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Unique Treehouse

Designer and woodwork master David Rasmussen has created this playful adult treehouse in Colorado, in conjunction with Green Line Architects. As explained on the GreenLine site, the treehouse is supported on four log columns, since the standing trees weren’t sturdy enough to support the structure. Another benefit is that you could pick your four point locations, and build on a sturdier, more rectangular footprint. The structure looks anything but rectangular, built one-of-a-kind with all handcraft detail.

You won’t find another one of these in a catalog.

Tankless Water Heater/Shower

Here’s an interesting portable system that can be energized by a propane tank, and supplied by a garden hose. The Eccotemp L-5 provides a hot shower without having to be fed by a separate hot water source. The only downside for true portability is that it needs 20lbs of water pressure to operate, so you can’t use a simple gravity feed. A 12-volt pump however will provide the necessary pressure, and it can draw from any nearby clean water source. Ignition is powered by two D cell batteries.

Two Hiking Emergency Shelters

Although the purpose of these structures is for emergency – for example evacuations, earthquakes and homeless people – there are several ideas here that can be transposed into backyard or remote getaways for one to as many as four people. WebUrbanist provides sixteen different examples of emergency shelter, some real and others proposed designs.

Baumraum Treehouse

BaumRaum is the German expression for “Tree Space”. This company designs and builds unique custom tree houses throughout Europe. The quality and finish is more like a piece of fine furniture. As they describe them on their website, treehouses are “ . . . a promise of adventure for the kids, a retreat for the adults, a romantic hideaway close to nature.”

Michael Cannell has written an interesting overview of what I call the “getaway movement” in this New York Times story. He outlines some of social trends and practical factors that are the driving forces behind the dynamic growth of getaway space construction.  Although the Times story highlights installations from Brooklyn to LA, the movement, like so many others, is traveling west-to-east.  It won’t be too long before getaways are familiar to all.

Although there are many ways to power a getaway “off the grid”, many of you will elect to power your getaway with “line voltage”, by bringing a circuit from your home into the getaway.  (This is best not done with an extension cord!)

Merle Henkenius has written a thorough and easy-to-read piece for Popular Mechanics entitled “Bringing Power to An Outbuilding”, with illustrations by George Retseck, on just how to introduce line power to your personal outdoor structure.  The article takes you step-by-step, including digging an underground trench, handling conduit, and even introducing a new circuit breaker.

If you are not very familiar with home electrical wiring, it’s best to hire a professional to do some or all of the work.  Even so, this article will give you an understanding of what’s involved, so that you can make decisions which will guide your electrician. Some things to consider are where you’d like the power to enter, how it may affect the appearance of your getaway, where to put a cutoff box (important safety feature) what you intend to power up (heat? light? audio?), how many amps it will take to do the job, and where you will need outlets.

Amy Bloom is an award-winning writer and author, whose little backyard writing studio behind her home in central Connecticut recalls Thoreau’s little cabin on Walden Pond.   Amy’s wonderful retreat is featured in Debra Prinzing’s equally terrific book, Stylish Sheds and Elegant Hideaways, a must-read for the getaway in all of us.

The little building, nestled in a wooded setting, fits naturally among the gray barked trees with its naturally weathering exterior clapboard.  Warm ambient lighting washes a knotty-pine interior, emanating a yellow glow through the significant window surfaces.  The contrast between the grayness of winter and the sun-like glow of the interior make for a magnetic pull both to the eye and the spirit.   See Debra’s book for some great interior shots.

This charming studio getaway was created by Timber Design Limited, in Devon, U.K. the studio is nestled into a landscape with exquisite river views and is supported on a steel micro-pile foundation.

Principal Cameron Scott explains that sustainability guides the  design process and drives selection of materials.  Larch wood was selected for the major timber components because of its natural durability.  The building is insulated with sheep’s wool.  The roof covering is a simple corrugated sheet steel with an interesting glass entry awning.

Although the building appears to be simple, the connections, joinery of materials, and tolerances are more like those of a furniture cabinet.  For more information and photos, visit the TDL website.

On a cold winter day, the perfect getaway is an outdoor sauna.  Some of the best-built prefabricated structures are produced by sauna manufacturers, who have been building them for decades.

Unlike steam rooms, saunas capture dry heat from a variety of sources, the most common being electric. Some heat sources allow you to pour water over the coals, thereby controlling the humidity to some degree.

Sauna exteriors are most commonly clad in cedar, or the more expensive and lush mahogany species.  Both of them offer great resistance to rot and insect damage.

The best material to use inside a sauna is “clear heart” redwood.  Clear heart derives its name from where the lumber is extracted from the log.  Redwood is a relatively soft lumber and it’s extremely rot resistant. It also has a tendency to stay uniformly straight and is resistant to expansion and contraction due to heat changes – very important for saunas, whose temperatures can vary as much as 180 degrees within a 24 hour period.  Redwood emits a very pleasant odor and its color adds warmth and a feeling of well-being to the sauna interior.

There appears to be a new category in the hospitality industry – getaway rentals. One company that has entered the market at the luxury end in the U.K. is Natural Retreats. They provide personal outdoor structures for overnight rental in various locations throughout the British countryside. Their main focus is to promote enjoyment of outdoor physical activities in pastoral settings.

While being described as naturally sensitive development, what’s most different about the concept is that the structures are more like getaways than hotel rooms. Although fashioned within a community development, each unit is freestanding and more like a luxurious campsite than a hotel room. The buildings are designed to blur the boundaries of formal interior room divisions, and also between the enclosed space and its natural surrounds. Large expanses of glass bring the outdoors inside, and an open plan promotes efficient use of space.

The company claims that materials chosen for construction reflect their commitment to both quality and sustainability. They also seek to develop a low carbon footprint, and energy conservation.