My dad grew up loving the 1960 Walt Disney film Swiss Family Robinson, in which a shipwrecked family had to build a large, surprisingly ornate tree house as their dwelling. He somewhat envied them and imagined what it would be like to live in an enormous tree house too. When he had a son of his own, he decided I'd probably like a tree house, too — and so we built one.
Now, our tree house was nothing like the one he grew up imagining, or the tourist replica you can currently climb at Disneyworld. Ours was as basic as it could be, but a British company called Blue Forest Luxury Tree Houses has now begun creating luxury tree houses that are nicer than most "ground" houses I see, and they aren't just for kids!
The company was started by Andy and Simon Payne, two brothers who were born in Kenya and spent most of their childhood immersed in nature and surrounded by the great outdoors. They wanted to create houses that become one with nature, yet are fully functional. They believe people of all ages may enjoy living in tree houses.
They are now considered the world's experts in luxury tree house consulting. They design their buildings around the environment in which they're located. Clients have included governments, celebrities, The National Trust, and even royalty.
When you see inside these treetop dwellings, you'll be wanting one, too. Thanks again to Simon at Blue Forest Luxury Tree Houses for giving LittleThings access to these photos.
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Brother Andy is the creative force of the company, while Simon runs PR and Marketing. According to the brothers, "If you can imagine it, Andy will find a way to build it!"
They started in 2003 and have been steadily growing their business. There was a brief hiccup during the 2008 recession, but they continue to expand. They currently hire 12 full-time staffers and employee many contractors on a case-by-case basis.
They work directly with their customers to create the perfect product. They'll listen to the client's wishes, and then pitch several possible ideas. They discuss budgets and logistics, and take the necessary steps to ensure that all tree houses are built so as to not disrupt the surrounding environment.
Construction takes 8–15 weeks, and houses start just below $31,000.
Obviously, the price varies according to a client's needs.
If living in a tree house sounds too rustic for your tastes, wait until you see inside...
Is it what you expected?
The tree house interiors are so functional that the company actually operated out of one for many years until they outgrow the space.
The interiors are stylish and customizable to every client's individual needs.
Of course, not every tree house they build is intended solely for residential purposes.
They have also built properties for the hospitality industry. But that's not even the most interesting usage. Wait until you see how they use them for offices on the next page...
These tree houses have tons of uses. Some people have built them as offices...
...classrooms...
...yoga studios...
...and even commercial spaces like this hotel bar. I can just imagine sitting back, sipping a margarita, and enjoying the views from here.
These are just a fraction of some of the amazing projects that they have completed.
And they relish the opportunity for new ventures and challenges.
Every structure they create is more interesting, intricate, and beautiful than the last.
If you think, "But I don't have any trees that could hold a house like that," don't worry. They use a variety of stilts and support structures to ensure that all of their houses are safely secured.
The sky is the limit with what they can do with these houses.
Of course, if you're scared of heights, maybe a tree house isn't your thing. Why not try something like this underground house. Might look weird, but wait until you see inside...
This "Hobbit House" is the brainchild of Simon Dale and his family.
This Welsh family built the house themselves from all natural materials. They wanted a house that was in harmony with the environment around it.
From the foundation to the interior decorations, this family built it all by hand. And the finished product?
It's gorgeous!
It's comfortable and homey. The Dales hope to build several similar homes across their country.
Whether it's tree houses or Hobbit homes, it's amazing how creative people are with building houses.
Would you like to live in a house like this? Let us know in the comments, and please SHARE if you love interesting living spaces.
