We are following the charming duo LookUp Green, two talented treehouse builders from Belgium, on their journey to enchant the world with treehouses. Aline and Thomas have taken the bold step of leaving their previous careers behind to pursue their shared passion for building in nature.
Shaped by hands-on experiences from their childhood and their first constructions at scout camp, they now combine creativity, entrepreneurial spirit and the desire to create something of their own.
We’re delighted to support you on this journey :)
How did you get into this?
Aline: I grew up with self-employed parents, so working independently has always come naturally to me. I built a career as a freelance translator. At scout camp, I built tents on stilts and wooden structures in trees, and that love of creating in nature has never left me. When AI began to transform the translation industry, I knew it was time to rethink my path. Starting something new together just felt right.
Thomas: I had a similar childhood. My parents were self-employed, and I often found myself somewhere between gardeners and builders. Like Aline, I love nature and gained my first experience of building wooden structures at scout camp. I’ve always known that I wanted to work for myself, ideally ‘creating things’. With Lookup, this idea finally became a reality after 15 years as an event manager. And the fact that I can do this together with Aline makes it even better.
What mistakes did you make at the start, and what tips would you have for aspiring treehouse professionals?
As we’ve only just started, our successes and failures are still very fresh in our minds. From a practical point of view, it’s definitely worth investing in scaffolding early on, and assembling larger elements directly on the platform saves the hassle of hauling them up later. You don’t always need top brands either: after careful research, we opted for a solid brand in the mid-price range (Skil) for moderately used cordless tools, which allowed us to quickly put together a reliable and affordable set without ever being frustrated by the quality of the tools. It is also invaluable to go through plans and questions with an experienced acquaintance and have the final plans checked by The Treehouse Shop.
From a business perspective, it helps to consult a solicitor early on to safeguard your terms and conditions. However, carry out thorough research first to keep costs down. Be detailed in your quotes, especially at the start, as this clarifies pricing, helps with stock management and provides useful references for future projects. Always allow for a small margin of error, particularly when giving customers quick price ranges.
Can you offer any tips on how to attract customers?
Not enough :-) As we’re selling something most people aren’t actively looking for, we focus on visibility and consistency. This naturally comes with a budget. Tree structures remain our main focus, but we’re open to other construction projects to keep the schedule full. Communicating this flexibility remains a challenge, as we want to avoid a shift towards non-tree structures.
Furthermore, compelling images are essential. Buying a better mobile phone camera and collaborating with specialist friends has helped a great deal. One mistake we still make is not taking the time to photograph the interiors whilst the work is in progress. Additionally, as project sizes increased, we needed better visualisations of our plans. Working with affordable online freelancers was a great help. Finally, offering tree ‘terraces’ and small viewing points – not just full-scale treehouses – made the projects more affordable and accessible for clients and gave us the chance to start small.
What is your favourite moment during construction?
Climbing the stairs, that split second when your view shifts from beneath the platform to its decking and the view beyond.
What type of wood do you mainly use?
We mainly use C24 Douglas fir for the structures, sometimes oiled and always wrapped in EPDM tape. For a more adventurous feel, we often use robinia. We also work with exotic woods, chestnut and treated pine.
Contact: LookUp Green (BE)
