The Teenage Dream Pad
June 26, 2007 by Jennifer Chait
Filed under Home & Living
Now this is what every teen needs — their very own treehouse crash pad.
I haven’t been a teenager for…well, let’s just say a while now, and I’d live in a place like this. The fellow who built this home is Corbin Dunn. The treehouse is resting in Redwood trees in California’s Santa Cruz Mountains. According to his website he built the home using, “Common sense and a lot of nails.” You gotta love the simplicity of that.
This is not your childhood treehouse. Did your treehouse have this:
Or this…
This may not be your childhood treehouse but it’s also not one of those slick new treehouses you see in dream home planning books. It’s a more rugged and the furnishings well, did you see the title of this post? But personally I think that’s part of the charm.
Take a look.
Here’s one very cool perk:
On his site, Corbin says that if you moved the trees you would be able to see the ocean on a clear day. The above picture is what moved me to post this today. It completely reminds me of life in Humboldt, California where I lived for for years. I loved it there and still do. I’d settle there permanently if only my family and friends would move there as well.
Before the furnishings arrived…
Corbin was only 15 when he built this. That’s very impressive. I don’t know about you but I sure wasn’t taking on projects like this at 15. If you’d like to see more — including the entire building process in pictures visit Corbin’s Homepage. He’s also got some interesting mango and computer situations going on over at his site plus tons of other cool treehouse links. A highly recommended and entertaining visit.
What a nice calming post.
I think that with the fresh air, scent of redwoods, and the amazing views I could probably live in a place like this quite happily.
How about you?
[All photos courtesy of Corbin Dunn -- Thanks very much Corbin!]
I started building a treehouse once, I never finished. After reading this I sort of regret it. It would have been awesome. I had drawn up my own plans but as with a lot of teenagers I lost my motivation and with it lost my tree house…Great post.
I was impressed enough until I read he was 15 years old when he built it! I think of myself at 15… wow. Just wow.
I could use one of those right now and I’m not a teen either. It’s nuts around here right now.
*That is one talented kid!!
Well, here I go making mistakes again — technically Corbin was 20 when he built this one. He emailed me and said that he did build the ‘older’ one at that age but this is the newer one and he built that at 20. Like I told him – 15, 20… still very impressive. Plus he also said that this particular treehouse has been standing for 9 (9+) I think he said years. Cool house plus he seems very cool. Thanks for always visiting Crabby! You’re such a nice blog buddy.
I think Corbin should auction off a one weekend “retreat holiday” at his treehouse. Can you imagine the offers? He could take a few months off work and travel with the money he’d make.
Of course, I’m sure some high profile lawyer would bitch and moan about the liability of staying in accomodations without a proper fire escape, and Corbin would have to get special permits or something… blah, blah, blah. Regulations can really put a damper on creativity!
(FYI: I’m married to a lawyer. He’s trying to escape the law for this very reason. Go, my love! Run away and never look back!)
Thanks for the post. As usual, it brightened my afternoon!
Angelique, aka “Ms. My-Hips-are-a-Growin’-Every-Day”
I know people who have rented apartments that weren’t that nice
What really makes it is the shower, toilet and mini-fridge. You would hardly ever have to leave!
If I’d have had that treehouse as a youngster, I would have been able to begin my career as a hermit much sooner. And the view is stunning!
This is a great house tree!
Wonderful!
Here in Brazil we don’t have this tree-life!
We intend to do it, but we have less time and don’t have any big tree!
Let’s see,
Doug, you can always build a treehouse now — email back when you get one done and I’ll post the pictures! Angelique thanks for stopping by – -you leave such nice & funny comments. Well, that is if you are the usual Angelique? Maybe there’s two of you? I’ll have to click your link and find out.
Peggy, I KNOW! Seriously, I’ve lived in worse (not now because I’m technically a grown up — but I have). Of course I’d like to live in a trailer and travel the country so a treehouse like this looks big.
Felipe Køs, I got ya — I recently lived in New Mexico and we had no tree either. After Humboldt the NM lack of trees almost killed me. But now I”m back in NW so it’s all good.
Everyone — thanks for stopping by (I knew Corbin was cool! And look everyone agrees).
Great view. But when i was a teen I was dreaming of marrying a Spanish prince and living in a palace in Europe. That tree hut wouldn’t have cut the mustard
Heh, never mind using it as a tree house, I think I’d just move in.
Don’t you love it when people see their dream and just go for it?
I am not a teen and would love to have this. My teen kids love it too. they are planning their own for our big tree right now.
Hey, another Jennifer. Cool. I hope your kids make something wonderful. And Cath, yup we should act like this — it’s a good reminder.
So, Talia, did your wish come true?
Take care all.
This great. They didn’t even have trees big enough for one of these where I grew up. I would have loved having a refuge like this as a kid. It’s amazing to see the effort put into a tree house.
Thanks for the great article! As Jennifer said, I was really 20 when I built this treehouse, and it has been up there for 9 years. i only moved out 2 or 3 years ago when my girlfriend convinced me to move into a traditional house. it actually worked out great, and pushed me to get an excellent job at apple computer.
Hey it’s the treehouse builder himself! Neat, rarely do the guests of honor stop by — but we like it when they do. Thanks for visiting and for being what seems to be the most popular post ever here. People are probably erecting treehomes all over the country now.
Take care.
Not sure how I got to this site, but very cool.
I’m from Humboldt as well…and yeah it totally reminds me of home.
Thanks for sharing!
I am from Australia, a friend in canada sent me this link…and wow and more wow…Fantastic treehouse. I just wished my boys had this kind of imagination..to them sony,s, nintendo’s, sega is all my kids cared about…also i must compliment Jenniffer for getting this post going, and it has created a great discussion amongst us all…Thank You for sharing it…Roo
Hey Jessica and Roo, thanks for stopping by. It’s always great to hear anything from another Humboldt padre and Roo maybe if you let them play to their hearts content they’ll tire of it and dream about fresh air instead.
Thsnk you for sharing this , I was describing it to my dad who is 68 and has lost most of his sight due to a stroke and it brought tears to his eyes , rembering when he was a little kid and his dad and himself built a treehouse.
What it is to dream !!
Thank you again for sharing!!
Judy thanks for visiting — I think if I held awards for the nicest comment ever, you would win. I’m glad you were able to share this with your dad and I’m glad you came by to share it with us.
Thanks & take care.
~ Jennifer
Maybe if you moved back to Humbolt, and your friends and family visited, then they would follow your example and move there
Nik
Wow! What an amazing place for a teenager to hang out. They love to get away and be alone. I think that as a mom it would be perfect for me too. I’m the one that needs a place to get away!!!
OH WHAT A GREAT HOUSE.
Wow! Nice house!:D