If you’re a fan of J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Hobbit,” or “Lord of the Rings,” then the thought of living in the Shire must be appealing to you. Sadly, it’s just a made-up place, but cheer up. There’s still hope for you to live, or at least, visit a hobbit house like the one seen in the films. You’ll just have to travel to Tomich, Scotland, and make a friend out of Stuart Grant, who created a hobbit house that would make Bilbo Baggins feel right at home. Since a couple of photos have popped up online, the home has become a hit on the internet, and it’s obvious to see why this dwelling is so darn enchanting.Ironically, Stuart Grant, the owner and builder of this quaint little home claims he had never seen any of the “Lord of the Rings” films or its prequel, “The Hobbit.” So really, the outer appearance of this home and any resemblance to Bilbo Baggins’ home are accidental.
We’re not sure we’re buying this whole, “I hadn’t seen the movies before,” story, but then again, the 84-year-old started building this home in 1984. That’s nearly two decades before the first film would have come out.
He had myalgic encephalomyelitis, a neuro-immune disease, so he really benefited from the architecture of this tiny home, which practically offered everything he needed within arm’s reach, in case his condition worsened.
It’s such a cute place to live in and we dare say that we’re a bit jealous. But Grant was actually going to live in the nearby cottage, where the Hobbit house is now. It turns out that the home was just a shed that housed animals like chickens, donkeys, calves, cows, and pigs.
It’s hard to imagine that this home also housed tools, cementer mixers, and other people’s stuff. When Grant realized that the shed had a nicer view and lots of potential, he put a roof on it and started remodeling the entire place.
The fireplace is so cozy, but the home is so much more than just a cabin in the woods. It’s become a sanctuary for Grant, and more importantly, it’s made him really famous and you might say envied by some people.
There’s painted china, mullioned windows, and tables carved out of tree trunks. But if you feel like relaxing in the living room, then go ahead. You’ve probably never experienced anything as cool as this.
Keep in mind that everything is more efficiently spaced so that Grant can get to things without straining too much with his condition. Now, this bedroom with its overhead shelves and crocheted quilt will make you feel like you’re already dreaming.
Clearly, Grant was on the same wavelength as J.R.R. Tolkien when he designed this place. Even walking upstairs or downstairs will make you feel like a kid at Disneyland.
The toilet was encased in a piece of wood, and even the seat was created from a piece of tree trunk. You can also throw in some laundry in the washer, which has a wooden top. In fact, everything you’d expect to find in a bathroom has been repurposed with a wooden finish to fit the motif.
There’s so much to explore inside the home that you simply must walk down the stairs. Of course, no one said you couldn’t sit on one of the steps and have your cup of tea and bask in this Hobbit house for a bit.
Who wouldn’t want to write a letter the old-fashioned way, with a pen and paper while sitting on a carved wooden desk inside this office from Middle Earth. It sure beats the quiet space that Bilbo used to write his novel in the film series.
According to Kahlum G., who is Grant’s nephew, Grant loves to welcome guests to his home, so you might want to consider knocking on his door and seeing if you can stay and take a few photos. You can probably take a nap here too.
The doors have tree branches that are twisted and go well with the overall look. And in the backyard, there’s a lovely garden, which has a pond and a water mill. It’s as if the entire Shire has been compacted into this tiny property.
He’s clearly come a long way since he moved from Australia back to Scotland, his native home, to try and have a happy ending, despite a divorce and his health ailments. Now he gets to rest and relax inside his home and he considers himself “the luckiest man alive.”
