Covet: Sweet (S)lumber


A local interior designer and builder craft a dream-worthy bed out of a tree

Forget the tree house. The coolest haven built upon towering timber is this fab, free-form bed designed by Narberth’s Chris McCloud, owner of interior design firm Design 6. The 7-by-11-foot structure, made of sustainably harvested English burled elm from Oxford’s Hearne Hardwood


Forget the tree house. The coolest haven built upon towering timber is this fab, free-form bed designed by Narberth’s Chris McCloud, owner of interior design firm Design 6. The 7-by-11-foot structure, made of sustainably harvested English burled elm from Oxford’s Hearne Hardwood took David Thal and his team at The Wood Shop in Malvern 273 hours — ! — to build. With a walnut veneer base that mimics the tree’s natural edge and built-in nightstands flanking both sides, the oversize nest is both elegantly earthy and thoroughly functional. The designer’s inspiration: “I thought, ‘How interesting would it be if a tree fell through the roof and was carved out into a bed?’” says McCloud. Timber, indeed.

Price upon request. Design 6, 215 Wayne Avenue, Narberth, 732-674-5444, design-6.com; The Wood Shop, 214 North Warren Avenue, Malvern, 610-647-4190, thewoodshopmalvern.com.