Would You Live In A Former Treehouse Retreat?

Whether as a site to play fairies or plot swashbuckling adventures, no fantasy haunts the dreams of young minds quite like that of a treehouse. Still jealous of the characters and acquaintances who had a treetop cabin to escape to, the whimsical nostalgia of a treehouse never really leaves you, even as an adult. And with busy city lives keeping many of us away from nature’s restorative touch, there’s few ways better than to connect to the outside world than holing up among the trees. As people swap out traditional camping, for glamping and tipis, yurts and pods, treehouses can now be enjoyed by adults and children alike as eco-tourist retreats. But if you fancy living among the trees on a more permanent basis, this former holiday spot could be your new home.

Mallinson’s Woodland Retreat Hits The Market

The Background

Guy Mallinson always dreamed of building a treehouse. But having gained the necessary credentials as a cabinet maker and furniture designer, he put his dreams of creating a forest escape on hold to set up Mallinson Ltd – a London-based firm which specialises in bespoke deisgn and woodworking. 

Following his years in the big city, Guy was eager for a change. Uprooting his family, they relocated to to the West Dorset countryside. Here, he threw himself into the teaching of traditional wood crafts, running courses in everything from chair making to bowl carving. As his students expressed a desire to more fully immerse themselves in the woodland setting, Guy built yurts, tipis, and shepherds’ huts for accommodation which developed into its own glamping business. 

It wasn’t, however, until 2016 that Guy would finally fulfill his childhood dream and build a treehouse of his own. His first – The Woodsman’s Treehouse – was built by Guy and a team of specialist craftsmen, designed in collaboration with Beam architects. On top of its two RIBA awards, it was featured on Grand Design House of the Year where Kevin McCloud celebrated it as a ‘glamourous woodland funfair’. This was followed during lockdown with two further treehouses, each earning their own RIBA awards and TV features. 

‘It has been a privilege to spend the past fifteen years working alongside incredible craftsmen to create this magical woodland oasis,’ says Guy of his treehouse retreats. ‘Design, craftsmanship, and sustainability have always been at the heart of the retreat, and I hope that spirit will be carried forward. I will miss the days spent among the oaks and birdsong, and the conversations with our many returning guests, but the time has come to return to my roots at the workbench and hand over the reins to someone else to write the next chapter of this very special place.’

Step Inside

Located in the heart of West Dorset, the treehouses are set within 13 acres of private woodland and meadow near Lyme Regis. Despite its rope bridge entrance, the copper bathtub, rooftop sauna, hot tub, terrace, pizza oven and slide to ground level of The Woodsman’s Treehouse ensures it is far from a Tarzan experience. Built in the gap between two old oaks held up by stilts carved from chestunut, the first of the three cabins is made up of a living area, bedroom and bathroom, plus a window in the floor from which you can watch a stream flow by.

Meanwhile the Pinwheel Treehouse is designed to echo the shape of the eponymous children’s toy – and features a suitably childlike treetop swing – while the Dazzle Treehouse is inspired by the geometry of naval camouflage, more specifically the pattern used to conceal naval ships in the First World War, with a gangplank walkway, roof top funnels and a yacht deck floor.

A key aspect of Mallinson’s design is respect for the surrounding woodland, with all the treehouses handbuilt using traditional craftsmanship and locally sourced materials. And while you may struggle to replicate the RIBA award winning homes yourself, the property does come with planning permission for five further treehouses for anyone who fancies themselves an expert crafter. 

This treehouse retreat is on the market for more than £2m. Find out more at mallinson.co.uk