Treehouse in Toscany, Italy by Riccardo Barthel

A tree house-complete with a bedroom, a bathroom, and a kitchen-bears witness to a couple’s long-held dream and designer Riccardo Barthel’s ability to transform fantasy into reality. The tree house is used as a guesthouse playroom and restful refuge. Surrounded by olive, cyprus and pines tree, the rusted iron glass and recycled wood structure seems utterly at one with its leafy environment.

The flooring is made from recycled scaffolding planks and a bed build from wooden storage boxed on castors.

Behind the blackboard headboard are the standard-size bathroom and the micro kitchen. The bathroom, lined with sheets of iron, features a stainless-steel sink, nautical salvage, and a rain shower. Into the kitchen, clad in marble remnants, he managed to squeeze another stainless sink, a zinc counter, a cooktop, and a refrigerator.

Mechanic’s chests provide storage under the bed; its blackboard headboard walls off the bathroom and the kitchen.