Treehouse Designers Guide: Romero Studios

Roderick Romero is a famous treehouse builder known for his beautiful, organic designs.

By: Danny Bonvissuto

Related To:

The Nest

Roderick Romero's first treehouse, "Nest," was built in Bald Hills, Washington in 1997.

Photo by: Image courtesy of Roderick Romero

Image courtesy of Roderick Romero

Roderick Romero's first treehouse, "Nest," was built in Bald Hills, Washington in 1997.

Considered the treehouse designer/builder-to-the-stars, Roderick Romero went to school to be a doctor, switched to theater and learned carpentry doing set designs in grad school. On a whim, he built a treehouse for a friend and word spread quickly through celebrity circles. Clients include Sting and Trudie Styler, Donna Karan, Julianne Moore and Val Kilmer, for whom he built a treehouse that mimics the nests of barn swallows who build their homes in cliffs near Kilmer's home. "I like my treehouses to look like a bird built them," Romero says. "They have to be harmonious with the natural setting."

Based in:

New York City

In the business since:

1997

Cost:

$70,000 and up

Most requested design:

Clients often ask for Romero's Lantern House design, which was inspired by the lanterns he saw in Tangier while teaching Moroccan orphans about architecture.

Specialty:

Romero only uses salvaged or reclaimed materials.

Wow factor:

Romero worked with a robotics team to construct a false wall to hide a plasma TV for clients in Southampton, New York who planned to host movie nights in their treehouse.