This luxurious treehouse complete with its own slide and open-air tree shower is world’s away from your wooden childhood den.
[This article was written by Crystal KeiKei and published in, The Independent, British GQ, The Metro, The Evening Standard, The Telegraph & Travel and Leisure]
Hidden in a forest in West Dorset, the modern treehouse was built by London designer Guy Mallinson for the ultimate retreat for holidaymakers wanting to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
The Woodsman’s Treehouse is a combination of sustainable craftsmanship and 5-star interiors including a sauna and hot tub on the upper deck, a revolving wood burner and even has something for those who want to really be at one with nature – an open-air tree-shower.
Woodworker Guy, 51, has always had a passion for designing and building and trained as a furniture designer at the Royal College of Art in London and has built numerous yurts and tipis for guests to stay in.
Guy said: “I have always wanted to build a tree house, who hasn’t?
“Having handmade all of our glamping yurts, tipis and woodland structures our existing guests were always saying they wanted us to build a treehouse using the traditional craft skills that we teach on our courses.”
The Woodsman’s Treehouse cost a total of £150,000 to build and took Guy and his team of twenty top craftsmen – including his three teenage sons – 5 months to complete. The design was also a collaboration between Mallinson and his friend Keith Brownlie, an internationally recognised bridge architect.
Guy said: “Inside the treehouse, you will find a copper bath, revolving fireplace, kitchen, bedroom and a roof-light above the bed looking up at an illuminated tree canopy.
“Outside on the main deck, there is a pizza oven, tree shower, hammock, spa deck with hot tub and also a sauna.”
The treehouse has only been open to guests since the beginning of August 2016 but is already fully booked for the next few months, encouraging the designer to think about building a second tree house.
And there have even been several marriage proposals as the romantic woodland setting.
He said: “It is called the Woodsman’s Treehouse as it uses materials and techniques that a woodsman would be familiar with.
“However our imaginary woodsman had no children and won the lottery so splashed out on a life of luxury within!”
With sustainability being an important part of designing the treehouse, Guy and his team ensured that the preservation of the forest is a high priority.
Guy said: “We teach green woodworking, which uses unseasoned woodland thinnings.
“We also use 18-year-old rotational coppiced sweet chestnut in the ground – this is totally renewable and due to the tannins in the wood no preservatives are needed or used.
“Similarly the materials used in the construction of the treehouse are selected for their characteristics and don’t need preservatives and are local, sustainable and totally renewable.”
The treehouse is also built on stilts as Guy made the decision early on that with the heavy structure would put a lot of stress on the tree.
He said: “The tree has grown in response to its environment and is very efficient and should be allowed to move and flex in gales without asymmetric loads and constraints.
“So technically it is a house on long stilts amongst the trees but I am happy with this as it’s all about the tree and looking after the tree.”
To book your stay at The Woodsman’s Treehouse or to join Guy on one of his woodworking courses, visit: www.mallinson.co.uk
To view the pictures and the full article, visit: http://www.barcroft.tv/luxury-treehouse-west-dorset-woodlands-five-star-interior-design
KeiKei is a London-based award-winning journalist and videographer with a degree in Broadcast Media and Journalism from the University of the West of Scotland and an extensive reporting background in news, entertainment, travel, and lifestyle.
KeiKei has travelled the globe interviewing, reporting and reviewing. Her work has been published in worldwide media outlets including, The New York Post, The Guardian, The Mirror, The Daily Mail, National Geographic and Conde Nast publications.
