A luxury tree house is an edifice inspired by more traditional small tree houses. It is usually more elaborate or complete than the kind of structure usually called a tree house. In fact, in some cases, the luxury tree house may not even be supported by trees, but rather by artificial trees of some sort. Most of the time, a tree or multiple trees are used in some fashion to support floors that surround the trunk or large branches of the tree. Walls and sometimes a roof are usually part of the design, as well as a way to get into the tree.
When a tree house is called a luxury tree house, it is usually not designed for children. It may be considered an adult version of the structure Western cultures tend to associate with children, even though some cultures have elevated houses as part of society and there are many uses for houses in trees for adults. For instance, researchers who need to access the canopy of the rainforest may live in tree houses, although these will not usually be luxury tree houses. The main difference is that a luxury tree house almost always involves a sense of whimsy due to the association with children's tree houses.
There are many challenges to overcome when building a luxury tree house. For instance, it can be difficult to put electricity or running water in a tree house if it is high above the ground. While the tree house will not get higher off the ground due to the way in which trees grow, the tree itself will get wider, which can cause problems if the architecture of the tree house does not anticipate this expansion. Luxury tree houses are often made to have a large floor space and may contain heavy furniture, which can pose a high risk of toppling the tree. For these reasons, luxury tree houses are usually designed by professionals.
Many people who wish to live in a luxury tree house for extended periods of time feel that the structure represents a special connection with nature. It may be designed in such a way that it is more ecologically sound than other houses, although this is almost never due directly to its location in a tree. There are many other reasons people decide to build luxury tree houses, such as for purely artistic purposes or to house special social functions. The possibilities for a luxury tree house are as varied as the many tree house designs, and limited only by the imagination of the designer.