When Brad Duesler’s kids were young, the family built a treehouse in a park across the street from their home. Municipal leaders seemed fine with it, but as the autumn leaves fell, the city decided it was a liability and tore it down.
Talk about sweet revenge. While on college break, daughter Kati found her father, president and CEO of Middleton, Wis.-based Food Concepts Inc., and her mother, Diane, watching “Treehouse Masters” on Animal Planet. On the show, architect Pete Nelson and his team build grandiose treehouses for viewers.
Brad didn’t think it would amount to anything, but a year and a half later, Nelson, a treehouse “guru,” was building an artist’s studio high up in a spread of oak trees on Duesler’s Madison, Wis., farm.
Q: Why do you think you were chosen?
A: According to the storyline, it was our kids’ surprise anniversary present to me and my wife. They even finished it the day of our 35th anniversary. But a lot had to do with our family, because it’s an artist’s studio. My wife weaves. Kati paints. There’s about a dozen pieces of her artwork built into the treehouse. My son, Zach, is an architect, and he helped with some of the design. It’s history too. For us, this property goes back generations. My wife and I got married on the rock above the treehouse.
Q: Tell us about the experience.
A: The production was a big deal, with about 15 people for lighting, catering, sound, time-lapse cameras—more than we expected. Pete’s team had eight to 10 treehouse builders.
Q: What was it like being built?
A: They had giant bolts they called “tabs” that mount on the trees. Wood beams and trusses sit on these tabs, and there are sliding mechanisms that stabilize the house as the trees move. It’s designed to allow nutrients in so the trees can continue to grow.
Q: How long did it take?
A: Ten days. They filmed over 1,000 hours of footage for 38 finished minutes of production. It’s amazing how hard they worked, from dawn until dusk.
Q: How did the treehouse turn out?
A: It’s a 500-square-foot studio, 13 feet high with two outer decks. Lots of windows and light. They had a design firm come in from New York to do the interior.
Q: What’s the coolest part of having a treehouse?
A: It’s being elevated. The front is 15 feet off the ground, so there’s that sensation. It’s also about nostalgia: Everyone has had a tree fort or wanted one. It’s got that sense of adventure.
Q: Was it free?
A: They gave us a budget and the production company paid for the labor. Though we got discounts from sponsors, we paid for a good deal of the materials. In the end, we enjoy it and it adds value to our property.
Q: How do you use it today?
A: We go out there all the time as a family, especially with three grandkids and my third child, Emily Jasinowski, expecting another. It’s a destination place.
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