If Groot from "Guardians of the Galaxy" were to build his own house, he'd construct something resembling this utterly unusual, beautifully eccentric home in Ashland, OR. The tree-sprouting masterpiece is now up for sale at a list price of $8.2 million. It sits on 706 acres, took a decade to build, and has never been lived in.
But … why? The owners, who finished the 8,881-square-foot home late last year, had a change of plans and decided to head to Hawaii. Whoever they are, they're going to remain mysterious. Listing agent Kendra Ratcliff of Luxe Platinum Properties says they "want to stay under the radar for now."
The decision to leave a house where, according to Ratcliff, "so much had to be created and built by hand" is a bit baffling. But we're fascinated by the home's delicious details.
The grand staircase, for example, has handcarved manzanita branches for the railings and balusters. Custom-cut pieces of glass have been fitted between the crooking branches, held in place by tiny clips.
"When you have to create something like that, it takes months and months," Ratcliff says.
As you approach the house you'll see massive Brazilian mahogany front doors handcarved by local artist Russell Beebe. He incorporated Native American themes and depicted animals such as eagles and coyotes in his work.
A covered entryway topped with a conical Chinese roof is propped up by two tree sculptures carved from copper. Inside, a floor made from four different types of wood resembles a flowing river as it ebbs against the curved walls and stone planters.
"The goal was to have no straight walls," says Ed Bemis, the general contractor who worked on the home since the beginning. "The floor plan almost looks like a landscape plan. There's lots of bent and shaped glass, a lot of rock work."
But most of the "wow" factor of this house comes from the organic use of wood. Tree trunks sprout from the kitchen floor to support the island. Branches crawl over parts of the walls and ceiling like vines. A smaller staircase is made completely of wood, with one long log twisted and curved for support.
Some of the windows in the two-bedroom home are cut to look like clouds and pine trees. The main fireplace features two thin dragons, kissing and forming a heart. Adjacent to the main house is another building which houses an "endless pool" -- a swimming pool where jets push the swimmer back, so you can swim without reaching one side.
All around the 706-acre property you're surrounded by endless views of Oregon mountains, including the potentially active volcano, Mount Shasta.
"The place has a good feeling about it," Bemis says. Despite great vibes, we asked him about the challenges that come with such an intricate, long-term project. "Just like any task that you do, you figure out what you want to do and you work your way toward finishing it," he says. "It was fun."