Projects | A Look at Our Work — Treehouse Design Inc

Sunny front entry of a traditional shingle-style home with a wooden door, two chairs, potted plants, and a gravel walkway.

Lands End

Anchored on the rocky Cape Ann coast, Lands End takes full advantage of its sweeping views of Milk and Thatcher Islands. Living spaces are strategically placed along the ocean-facing side, with circulation tucked behind to ensure uninterrupted sightlines from every major room including all three bedrooms. Inspired by classic New England shingle style, the home blends timeless interiors with thoughtful custom details, such as a dining porch enclosed in glass for year-round use and a shower accessible directly from outside.

Interior of a modern home with wooden stairs, light wood floors, original Eames rocking chair and warm recessed lighting.

South End Modern

Set on a pristine site in Rockport with corridor views to the sea, South End Modern blends cutting-edge sustainable systems with refined design. Powered entirely without fossil fuels, the home features geothermal heating and cooling, a rooftop solar array, and backup battery storage earning a remarkable -2 HERS rating. Inside, bespoke details like a sculptural ribbon stair and minimalist kitchen showcase the home's craftsmanship and contemporary character.

Brick walkway leading to a gray house with a front porch, surrounded by green grass, bushes, and trees, seen through an arched hedge.

Whale Cove

Located on a bluff overlooking Whale Cove this project embraces classic shingle style design. The house is a replacement for a tired summer cottage that had served its useful purpose. The floor plan is designed with entertainment in mind, featuring a central dining room and butler’s pantry, connected to a formal living room yet separated from the large working kitchen. Elaborate trim detailing and refined casework reflect the coastal Shingle Style heritage. There are ancillary spaces that connect to gardens and active yard spaces including a conservatory. The result is a sophisticated yet comfortable living space for family gatherings and everyday life.

Modern kitchen with white cabinets, dramatic stone backsplash, marble countertop, open wood shelves, brass faucet, and a window view of the neighborhood.

Gull Island

This full renovation of a Rockport townhouse reimagines coastal living with durable construction and refined interiors. A new HVAC system and reinforced envelope address the home’s direct exposure to the elements, while the design balances texture and timelessness throughout. In the kitchen, an irregular stone backsplash evocative of the surrounding shoreline anchors the space with natural beauty and a sense of place.

Pathway leading to a house backyard with wooden gate and garden, surrounded by lush green plants and colorful flowers, against a backdrop of a house with wooden shingles and a sky at sunset.

Waterside

Placed purposefully on a granite headland overlooking Sandy Bay, Waterside is designed to feel both private and connected to its surroundings. A planted entry courtyard and small outbuilding create a sense of arrival, while the exterior references the local vernacular. Inside, minimalist contemporary architecture frames views of the ocean and nearby islands. A quiet and refined materials palette highlights the owner's art and furnishings. Custom casework is featured throughout, including tamo ash cabinetry in the kitchen and sliding shoji panels that allow the space to open to the dining room or close off for a more formal feel.

Historic granite home with a stone and green exterior, patio with white outdoor furniture, large umbrella, and lush greenery under a clear blue sky.

Granite Pier

The old power house of the Pigeon Hill Granite Co. was transformed from an industrial building into a residential home in the early 1940s; Treehouse transformed the dark, industrial living space into a warm, elegant home filled with natural light. The clean modern interior details are enhanced by areas of exposed granite and the restoration of the home’s original six masonry fireplaces.

Modern residential building with large windows, wooden accents, metal railings, and a spacious wooden balcony.

Magnolia Modern

This new single-family home is located on Gloucester’s southern shore. The goal was to create a home that was both modern and minimalist, while also in harmony with the traditional shingle style homes of the area. A central stairwell tower clad in vertical hemlock siding, and a thoughtful hardscape of decks, create a dramatic exterior. The open floor plan highlights a sleek stone fireplace and a floating staircase that leads to two primary bedroom suites and a rooftop deck, affectionately referred to as the “sky deck.”

Built to coastal flood proof construction standards atop concrete pier supports, this home quietly conceals it’s ability to manage the changing intensity of the Atlantic Ocean. As a high-performance home, the building actually produces more energy annually than it consumes, utilizing advanced air sealing insulation, LED lighting, ducted electric heat pumps, induction cooking and a 14 kW PV solar array atop it’s standing seam metal roof.

Warm Arts and Crafts interior featuring a wooden staircase with built-in drawers, dark wood treads, exposed wooden beams, and natural granite walls integrated into the design.

Sunset Rock

The original cottage is perched on an outcropping of ledge called “Sunset Rock” and was built in 1904. New additions on the southern side of the cottage offer great solar exposure and brought the house down to the ground, connecting it to yard space that had been largely inaccessible from the original cottage. The new living room wing has similar proportions to the old “Great Hall,” and is oriented to solar south on one side, with a view to Squam Rock on the east. Double glazed south-facing windows allow for greater solar gain, and triple-glazed windows everywhere else add additional insulation. The roof over the living room holds twenty photo voltaic panels that generate most of the electricity needs for the house. This project sought to both embrace energy performance technology and the careful use of resources, as well as the spirit of the Arts & Crafts movement.

An angled view of a staircase railing with wooden handrails and white balusters, showing sunlight and shadows.

Folly Cove

Working within an existing footprint and first floor shell, the goal was to create an open, airy floor plan that would accommodate the owners’ expansive art collection. Additions to the original structure include a second story master suite, a dramatic breezeway, and cabana to service a new pool. The renovated lower level boasts a gym, art studio, sauna, and conditioned wine room.

The final design is a perfect blend of modern architecture and environmentalism, with geothermal heating and cooling, high efficacy lighting, a 13Kw solar array, exceptional R-values and HERS scores. The home is powered without fossil fuels, and has an annual utility bill of less than $1,000.

Front porch of a house with stone steps, white railings, wooden and shingle exterior, stone columns, and a large lantern light.

Loblolly Cove Cottage

This new home in Rockport draws its inspiration from 19th century shingle-style cottages and is meant to serve as a gathering place for the owners’ extended family. Light and airy rooms on the first floor and lower level open onto large patios and decks that take advantage of the ocean breezes.

Bright white kitchen with dark wooden floors, stainless steel appliances, and a small dog running across the floor.

Plum Cove

This modern Arts & Crafts style home has hipped roofs, wide, bracketed overhangs, and large windows to take in expansive shoreline views and natural light. The simple elegance of the interior spaces, furnished in soft neutral tones, compliments the beauty of the sea and rocky shore.

The first floor has high, coffered ceilings and a Craftsman style fireplace, decorated with tiles made by the owner. Floor to ceiling kitchen cabinets are fashioned after 19th century pantries. A three-season porch and trellised outdoor patio anchor the house to a landscaped lawn that leads to the shore. The upper level master bedroom opens to a large sitting area with a curved upper deck.

A bright laundry room with an open door leading outside. The room features white cabinets, open shelving for beach towels, and a laundry sink.

Old Garden Beach

This project involved razing a poorly-built 1970s ranch house and rebuilding on the existing foundation. Working within the Rockport vernacular “Cottage Style,” the home is an eclectic balance of new and recycled materials–resulting in a casual summer home. The interior features extensive cabinetry and interior woodworking, while large decks at the rear of the house look over the new infinity-edge swimming pool and terraces with views of Sandy Bay.

White house with black window frames, a gabled roof, and a small front yard with a trimmed bush and a wooden fence.

Greek Revival

This renovated home in Annisquam village features an open living, dining and kitchen addition. The dining table is positioned at a window bay with views of Lobster Cove. A stone fireplace anchors the living room and is backed by an outdoor fireplace on the patio. Granite stonework highlights the terraced landscape.

Large house with wooden shingles and a wrap-around porch, overlooking the ocean with clear blue sky, landscaped yard, patio with outdoor chairs and a fire pit.

Island View

Originally a bed and breakfast on one of Rockport’s most desirable streets, Island View has been thoughtfully transformed into a private retreat for large family gatherings. Expansive covered porches on both levels offer a true indoor-outdoor New England experience. The home features red shingle siding and architectural details that honor its historic Shingle Style roots. A full renovation modernized the kitchen and bathrooms while preserving beautiful, original elements like the central staircase and fireplaces.

New England–style covered porch with wooden flooring, traditional wicker chairs with cushions, a small table holding a mug, potted plants, and a view of green trees.

Eastern Point

Originally built in 1980, this Eastern Point home underwent significant alterations. The original 7’6” ceilings at the second floor and attic levels were raised by 18” within the existing superstructure. Alterations included a new open floor plan, wrap-around porch, pergola, front entry, dormers, and windows to create a contemporary shingle style home. Extensive site work was necessary to connect the house to its yards and gardens. New granite retaining walls and steps were added at the front, and, at the back of the house, a large terrace was created with views of the shore line and the open ocean beyond.

Interior decorating assistance was provided by Kate Jackson Design.