We love our own homes, but it's fascinating to see what wacky and unique houses are out there. In fact, some homes are so intricately designed, they are truly out of this world.
I've seen many tree houses, for example, that present a sweeping, majestic view of the land below, and that manage to have beautiful interiors.
Below, we take a look at the incredible tree house that motel owners Gordon Mack and his wife Audrey have designed. It is attached to their country home vacation rental, Chateau de Soleil, and is inspired by the whimsical Hobbit homes from J.R.R. Tolkien's popular Lord of the Rings series.
Certainly, other builders have constructed Hobbit-inspired structures in the past, just like when this man dug a hole underground to make a Hobbit house in his backyard. But I haven't quite seen something so masterfully imagined as this tree house.
Scroll further to see images of the magnificent, fantasy-like interior of this tree house, taken by photographer Lisa Duncan, and let us know what you think in the comments below!
Up in the treetops of the Black Hills community in Deadwood, South Dakota, there's a tree house that floats 16 feet above the ground. To unassuming passersby, there might be nothing unique to the structure. However, upon a closer look, it reveals an extraordinary design.
Motel owners Gordon Mack, 49, and his wife Audrey led the construction of a Hobbit-inspired house. It is attached to their holiday rental property, Chateau de Soleil, a luxurious country home that accommodates up to 16 guests.
"It really all started when I went to my brother in law's place and saw the small tree house he had built for his kids," Gordon told Rapid City Journal. "It took me back to when we were children and building tree houses."
Construction started last fall, but quickly hit a rough patch after Gordon fell from a ladder and broke some ribs. He called up his friend and retired mailman Tony Goodson for help. "Without Tony's help, this never would have turned out the way it did," he said.
A welder by trade, Gordon knew that to emulate the style of homes depicted in the epic Lord of the Rings films, he had to be precise in the detailing of the design. He started with the typical round Hobbit door, and had round windows made of cold-rolled steel.
The décor features green and blue accents, wood furniture, and customized memorabilia from the films. There is an electric fireplace adorned with a ground steel mantel and hearth and intricate metal detailing.
Next to the fireplace, there's a coffee table made out of a giant cottonwood slab. The handles on all of the cabinets were fashioned from apple tree stems in Tony's orchard.
Above all, Gordon and Tony wanted the tree house to have an inviting, festive atmosphere. Guests could take a break from being inside the more lavish country home, and step into an intimate fantasy world.
Over the years, the pair had gradually noticed that "alternative" forms of rental homes had become an increasingly sought-after type of accommodation. "Everybody today has stayed at a chain hotel," said Tony. "Now, they want a unique experience that they will remember."
While they realized that they had an opportunity to fill this demand, the friends sought first and foremost to imprint their love of the fantasy novels onto their design. So that's why they even installed artificial grass on the elevated walkway, and an arched entryway engraved with elvish symbols.
So far, guests and onlookers alike have marveled at the tree house. "A van pulled up with a bunch of kids and they wanted to do nothing but get in that tree house," said Gordon. "One dad said it was better than Disneyland for his family."
What do you think of this incredibly unique design for a tree house? Let us know, and please SHARE with friends and family if you know they'd love this!
