They Built Beautiful Authentic Log Cabin Tree Houses in Transylvania
Disclosure: At no additional cost to you, you can support FLORB by using the affiliate links below
Rares initially just wanted to build one cabin, mainly for himself, to come and live in the summer because he was traveling to South America and different other places throughout the year. Being on the road so much he knew that he didn't need much, so the idea was to keep it simple. Gabie had just finished her schooling in interior architecture, so she had a ton of great ideas to contribute and ended up designing the space. Along the way they ended up building a treehouse, which was like “a childhood dream” for them as well as a creative challenge. When they travelled they brainstormed ideas for what would eventually become Transylvania Log Cabins. The goal was to create the sort of place that they would want to stay in while travelling, which is something that they’ve been able to achieve with the structures they’ve built on the property.
The treehouse, being the first building that they built themselves, holds a very close place in their heart, and was part of what inspired them to move forward with the project. They didn’t have a ton of experience as builders, but were able to stay around people who were which helped them a lot with the process.
The lumber that they used on the exterior was originally going to be burned, but they were able to peel the park off them and paint them and use windows that they were able to recycle. They wanted to use natural materials for as much of the building process as possible, meaning that they wanted to avoid using concrete as their foundation. Instead they used stone that they dug into the ground with clay. The treehouse is also built around the strongest trees on the property, which provides the building with some of its structural integrity.
For insulation they opted to use raw wool. This is a little different than most people who would normally have the wall thoroughly cleaned and treated first, but they’ve found that the natural oils in sheeps wool actually help deter pests like mice and other rodents. It’s also a very expensive and intensive procedure to process wool, so it’s a great way to keep the cost down. They haven’t found any issues insulating this way, and there isn’t any noticeable smell. The most complicated part of the process was carrying all the materials to the work site. In the month and a half it took there were several full days dedicated just to getting the materials over the uneven terrain.
The interior isn’t very big, but it has almost everything you would need for a weekend stay. On the left there is a small kitchenette with a coffee machine, toaster oven, and a fridge. You can have your coffee in the morning and then here there's a seating place under the loft right by the door out to the terrace, which provides an amazing view of the surrounding landscape.
Almost all the decor and furniture is produced locally, from the bed upstairs in the loft to the paintings on the wall done by local artists. Outside a few steps from the treehouse is the extension of the kitchen as well as the bathroom. It has a simple shower that can be used in the summer months as well as a composting toilet.
They didn’t design the treehouse thinking that there would be a lot of people wanting to stay there, but now they have a lot of visitors. This unexpected interest is what spurred them on to make the second ‘Loft’ treehouse which includes a few more conventional amenities and comforts from home. They wanted to use recycled materials as much as possible, and keep the items they used local. Similar to the first treehouse, they used crop pieces for the exterior and then wood paneling on the inside. Underneath the cabin they turned into a little patio area with hammocks and a barbeque.
When Rares built the cabin with another few people from the village, one of the guys showed him a technique where you burn the wood at the bottom first and then afterwards you coat it with oil a couple of times. This gives the wood protection against moisture, which has proven quite effective. Since they had experience with the first treehouse, they were able to build this one in roughly two months time on and off. Getting the whole structure up only took about three weeks.
Gabie is quite proud of her contributions to not only the design of the cabin, but also the physical construction of it. She helped with everything from painting to putting the roof and floor in. They decided to give the interior of this cabin a white wash that makes the interior feel a lot bigger and brighter. The design is still traditional like the other cabins, but the bright scandinavian interior gives it a more clean and modern feel. Like the other cabins, it uses raw wool as insulation for the previously mentioned benefits.
The cabin also has a small kitchenette. It doesn’t have a stove, but there is a toaster oven, a sink coffee machine and a fridge. It also has a balcony with a great view of the mountains on a clear day. The king-sized bed is able to comfortably fit two adults and a small child, but they also have a separate sleeping area for a child up in a loft over the entrance that can be accessed by a ladder. Being a slightly upgraded version of their first treehouse, they were able to fit in a full bathroom. It has an instant shower which warms water with propane and features a compact tankless design. There’s even a flush toilet, so going outside to the composting toilet isn’t necessary with this space.
One of the big learning experiences that they had building these structures was being flexible and adapting with complications. They came into the project with a bunch of preconceived ideas, but then they start evolving once you are building and learn new ways to do things. That's life all the time, When you do something, the universe will send you the tools, people and knowhow that you need. The more you think about an expansive project the more scared you become. From their point of view, they were able to accomplish what they have because they didn’t plan too much, and they didn't get hung up on ideas that don’t end up working. If you take things slowly and just start somewhere, the small victories will motivate you to continue. While they don’t really consider themselves builders, they would call themselves adventurers, and taking on new experiences of all kinds is the heart of that mentality.
Watch the Full Video:
