patricia beharry I'll be the first. Love them all to spend a vacation in. But the Pennsylvania House I can permanently live in. Love it. The others remind me of the three little pigs and the wolf, " I'll huff and puff and blow your house down". That said, I love them all.

kennedytarheel In my next life, I shall live the life of a hobbit in a home like these! Simply wonderful!

marmarmish I just love seeing how people take an alternative route to living! So inspiring!!

cathymesser I am in awe of other's creativity, especially in something as large (well, relatively) as a home. These are amazing.

nzdanovich I was hoping to introduce folks to a Facebook Page called 'Natural Homes', where you can see Simon Dale's home and many more beautiful Straw-bale Cob homes and other structures made of sustainable materials. You must have picked up on the wavelength!

Nan @nzdanovich..... the FB page on natural homes would be inspiring for many...I have a straw bale home and live in Wi. I can't imagine ever living in anything else. Realizing that land is costly people could see the potential for alternative add ons and rehabs if they can't build new. These hobbit like structures are practical, charming and artistic. Most new homes cannot claim that which is why I chose straw bale.

shawnaleeah It's always been my dream to have a cob cottage.

addiva34 Check out the 27 Hobbit Houses in Charlevoix Michigan created by architect Earl Young

nshattuck I would totally live in one of those if I was 4' tall! :)

monjav2 oh my, how fun it must be to live in a hobbit house and be able to sneak away into the wilderness in the coziness of one's very own little magical space. Love them all!

Jenn Fluck_Sanders Ever since I read the first LOTR book I was just in love with what I thought the houses would look like. When I saw the movie I told my husband that that is my wish, someday I want to live in a hobbit house with the round door and natural interior! I'm glad I'm not the only one crazy about these houses, I especially love the one in Montana pictured here. There's a house down the street (we live in kind of a rural area) that always has kind of made me think of a hobbit house. I keep telling hubby that if it ever goes up for sale I'm moving! LOL! These houses are awesome! They might not be very easy for me to get around (I have MS and can't walk) but I'd have to find a way. I can't help but think of how much fun my kids (14 & 5, ,boys) would have living in a house like this!

Belen Martinez good job! I am rebuilding my house and I can understand how good and imaginative work they have made. I love it !

Fiona Jenkins I've sat on the top of the REAL Bilbo's house on the set in Matamata NZ!!.. I worked at AgResearch & after the 1st movie we did a field trial on the farm where the village was 'made'. Most of the facades had been removed but the 'houses' were still there along with the tiny apple trees & flagstones outside the front doors...hehe it's uncanny watching the film & knowing 'I've been there!'...Lovely to see our beautiful country & the film being the talk of the world at the moment..I hope you all enjoy the gorgeous scenery when you see the movie. Peter Jackson has done us proud.

Heidi McClure Do these places have plumbing? No plumbing would be a deal breaker.

Jenn Fluck_Sanders Fiona, I'm so jealous I could just die!

Fiona Jenkins Hehe It's definitely a buzz alright :D

Amanda Simons Ditto Jenn!

Hardhita Francis Love the hobbit houses....so whimsical ,so wonderful

Anab Roa gotta have one!!! :D

Cherlyn What a waste of money...

frecklefrog These are adorable. My husband and I are somewhat vertically challenged so would be perfect for us. Don't know what I would do with our six foot son though haha.

Anita Quinones I don't see how these could be considered a waste of money if, as one owner stated, he built his for less than $5,000.00 and as far as I am concerned things like art, which I would also consider these dwellings, are never a waste of money if they bring you enjoyment and pleasure. But as we all know beauty lies in the eye of the beholder. I for one, think these are much more creative than the typical boxy houses that the majority of us reside in. Good luck building a conventional home for less than $5,000.00.

patricia beharry As long as it is their money its their business. Spend it quick before the government takes it the end of this year'

treeseachanger Well it was a toss up between a Swiss Family Robinson tree house or a hobbit house as I was growing up...! Delightful, whimsical, and just plain inspiring!

suz1023 i so want a hobbit house on my land. and would already be built if it could be built for under ten grand!

Amanda Simons Why not Cherlyn? You're the one who made an offensive comment. If you make a comment like that, you have to expect someone would defend the post, especially since you seem to be in the minority on this thread. It's perfectly fine to have that opinion, just don't be suprised if people get defensive, silly.

suz1023 i so want a hobbit house on my land.
and one would already be built if it could be built for under ten grand!

Artisanaworks Simon Dale's creation is magical, and so artfully designed and constructed. The engineering and use of the meandering tree trunks and branches seem to lay the foundation for the character of the place as a whole.

I cheer that his home increases awareness of unsafe chemicals often used in conventional building materials. The movement to steer away from use of carcinogens in all of our everyday goods is beginning to take hold...and this is a good thing.

I am eager to check out his website.

nan_navarro71216 I live not to far from Chester county, I would never have known that house existed! I'd love a house like this, maybe the owner could let me visit for a day! These are all pretty neat!

jothedream Ah amazing you Hobbitesses...

tetoette omg. Simon's house is MAGNIFICENT!!!

nestungrebel Fantastic! I want the 1000 sq ft one, only because the spouse is too much of a clutter bug to live in one of the smaller ones.

frenchdecor They are fabulous. Such a great idea to build one small version in the back yard or in the cottage for kids if you don't have a huge tree for tree house, and less stressful for parents. Love them.

Artisanaworks Cathy has opened a magical door, here. I hope that each and everyone who has been charmed by these creative homes will further explore by following the link to Simon Dale's Houzz page, his website, the Natural Homes FB page and their website. I have yet to further investigate the other featured homes, but I am eager to do so. I have been an Alice in Wonderland delving into the eco-villages in Wales, the bale houses, stone houses, tree houses, and all the wondrous accounts of these alternate means of shelter. Thank you Cathy and those providing other links!

Georgia Blum I love LOTR. Seriously. I even have a pet tarantula named Shelob (though I did restrain my husband from naming our daughter Eowyn). However, living in a house imitating a Hobbit hole would feel a little like living in a theme park. As a B&B or vacation home? Yes please! I love the Wales house though, because it was an "honest" design that came from the owners own sensibilities.

Cherlyn Not an offensive comment...speaking only truths...

Ann Rupar beautiful, sweet dreams...

tammis Wow....I love these homes. So warm, comfortable and a real serene feel to them....and that's looking through a photograph!! In person would be breath taking!

karelina The Wales house is just beautiful! I appreciate the creator's desire to build a natural house. I love them all - so organic and connected to their environment.

ragsangle I want to build one of these in the back 40 acres of the woods on my property, that way no one would bother me and I could be surrounded by nature. Alot of the wood,stone and other stuff I could take right off my land instead of buying too! With other materials I already have it would be very possiable to do next spring!