A home with a treehouse on Vashon

Sitting comfortably on a little more than an acre, this northwest contemporary still has some of its 1977 character, but it stands out because of something that’s timeless: places to play.

The house is built in three rectangular levels capped by a gambrel roof. The view end has more windows than wall, and the driveway side is almost all wall but with a stylish hint of where a porch roof would perch. Sit on the partly covered deck for sunrise views across the water.

Inside, the 2,050 square feet of space hold two bedrooms and one and three-quarter bathrooms, a mix that suggests the luxury of spaciousness. Maple floors, granite counters, and lots of wood walls and ceilings use natural materials for a house that sits in a natural setting. At least one patch of diagonal paneling typifies its era.

NWMLS

The main show may be the play areas outside. Much of the acre is open lawn, a green canvas for kid’s adventures. A border of native and fruit trees frame the space.

Two things stand out: a large sandbox that has been wisely put under cover for play on rainy days and a two-story treehouse.

With a ladder and a wraparound deck common to a classic treehouse but with a design that sprouts directly out of the ground, it pays tribute to a magnificent madrona, but without burdening it by actually putting the house in the tree. The same thing inside Seattle city limits and it may look more like an ADU.

Put everything together and find a listing price of $549,000, a treat for less than the median price of houses on Vashon Island.

• 20627 87th Ave SW, Vashon [Zillow]