You could live in this 'hobbit' house made of mud – for $220,000
A “Hobbit” house made of polystyrene coated with mud and cement, is up for sale for $220,000 (approximately £166,000).
The cute one-bedroom home looks as though it could be straight out of the Shire, but is actually located in Marshfield, Vermont, US.
The unique property consists of a series of connected domes and arching vaults with frameless oval windows set directly into the walls.
The building was the creation of the late Bob Chappelle, an award-winning architect who was inspired by the mud huts he saw in Africa.
Chapelle, who passed away two years ago, constructed the unusual house in 1988 with a polystyrene core which he covered with a mud mix and then coated with two different waterproofing substances.
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Unfortunately those substances have begun to fail and some of the mud is crumbling as a result of water damage.
Vermont preservationists hope the house, which has been known as the Vermont Mud Hut, will attract a buyer who could restore the structure without altering or damaging Chappelle’s brilliant vision.
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Brenda Thompson, an agent who has listed the home on her specialfinds.com website, hopes that the property will be bought by an architect who would repair the home.
Her fear, however, is that the low price could appeal to a buyer who would tear the Vermont Mud Hut down and rebuild, something she describes as a real “loss”.
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“It is heart wrenching because it would be a travesty to see this house be torn down,” she explains.
“It has so much beauty inside because everything was hand built by Bob Chapelle - even the kitchen sink was made by him.
"We are hoping an architect will come along who would love to carry on the legacy.”
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Alternatively Thompson says the house could appeal to those wanting to holiday in a one-of-a-kind property.
“It has been referred to as a Hobbit House and I could see it as an Airbnb,” she adds.
The 1,449 sq ft house sits on 47 acres of land and the interior boasts hand-built cherry-slab furniture and towering granite columns along with stone patios.
Additional reporting SWNS.
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