Drive a Few Hours South of Tyler, TX to Discover a Remarkably Weird Home
What does escaping into a fairytale look like? The Bloomhouse.
When I first stumbled across this home on Airbnb, it reminded me of a Salvador Dali painting. It’s very unusual and totally whimsical. This is definitely not a cheap overnight stay, but it’s super instagrammable and photo worthy.
The house has an interesting history. It was built by architect, Charles Harker, in the late 70’s and early 80’s. It’s one of the most unusual structures I’ve ever seen created for a dwelling, and it’s available for rent if you’d like to spend a few nights in it.
It was conceptualized by two friends, Dalton Bloom and Charles Harker. Bloom wanted to create an extraordinary place that would last forever, while Harker wanted to create something unique.
It’s located in the hills of West Austin, and has been described in many ways. Some call it mushroom-like, others have said it’s like a fairy-tale. It’s constructed out of interesting materials. The shapes are created through rebar, and coated in layers of polyurethane foam, sculpted with a hand-held pruning saw. The process took seven months. Layers of stucco were then added to the outside.
Here’s a classic video from GMA, showing an interview with the architect, Harker.
In 2017, former Austin Mayor, Dave Claunch, purchased the home and has meticulously restored it. It’s not a place for kids under five, but more of a place where adults can feel like kids again. The entire home is rented to the guest and it has all the modern and usual amenities, if not the straight lines and structure we’re accustomed to in our traditional homes.
It sleeps up to four with a queen bed and sofa bed, and the outdoors and view appear to be just as lovely as the inside. Would you stay in the Bloomhouse?