The Next Cool Thing

The Sanctuary Treehouse is inspiring vacationers and prompting a trend. Photo by Justin Mitchell

Vacationers at a Woodfin property share a bird’s-eye view with whichever bird happens to land on the house’s support system. High among a grouping of tall trees, anchored by just two of them with no manmade posts for ballast, is a 500-square-foot treehouse that’s become a go-to spot for visitors.

The trend is flourishing. Many more treehouses have already been sited adjacent to the Serenity subdivision north of Asheville, plus a Hobbit Hole worthy of Bilbo Baggins — a literal and figurative underground project that’s still shrouded in secrecy.

The original treehouse, owned by Michael and Caroline Parrish, was built by DIY Network’s The Treehouse Guys and first rented last April. So why such a tricky concept?

“Why not?” says Caroline Parrish. “Honestly, it was one of those things where we had property, so [we thought], what could we do that is cool and out of the norm? We started talking about it five years ago, and it has been a labor of love. Asheville brings in all kinds of people.”

So the Parrishes chose to cater to that more adventurous strain of tourist, deciding, “‘Let’s give it a shot and see what happens.’”

A video on social media, posted by HGTV, greatly accelerated the treehouse’s rental potential. The home-improvement giant culled footage from The Treehouse Guys’ episode (which aired in last year’s season two) and a Facebook Live show to make a short clip about the property. The response was “crazy,” Parrish says. In January and February, the slow rental months, the home was booked through Airbnb (at $199 a night) around 90 percent of the time.

Marriage proposals have taken place there. Visitors from many states, and one from China, have signed the guest book. It isn’t abnormal to see deer, turkeys, or bears from the many windows.

The couple is now approved to build 20 treehouses to serve as rental properties. Some, Parrish says, will be smaller, and some will be similar to the current house, a one-bedroom with a futon in the living area to accommodate a family. “We want people to have different experiences if they are staying in different treehouses,” she says.

From the kitchen window, a spot where Parrish once partook in a staredown with a curious squirrel, renters can see where the next house will be built. Except this one won’t be high in the tree, but under the ground. Parrish says the couple hopes to begin work on the secret Hobbit Hole this spring.

“Sometimes we get a little overwhelmed, but then we think about how much fun it is to think about and to plan,” she says. “You’ll see a little something here or a little something there, and it will be a fun inspiration. I don’t want to say this is a hobby, because it’s much more than that. But it is, sort of, because your mind is always thinking of what could be the next cool thing” — from the artisan details to the big picture in the trees.

For more information, see Treehouses of Serenity on Facebook, e-mail treehousesofserenity@gmail.com, or call 919-601-0945.

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