TREEHOUSE RULES

WHO: Luke Vice, owner of a digital media company and co-owner of the Italian restaurant Viaggio; his wife, Renetta Persaud Vice, a primary school teacher; and their daughters, Lurena, 3, and Luna, 1

WHERE: Avenue and Lawrence

In 2014, Luke and Renetta bought a five-bed, four-bath detached house in Ledbury Park with a patchy 1,700-square-foot backyard. It had a deck and a rickety old treehouse cabin built between two shady Norway maple trees. “The trees destroyed everything within

10 feet of them,” Luke says. “The grass became mud, and mushrooms started popping up.”

Four years later, after Luke and Renetta had their first daughter, they finally sat down to consider a backyard reno. First, they added a hot tub and a pool, a raised deck for a dining table, and a lounge area under a pergola. Later, they tackled the derelict treehouse, adding windows to keep wildlife out.

During lockdowns, the new backyard provided the perfect space for the parents to relax and for Lurena to burn off excess energy—she loves swimming around in her floaties. And when it was safe to do so, the family hosted small pool parties and barbecues. This summer, Luna took her first dip in the pool, and Lurena has started private lessons with a swim instructor—she just learned to doggy paddle.

2 The pool and hot tub are by BonaVista Pools. Lurena loves splashing about during the day, and Luke and Renetta make the most of the backyard at night. “We bring the baby monitor down and hop in,” Luke says. 2

1 Landscape designer Taylor Fifield from Land-Con suggested the infinity-edge waterfall to make the area under the pergola more peaceful and relaxing. 1

3 The oak treehouse is accessed via a trapdoor ladder, which Lurena climbs herself. Inside, she likes to host tea parties for her dolls. 3