Suite Blue – A Room in the Sky

Ever dreamt of spending the night in a treehouse? For those not fortunate enough to have had a hideout in the sky as a kid, Renzo Stucchi makes this childhood dream a reality. Stucchi is the owner of La Piantata, a high-end Bed and Breakfast in Arlena di Castro, in the Lazio region of Italy. On his estate is a manor house with rooms and several apartments for rent, and now, a new cabin 26 feet above ground.

The rolling countryside is nothing if not picturesque; olive groves, fields covered with lavender as far as the eye can see, and in the center of it all, a wooden cabin nestled in an old oak tree. The cabin, which can be rented for a luxurious nights stay at The Planting, was designed in collaboration with La Cabane Perchée®. The French firm that specializes in designing treehouses was started by cabin designers Alain Laurens and Daniel Dufour, and master carpenter Guislain Andre. With each project, La Cabane Perchée® visits the site of the build to draw inspiration from the natural surrounding landscape of the region. The team pays special attention to the unique features of each tree, as they design a cabin around every branch. There is no pruning of branches, or nails used in installing the cabins, so no harm is done to the tree. Planning of the new cabin took about five months, but the build only took a mere 15 days. Now, a winding staircase leads up to a private room complete with four-poster bed, bathroom, and a terrace that looks across the expansive lavender fields.