With so many of you in love with The Hobbit Movie and with the characters depicted by J.R.R. Tolkien, we decided to put together a special post. And because design and architecture is our thing, we made a list with some of the most striking architecture projects that resemble or are derived from the famous fantasy novels. Simon Dale of Wales envisioned a sustainable woodland home in a hill on the countryside, which may be considered “cartoony” enough to match the small hobbit homes from the Lord of the Rings. The project is daring, highly practical and it only cost its owner £3,000 to build. A nice way to escape the hassle of monthly energy bills, wouldn’t you agree?If it wouldn’t have been built in 1975 (long before the movie itself), some would probably argue that this 3,500-square-foot multilevel home by Ian Morrison on top of a hill in Barbados, is definitely inspired by the Lord of the Rings movie. Built in a stunning setting with soothing interiors that seem to be brimming with green life, the house brings a relaxing atmosphere that you can “almost” feel.
The Hobbit scenes from Lord of the Rings Movie Trilogy were filmed on a hillside lot in Matamata, New Zealand. Now the little Hobbit Homes have become a tourist attraction, but also they became homes for some of the sheep from a nearby farm. The interiors of these white structures were never finished because the scenes shot inside were actually filmed on a studio set. Although the place where these Hobbit houses rest under the sun are not an intimidating fun Disneyland-like amusement park, one can visit the countryside and get a chance to learn more about the sheep raised here and even pet the lambs.Even though architect William Morgan did not intend for the Dune House in Atlantic Beach, USA to resemble any fantasy dwelling, the project may strike some interesting correlations with Tolkien readers. Initially built in 1975, this original looking residence consists of two almost identical 750-Square-foot, each having a bedroom and a bathroom.The unusual architecture display for this home was envisioned by SeARCH and Christian Muller Architects.
This particular “hobbit home” includes all the facilities a common house has, such as a guest room, an entertainment area, but also “specialized” interiors like an underground pathway. The entrance is a wide oval opening that you are driven to by some traditional stairs made in stone. Large windows make it noticeable and draw attention to the inside decors.Architect Peter Archer designed a perfect little retreat in rural Chester County, about 50 miles northwest of Philadelphia, USA. “We wanted a single structure, a relaxing place that was diminutive in scale, for the owner to come and hang out and just be in solitude with his collection,” explained the architect. The fantastic abode inspired by the two famous novels- “The Hobbit” and “Lord of the Rings”- was built in collaboration with a team of craftsmen and it is not meant to be a Hollywood interpretation, but a timeless dwelling.Displaying a charming undulating shingle roof, asymmetrical walls and even a water wheel, the home built by Chris Whited in Bainbridge Island, Washington meets our idea of a fairytale dwelling.
The project has a total surface 1,200-square feet, is perfectly fit for human life and was built out of sheer passion, without the intension of making the headlines.The Hobbit Villageis a real-life “Shire”-inspired place dedicated to Tolkien characters. During the spring and summer months, visiting hobbit enthusiasts can inhabit the village for prices beginning at $195 per night. It is here that we came across this charming hobbit house with an interior that does not lack the comfort of modern living.Round windows and front door, earth walls and grass covering- now this is how a real hobbit home should look like! Admit it- you would love to inhabit a small home like this, even if it does require a little sacrifice. At least for a little while.Last, but not least, check out Bilbo Baggins House at the Hobbit Village in Montana, USA. Particularly inviting, this picture perfect dwelling will probably not be as appealing to adults, as they can only take a peek inside and not actually…live inside it.
Find it as pretty as the “real fantasy” version? It frequently seems as though Jackson was less interested in making The Hobbit than in remaking his own fabulously successful Lord of the Rings series. December 14, 2012 | My first thought in watching The Hobbit was: Do we really need this movie? It was my last thought, too. To its own narrative detriment, "The Hobbit" works hard to lay the framework for what will follow. Certainly that's one way to set out on a trilogy, but it's surely not the best. There's no denying the majesty in Peter Jackson's visuals but he's taken a relatively slim children's book and stretched it beyond the limits. The repeated iterations of fight, flight and respite here get wearing. Especially perhaps because, with Jackson's fetish for detail, they take more time to watch on screen than to read about. "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" has finally arrived, not on wings of gossamer fancy but with a hairy-footed thud.What are the best gifts for an 8-year-old boy?
I’m looking for a big gift, in the $50-$100 range. —CMP reader, via Twitter Oh, you mean the kind of gift that makes a child pause while unwrapping, shout out with glee, and rush over to give you a big hug? Well, small gifts can do that too, but on the splurgier side, here are some of our favorites according to our own sons — and by the way, according to our daughters, all these cool kids’ gifts would be great for girls, too. Just note we stayed away from video games and accessories, though you can find plenty of ideas for those on Cool Mom Tech. For even more amazing ideas, be sure to check out the coolest gifts for tween boys on our 2016 holiday gift guide! (And yes, girls like those too.) If I were a cool little 8-year-old, I would be psyched to find a rad, colorful Penny Skateboard like this under the tree. You may want to add some pads and a helmet too. If skateboarding isn’t his thing, consider roller blades, an upgrade to a top-quality youth baseball glove (this one at Sports Authority, on sale for $69.99), game-quality soccer ball, or any other gift that plays into his athletic interests.
Related: More cool gifts for 8 year-olds If you have a backyard, eight is the age where he’s probably outgrown the swingset he may have loved a few years ago. This Round-and-Round Nylon Rope Outdoor Tree Swing looks like so much fun, I’m pretty sure my kids would collapse out of it, one by one, in a dizzy heap after spinning and spinning. But I also love that this could be a comfy place to hang out on a warm summer day. Great for balance but, more importantly, for fun outdoor play, Slackers Slackline Classic Series Kit makes it so easy to set up a slackline in your backyard. With the “teaching line” above, even the wobbliest person will make it across and, with practice, kids can learn to do some cool moves. Related: More than 200 gift ideas in the Cool Mom Picks Holiday Gift Guide If they’d rather be zipping, check out Slackers 40′ Zipline kit which comes with a removable seat for easier use by younger kids. And with a weight limit of 250 pounds, even us grownups can get in on the fun.
We have a few Snap Circuits kits here that my son adores, and their latest release, Snap Circuits Light, would make him light up too. I love how many projects they can build with this kit (175 projects!) and how sturdy it is, even with enthusiastic kids manhandling it. ($79.99 at Elenco shop) Just about the best things coming in small packages are from littleBits, which will get your son working with circuits with just a few magnetic clicks. Super easy to use, but with lots of room for creativity (littleBits base kit $74 from our Amazon affiliate). We also always find plenty of fun options for kits that develop science, engineering, and building interests at the wonderful shop, Fat Brain Toys. One very cool toy with real functionality is this DIY Bigshot Camera which not only teaches kids about the parts of a camera, it leaves them with a totally usable digital camera when they are finished putting it together. We also love how this company has pledged to help underserved communities around the world by donating camera kits to kids.
Related: 12 cool STEM gifts for girls and boys My son will happily accept any LEGO set that comes his way, but this Hobbit LEGO building kit, Dol Guldur Battle, is especially timely with the second movie just released. With almost 800 pieces and including six minifigs, this would keep at least one of my kids quietly occupied for a long time on Christmas Day. Probably longer, considering his sisters will jump in too. Just be aware that LEGO retires hot franchise sets like this, and then they cost a fortune on eBay or through Amazon resellers. So grab it now while you can. A fun LEGO alternative are Citiblocs, little rectangular pieces of wood that can be made into some cool things, and I especially like their newer “cool colors” building set of blue, turquoise, dark green, and lime green. We love indulging our boys’ creative spirits, and for the future artists of the world, this 166-piece art set will have his eyes opening extra wide when he unwraps it ($74.95, Met Museum Store).
With acrylic paints, oil pastels, watercolors, colored pencils, sketch sheets, brushes, and more, this is one that he will really have to take care of like a “big kid.” You might also add in a gift membership to a favorite local museum — and a first visit with you. The gift of time is always a great one. Related: The coolest gifts for tweens and big kids Chess is such a cool strategy game for kids to learn, and when you combine it with Star Wars, as in this Star Wars Chess Set, you are bound to get a BIG reaction from movie fans. Thank goodness C3PO is paired with R2D2 since we all know that no chess piece spins around in circles. ($64.11 when this post was originally written in 2013; now $89.99 in 2015) It doesn’t have to be played on a screen to be absolutely captivating, but this next-generation radio-controlled car is actually an iPod or iPhone controlled Ferrari Enzo, so he may have to borrow your iOS device. If he loves cars, this is a pretty wow-invoking gift.
Download the free app — which looks like an actually Ferrari dash — and he can just tilt the device to control the car. ($73 on sale at Amazon via Wayfair) There are so many fantastic book series for 8-year-old boys that choosing great books depends on his interests, of course. But we’d start with the series that still has kids staying up all night reading under their covers: The Complete Boxed Set of Harry Potter, in easy-to-carry paperback, will have him dreaming of Quidditch, Boggarts, and all the wonderful things from the world of Hogwarts ($49.59, Amazon). You can of course splurge on the hardcover set too, which will about double the price. But it’s a keeper he’ll probably save for his own kids one day. My 8-year-old nephew gets starry-eyed when he starts to talk about the Percy Jackson series, and I know he’d adore getting the entire series in hardcover for his bookshelf. Another cool option: a monthly book subscription from Zoobean around the topics and themes that interest him.