Treetop house in Bonnet Bay with bushland views

Treetop House

Living among the trees, architecture in the canopy

Project overview

Architect Ironbark Architecture
Location Sydney, Australia
Type Residential
Scope Addition & sustainable design
Completed 2016
Builder The Builders
Photography Andy Macpherson

Timber cladding on bushland home in Sydney
Built-in seating and timber interior design

Living in the canopy

This new upper level addition brings sweeping views of the surrounding treetops and gully vista right into the new master suite and home office.

This strategic addition not only enriches the living experience for the adults but also frees up the original bedrooms, ensuring each child has a room of their own.

Below an existing elevated deck, an “everything room” emerges as a versatile space, perfect for movie nights, art classes, or simply chilling out—its purpose limited only by the imagination.

Timber joinery bookshelf in residential home
Window seat and surf board with treetop views in home
Stairway with natural light in bushland home
Custom joinery library space in home
Timber window seat with bush outlook

Material honesty and making

Financial constraints didn’t stifle creativity; they inspired it. Simple and raw materials were employed in a manner that elevates their natural beauty.

Silvertop Ash ‘board and batten’ hardwood cladding, prepared for installation with the owner’s hands-on involvement, pairs elegantly with plywood interior linings and galvanized roofing. Exposed roof eaves and rainchains—chosen over traditional downpipes—offer an elegant solution to an area prone to leaf litter.

Timber deck outdoor living in bushland setting
Vertical timber cladding with rainchains on modern home addition
Exterior detail of rainchains in a bushland home in Sydney

Light, breeze and zoning

Expansive windows face the northern light, while louvre windows capture natural breezes, enhancing the home’s energy efficiency.

A thoughtful “zoning” approach divides the house into parents’ zones, kids’ zones, and family zones, ensuring that there is a place for everyone to have that is their own, along with a place for everyone to come together as a family.

Window bringing natural light into bush home
Indoor outdoor living space in Bonnet Bay home
Built-in bench seating in minimal timber interior

We'd love to chat to you about your project

Tell us about it or give Chris a call on 0416 130 246