Find solace in the forest at this expansive treehouse retreat in Dorset

A different kind of architectural retreat – a treehouse – is now available in West Dorset, one for lovers of nature and unconventional places to live. Mallinson’s Woodland Retreat is named for the cabinetmaker and furniture designer Guy Mallinson, who originally trained in the influential John Makepeace School for Craftsmen in Wood, and then at the RCA.

Explore this treehouse, engulfed in nature

Over the years, Mallinson has put his skills to work in this woodland retreat, located near the Dorset town of Lyme Regis. Initially, the designer used the 13-acre woods as a place to teach woodcraft but over time the site has evolved into a tree retreat, featuring three meticulously crafted ‘treehouses’ (actually stilt-mounted structures framed by mature trees) that each display the full gamut of his skill.

It took Mallinson 15 years to complete the project, which is now a renowned eco-retreat. For sale with offers invited above £2m, the site and its structures can either be retained as the ultimate nature-based hospitality experience or transformed into a private sanctuary.

Each treehouse has been given a unique look and feel, with the craftsmanship, materials and layout creating a distinct set of identities. Perhaps the most traditional is the Woodsman’s Treehouse, the first structure on the site. The design channels Victoriana and steampunk, complete with a copper bathtub, roof-mounted sauna and hot tub and a slide leading to the forest floor.

With an exterior of shingle tiles and wooden strip cladding, the Woodsman’s Treehouse is deliberately idiosyncratic. A spiral staircase, rope bridge and outdoor shower add to the eccentric nature of the layout, with an interior focused on a wood-burning stove.

There’s also the Dazzle Treehouse, with its faceted multi-hued cladding inspired by the geometric ‘dazzle patterns’ developed during the First World War as naval camouflage. Inside the top-lit main living space there are impressive displays of marquetry, along with interior cladding and carpentry of the highest quality and tolerances.

Finally, there’s the Pinwheel Treehouse, with its trompe l’oeil window framing and integral treetop swing. All three structures incorporate raised decks and provide complete privacy at high level in between the leaves and branches. Mallinson oversaw the construction of each project, using traditional craftsmanship as well as locally sourced timber.

‘It has been a privilege to spend the past fifteen years working alongside incredible craftsmen to create this magical woodland oasis,’ Mallinson says. ‘Design, craftsmanship, and sustainability have always been at the heart of the retreat, and I hope that spirit will be carried forward.’

The treehouse holds a curious place in contemporary architectural culture. As well as being steeped in the vernacular forms and materials of the forest, the treehouse also crops up in many myths and legends. Yet a new generation of architectural designers have used the form factor in a wholly contemporary way, blending traditional methods with modern forms and, above all, a deep respect for the surrounding landscape.

For Mallinson, the award-winning complex has been at the heart of his personal and professional life for many years.

‘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,’ he says.

The site comes with permission for five new treehouse structures, should the new buyer want to expand the business.

Mallinson.co.uk