Treehouse in Nicaragua: Private treehouse in El Gigante

The surf drew John Eames to El Gigante, Nicaragua, in 2005. After three years of working on boats and building a business called Gigante Bay that caters to visiting surfers, Eames bought a piece of property on the corner of a beach and estuary. Sitting on this lush strip of land was a one-story brick house with a structurally sound base and untapped potential. “I saw the second story from the first day,” says Eames. “Something that complemented the mangroves on the other side of the water; something that captured the wind coming down from the valley.”

Inspired by his time spent traveling, camping and sleeping outside in tropical climates, Eames set to work adding a second story, creating a 2,000 square feet open tree house home that would take the optimal advantage of the views and the natural setting. Eames’ background is in the hardware business, and he brought his knowledge of detailing and his building expertise into play when engineering the house.

The tree house is ideally situated to take advantage of the breezes off the Pacific Ocean and nearby estuary. No walls obstruct the view. The bedroom ceilings are open to filtered light and fresh air. As a matter of facts, the view is such a central part of the overall construction, that Eames did not hesitate to invest $1,400 in a bathtub that overlooks the estuary and beach with the island and Pie de Gigante in the background. According to Eames, “Soaking in the tub at sunset with a glass of chilled red wine is the decadence I refuse to acknowledge, because my idea of self isn’t decadent”. And we totally believe him.

Source and Photo: Louise Lakier Photography © 2012 Houzz