Casa Neverlandia Keeps Austin Weird

Jul 19

Tucked away a few blocks behind South Congress Avenue lies one of Austin's most unique houses. From a four-story treehouse in the backyard, to ornate altars to the earth’s elements in the living room, Casa Neverlandia’s numerous quirks make for an intoxicating architectural experience.

Originally a tiny one-story home built in 1906, artist James Talbot transformed the space into a three-story wonderland after purchasing it in 1979. As an environmentalist, Talbot equipped the home with eco-friendly features such as solar panels and a composting toilet. However, Casa Neverlandia stands today as more than a sustainable space; it’s a depot of creativity that embodies a childlike imagination.

To hear more about Talbot’s story, tune into our Ramble On! podcast episode for an in-depth conversation between Talbot and Lucia Llano, Drift writing and podcast staffer.

Photos of Casa Neverlandia

Items left by guests and passersby collect in “La La Land,” the front yard of Casa Neverlandia in Austin, Texas on Feb. 24, 2024.

Casa Neverlandia stands at 305 Milton Street.

The front door of Casa Neverlandia features various bells and a talking hole.

An altar to the element of Earth stands in the entryway to Casa Neverlandia.

Mail collects on a shelf in the living room.

Casa Neverlandia owner James Talbot (left) and Drift staffer Lucia Llano (right) discuss his artwork.

Talbot flips through a book featuring his home.

The living room in Casa Neverlandia.

Name tags from events Talbot attended collect on his bathroom mirror.

“The Bali Room” on the second floor serves multiple purposes: stretching, exercising, concerts and “bling-bong,” a game he invented where one uses random objects as paddles while dressed in costumes.

A gong, which was repurposed as a tray and coffee platter Talbot’s parents used during his childhood in Morocco, hangs in “The Bali Room.”

A xylophone sits in “The Bali Room.”

A collection of Talbot’s artwork in his in-house art gallery.

Trinkets near the stairs leading up to the second floor of Casa Neverlandia.

A corner near the stairs leading up to the second floor of Casa Neverlandia reflects the house’s serpentine motif.

Photos of add-on construction for Casa Neverlandia lie against the wall.

Talbot’s collection of vintage CDs and records in the music room.

The “indoor-outdoor camping kitchen” is one of the ways Talbot practices sustainability. A tube near the sink feeds the gray water from the dishes directly to the trees outside.

A talk-tube in the in-progress bathroom on the second floor connects to other areas of the house.

The bathroom secures a view of the nearly three-century-old old oak trees in Talbot's backyard. He hosts ferrocement sculpture workshops where people can help him build in the bathroom.