Yellow house with a red door in winter.Welcome to Our House in the Trees.

Want to learn more about our 40 acres of land and our sustainable home?

Back in 2011, my husband Devin and I came across 40 acres of raw land in Parkland County, Alberta, Canada. It was for sale. And we fell in love.

It had trees. Hills. Places to hide. Places to admire the beautiful view.

It was close to a town, but not too close. It was close to family and friends.

Basically, it was perfect.

The problem? It was expensive. Like really expensive.

A year later, after searching and not finding a comparable piece of land, we bought it anyway.

The plan? To one day build a sustainable home on it.

Over the next several years we built two roads on it, dug two ponds and put up fences. I came up with a sustainable home design and then changed it – four times. We had two kids. We moved the proposed building location. And we spent countless hours in the trees.

In the summer of 2019, the construction of what we call Our House in the Trees began. Five months and ten days later we got the keys to our new home.

This is our journey. Join us!

Yellow house with a red door in winter.

Need help choosing eco-conscious furniture and decor for your home? That’s what I’m here for!

Featured Video

Latest from Our House in the Trees

An empty raised garden bed near a kids' play structure with a wheel barrow and shovel nearby. Starting a Garden from Scratch: A Step by Step Guide for Beginners Always dreamed of starting a garden? Me too! Here is an easy to follow, step by step guide on how to start a garden and… Read More
A little girl looking at a garden. Click to visit post. Why We Love Our Wooden Raised Garden Beds | Our House in the Trees | Episode 9 Looking for inexpensive garden beds ideas? Wooden raised garden beds from old materials are about as budget-friendly as you can get. This summer was our… Read More
A yellow house in winter. Building a House | Our House in the Trees | Episode 7 You'd think after eight years of planning, five months of building, one month of moving and another month of pinching ourselves in disbelief, I'd be… Read More
Living room with wood floors, a fireplace and a grey couch with the words "eco-friendly home tour." Click to visit post. Eco-Friendly Home Tour | Our House in the Trees | Episode 6 We've moved into our eco-friendly home! Just had to get that out there. I'm a little behind in posting about the process, but I've decided… Read More
A yellow house with a silver roof surrounded by dirt with the words "house construction update." Click to visit post. House Construction Update | Our House in the Trees | Episode 5 Wanna learn all about LED lightbulbs? No?! Okay, how about secondhand light fixtures? Maybe...? Okay, do you want a see our STUNNING cork-backed laminate floors?… Read More
A white wooden vanity in front of a green forest with the words "building an eco-friendly house - with green finishes." Click to visit post. Building an Eco-Friendly House | Our House in the Trees | Episode 4 As much fun as the foundation and framing stages are (for me at least), the REAL fun begins with the interior finishes. This is also… Read More
The build of our sustainable home forges onward! Episode three covers the last half of August and includes me fawning over sustainable building materials like our gorgeous steel roof, while also trying to grapple with our decking and siding choices. Plus an appearance from oh-so-fluffy insulation made of recycled content! Sustainable Building Materials For House Construction | Our House in the Trees | Episode 3 The build of our sustainable home forges onward! In fact, so much happened in month three that I had to split it into two. Episode… Read More
An under construction house in front of a blue sky with the words "green home design." Click to visit post. Green Home Design | Our House in the Trees | Episode 2 While the second month of our sustainable home build still went relatively smooth, there were definitely some moments of high stress. The continuing uncooperative weather… Read More
A little girl standing in an under-construction basement with the words "building a sustainable home." Click to visit post. Building a Sustainable Home | Our House in the Trees | Episode 1 Ever dreamed of building a sustainable home? Well, I sure did. And now that dream is coming true! Because you know how it goes. You… Read More
A barbed wire fence on an acreage with trees with thee words "how to find land to build your dream home on." Click to visit post. How to Find Land to Build Your Dream Home On + Our House in the Trees Update Whenever we tell people about our land one of the first questions they ask is, "How many acres do you have?" Now, 40 acres may not be a lot… Read More
A concrete floor with green painter's tape and an orange measuring tape with the words "how to tape out your new home's floor plan." Click to visit post. How to Tape Out Your New Home’s Floor Plan + Our House in the Trees Update Something I have been looking forward to doing since I started designing Our House in the Trees was the day when we could tape out… Read More
A little girl running on a country road with the words "land tour." Click to visit post. Summer Land Tour I’ve been wanting to take you all on a tour of our land for quite awhile now. You can read all about how it came… Read More

Let’s be treehuggers together!

Oh, and let’s be friends too…

Need help choosing eco-conscious furniture and decor for your home? That’s what I’m here for!

Former architectural technologist. Current treehugger.

I’m here to help you green your home – and your life.

LET’S BE TREEHUGGERS TOGETHER!

Subscribe to the Of Houses and Trees monthly newsletter and I’ll send you my FREE list of “The 8 Best Places to Buy Eco-Conscious Decor Online.”

What on earth is sustainable design? Learn all about this eco-focused design method and read the latest posts about green architecture, interior design and decor.

Sustainable living is more than just a thing treehuggers talk about. It’s about making conscious choices everyday. Read the latest posts on living with the planet’s wellbeing always in mind. 

Visit the Of Houses and Trees sustainable product directory and support brands trying to make a difference in the world.

Find out more about our 40 acres of land in Parkland County, Alberta and the sustainable home we built amongst the trees.

Need help creating the home of your dreams? Care about the planet? You’ve come to the right place! check out my affordable, sustainable e-design services.

Having a had time choosing paint colours? I’ve got you – and your walls – covered with an interior paint palette sure to compliment your home.

Have questions about creating an eco-conscious home? Go ahead – ask me! Sign up for one of my free online interior design consultations and ask me anything you want. 

A living room decorated in a mix of vintage and modern pieces.