This article was reviewed by Steve Snedeker, professional landscaper.
If you were ever a fan of Disney's "The Jungle Book" growing up, you probably had the childhood dream to be able to live amongst nature. Mowgli seemed so free, running around the forest and taking in the beauty of nature while going on adventures. Who wouldn't want that, right?
However, now that we're grown (and hopefully living with modern comforts), we're aware that we can't possibly live like that. Fortunately, there is now a way to make those childhood whimsies come true without sacrificing modernity.
Building houses around trees has been around for quite some time now.
Of course, not everyone can apply the necessary maintenance that comes with having a literal tree inside your home—but this does not mean your first impulse should be to cut down a tree or plant that "gets in the way" of your house.
The Garden Takes Priority
In this father-son duo, both architects created a home in which the trees and greenery are the house's focal point. They have a large tree at the center of the house, which has been there for around 30 years—the same age as the house itself.
The trees and the garden are in their direct line of sight, and they're near enough that the greenery becomes an extension of the indoor space.
Because of this, their home has become a refreshing oasis where they can be relaxed enough to be creative, and the environment has become conducive for hearty gatherings where this family of artists can bounce ideas off of one another.
"We designed the garden in such a way that we knew we wanted the gardens to take priority," he said in the video, "and we wanted the spaces and the new extension to be able to open to pockets of green spaces."
The plants seem to have a mind of their own, protecting the house and bending to the direction of the sunlight to prevent the harsh rays from getting the space too hot.
This is a great way if you don't want the tree to be directly inside the living room (like in some mansions!) but also refuse to get rid of the tree.
Even if you don't have a tree, you can build your home around having a garden, and you can cultivate them in a way that becomes in harmony with the house.
The tree at the center of their home has an interesting story: "This tree that centers the entire house grew with the house, and we kind of wanted to keep it, so we built [the house] around the tree."
The audience agrees, it seems, as most of the comments appreciated how nature and architecture intertwine: "This is in stark contrast to the minimalist styled contemporary soul-less homes."
"You found a way of combining the natural beauty of nature with a functional home. No doubt this aids your creativity; this place oozes harmony and peace. Absolutely love it," commented a viewer.
The Fabulous Ficus
Even though this tree wasn't naturally growing before the house was constructed, the owner didn't want to miss an opportunity to have a sense of the outdoors in her home. This ficus tree even had to be air lifted by a crane to be placed into this Malibu home.
@kellywearstler Reply to @joeycoomes0 The ultimate house plant #interiordesigner #kellywearstler #malibuhouse #houseplant #designtok #indoorplant #designidea #tree ♬ Euphoria season 2 is making my brain explode - Mars
Indoor Trees: The Ultimate Love Letter to Nature
In this architect's home, she allowed the indoor tree to grow over the roof of her garage, where the windows overhead open up to let in a lot of natural light.
That way, she gets natural ventilation without being harmed by the harsh sun rays because the leaves of the trees block it off.
"I think this whole idea of a seamless passage as all the way out to the openness of the nature and the garden in front," the architect says.
Living in a Treehouse
This artist gets to live in a treehouse. It's held up by several grown trees and some other pillars. And multiple trees remain and actually grow through the cabin—one through the deck and the other through the laundry/bathroom area.
@karadawncreations Reply to @anas.artt artist living in a treehouse #artist #treehouse #dreamhome #lifestyle #fyp #ScreamItOut ♬ As It Was - Harry Styles
This video has its more than one million viewers amazed! She goes into more details of just what it's like living with a tree in the middle of the cabin—
@karadawncreations Reply to @karadawncreations treehouse part 2 #treehouse #cabin #artist #dreamhome #fyp ♬ As It Was - Harry Styles
A Cabin in the Air
Speaking of living among nature, why not build a tree house? This type of housing is best if you're in the literal middle of the forest since it doesn't take up much space, so you won't have to cut down any surrounding trees.
Most of the problems that forests face are due to the excessive cutting down of trees. If you make use of the available space and fit the house among it, you'll be doing mother nature a great service.
This "tree house" isn't really made with wood but 100% steel. So, you wouldn't really need to cut down any trees for the material; your sole focus is to make the "tree house" comfortable.
It's a common theme for these homes to blur the lines between the inside and outside, especially because the trees are almost within the indoor space, if not for walls and doors.
Of course, you can build your home so that the tree is directly inside the home, but it may pose some maintenance and security challenges. With these brilliant architectural designs, you'll get your forest fantasy while maintaining a cozy, modern home life.
One commenter emphasizes this, "Pretty awesome place to hang out and enjoy nature. Beautiful forest setting. One thing you have to provide is a small wash basin in the toilet room, at the very least, for people to wash their hands!" they expressed.
Building a home with little to no interruptions to nature contributes to a future where humans achieve balance. It sends a message that to be truly comfortable is to be in harmony with nature.