Your private retreat
EVER DREAMT OF A PRIVATE SPACE WHERE YOU CAN COSY UP AND GET AWAY FROM IT ALL? A BLACKDOWN SHEPHERD HUT COULD BE THE ANSWER
Autumn can be a season of replenishment, of contemplation and of new beginnings – a time to pause, rethink and spend a little more time looking after ourselves. If space is at a premium indoors, a shepherd hut can make a gorgeously cosy hideaway, where you can relax alone, or invite family and friends for a barbecue on a fire pit. Blackdown Shepherd Huts are for all seasons, so you can enjoy cool evenings inside and out, with blankets, candles, hooting owls and maybe even stargazing.
YOUR HUT, YOUR WAY
At the workshop near Ilminster in Somerset, the family-run company handcrafts Blackdown Shepherd Huts to various different designs, all inspired by the traditional shepherd hut – a mobile structure designed to follow the flock, whatever the weather. Although Blackdown’s huts retain much of their original rustic charm, they’ve been updated to embrace our modern lifestyle, and luxury is now part of their appeal. The huts are made to your own specifications by a skilled team of designers, carpenters and metalworkers, so you can make your mark at every step of the build, whether it’s on the interior layout, construction materials or colours. The Turnkey Hut, for example, is ideal for socialising, as the kitchen has a beautiful hand-made oak worktop, Neff hob and integral fridge. The Retreat, meanwhile, is a snug space where you can unwind after work or a bracing walk, or just escape to when you need a little headspace. Or go all out with the fabulous Brace Hut, a roomy double hut kitted out with a copper William Holland roll-top bath and a stargazing roof above the bed.
MAKE IT YOURSELF
If you love DIY or are feeling adventurous, you could even build your own shepherd hut. First, choose your design and size, and Blackdown will deliver all of the materials and instructions you need to craft a beautiful hut at home. Then it’s up to you to get out your toolbox and start drilling and hammering.