The concept of scaling a tree for protection or simply to look at the earth from a different perspective is as old as mankind itself. And those, who have already stayed the night in a treehouse, know what a magical feeling it is to rest gently swaying between heaven and earth.
More and more people are fulfilling their childhood dream, a dream that presumably many share: their own treehouse with all the trimmings. Whether romantic, modern, rustic or stylish, treehouses can assume so many shapes and sizes, only our imagination dictates the boundaries. They are a little ode to an alternative lifestyle.
Cloud-cuckoo-land
Almost everyone loves the smell of fresh wood and not only children dream of a cosy nest high up in the trees, amidst a sea of leaves. Your own realm at a lofty height, an oasis far from annoying neighbours and with a different view of the world. High above everyday rationality and worries, a treehouse offers the chance to pamper your body and soul on a well-deserved mini holiday. Treehouses exude a sense of freedom and adventure. They offer space for dreams and aspirations. They are houses without a foundation while remaining firmly rooted.
North-America has a particularly strong treehouse tradition. The USA can attribute this to their background as an immigrant country, in which the people often had to make a home for themselves in an unconventional setting. The size of the country and the immense, open landscapes provide the best possibilities for experimental construction in the countryside. Treehouses that are built here differ primarily from their European relations in their size and habitability. A number of them are multi-storeyed and can be lived in all year round. These houses have moved on from the rope ladder and plywood era. And the trend towards your own treetop house is sweeping over to Europe.
Dream homes in the treetops
The price of this lofty dream? From 25,000 Swiss francs upwards and your own «garden» with trees. Ideal trees are mature oak, beech, lime trees, ash and chestnut. Not every tree is suitable for a treehouse. In the case of smaller trees the weight should be distributed between several trees. The trees should be healthy and neither be in their first nor last phase of life, as they have to support the weight of the house and its inhabitants. If you want to focus on luxury, you can hire a treehouse specialist such as the American Pete Nelson. He and his team build veritable palaces high above the ground – superbly equipped living areas to the value of several 100,000 francs. For example, a bathing complex with a whirlpool, a cosy fireplace or a sun deck with a panoramic view: Pete Nelson fulfils people’s private treehouse dreams. The imagination knows almost no limits when you live high up in the trees.
If you don’t have your own plot of land for a treehouse you can book into a treehouse hotel or room. Treehouses for rent prove highly popular throughout the world:
For couples in love: www.maisonvalvert.com
For families: www.kulturinsel.com
For design enthusiasts: www.treehotel.se/en
For the adventurous: www.freespiritspheres.com
Photos Copyrights: Shutterstock, Inredningsgruppen, Alaisdair Jardine, Shutterstock, Tom Chudleigh, Pete Nelson, Andreas Wenning, Åke Elson Lindman
