From the back, this renovated carriage house off Summit Ave in St. Paul looks like a tree house. Inside, it's a uniquely designed and welcoming home.

ST. PAUL, Minn. - Behind a row of massive houses on Summit Ave in St. Paul sits a hidden gem: a renovated and re-designed carriage house that has also been referred to as a "tree house."

Now, after months of renovations, that carriage house has become a welcoming home for Carol Johnson.

Carol invited KARE 11 inside for a tour on our Facebook Live series KARE Kribs, along with Jesse Jochim of Renaissance Builders. Jochim was responsible for designing and remodeling the home.

The home was built in 1870. It was a carriage house for a mansion up the street on Summit Ave, according to Jochim.

In the 1970s, the homeowners took parts from the mansion, such as doors and light fixtures, and brought them to the carriage house, turning it into a residence.

Once Carol purchased the 1,700 square foot home in 2017, she brought in Jochim and Renaissance Builders to design it. She had a vision to modernize it without it losing its charm.

A post shared by Renaissance Builders Inc (@renaissance_builders) on Sep 10, 2018 at 10:26am PDT

"I really wanted to be in the area, but I also didn't really want a large home, I was looking for a condo," Carol said.

The renovations started in January of 2018 and took about nine months to complete.

So why is this home referred to as a "tree house"? From the back, it looks like one. The home sits up on a hill with a natural spring in the backyard. Check out the original listing here.

Click through the gallery to see more photos from inside this unique St. Paul carriage house!