa-like element in the room, with its large size, full bench and mosaic tile floor. The fun comes in through that glass door at the back. “The door leads out to the outdoor shower. I wanted people to see something is happening past that door, and used the star tile pattern to draw them out there,” Adams says.
Check out our beginner’s guide to get started on your home project
Check out our beginner’s guide to get started on your home project
Adams chose a simple elongated subway tile with watercolor-like tones for the shower, orienting it vertically in a grid to draw the eye up. “In the past, materials like shiplap and subway tile have been oriented horizontally,” she says. “Placing it vertically makes it more modern and it makes the shower feel tall.” She repeated the shower floor tile in the shower niche for an accent. And the colors in the accent tile play off the outdoor shower’s star-patterned tile.
Creasman strategically placed the windows in the outdoor shower so that people could enjoy the outdoor views while still having privacy. He screened all the openings to protect against mosquitos and other bugs.
This is the entry side of the house. “Ben didn’t want windows on this side, because after the leaves fall you can see one of the other cabins,” Adams says. “This way it feels more private, and on the great room side, you cannot see any other houses.”
An entry porch leads to the front door. The swooped roofline adds a special touch to the exterior. Creasman chose paintable HardiePlank siding and vinyl windows from Andersen Windows & Doors’ 100 series. “These came in black, so they provided a sleek look with the black siding,” he says. Through the glass entry door, all the magical treehouse delights await.
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Cabin at a Glance
Who lives here: This is a family cabin belonging to Ben Creasman, owner of design-build firm Owners Choice Construction, and it’s also a short-term rental property
Location: Greenville, South Carolina
Size: 920 square feet (85 square meters); one bedroom, one full bathroom, one half bathroom
Architect: Ross Kistler of Project Plus
Interior designer: Ashley Adams of OC Design and Staging
Creasman bought 2 acres of wooded property in Greenville, South Carolina. It takes only about eight minutes to drive to downtown Greenville from here. There are two other cabins on the property, and he built the A-frame as an accessory dwelling. “My sister lives in England, so she stays on the property when she comes to visit,” he says. Even though it’s only about a five-minute drive from his house, Creasman and his family use it, sometimes for just a few hours to watch a game out on the screened-in porch. They also make it available for weekend rentals.
The 20-by-40-foot structure floats on large support posts and beams. The land beneath the house slopes, so on this side it’s up to 20 feet off the ground, and on the entry side it’s elevated about 12 to 14 feet. Creasman rendered preliminary plans on a tablet, then collaborated with architect Ross Kistler, who completed the final plans. His in-house designer, Ashley Adams, did the interior design.
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