{"id":474,"date":"2019-06-24T10:23:28","date_gmt":"2019-06-24T09:23:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.blueforest.com\/?page_id=474"},"modified":"2026-02-17T14:26:34","modified_gmt":"2026-02-17T14:26:34","slug":"our-story","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.blueforest.com\/our-story\/","title":{"rendered":"Our Story"},"content":{"rendered":"    <div id=\"topheader-block_ad1b5cceb7f203f3252f5a198efa24a0\" class=\"topheader thwvideo\">\n\n                <iframe\n            class=\"background-video\"\n            src=\"https:\/\/player.vimeo.com\/video\/1073514788?background=1&#038;autoplay=1&#038;loop=1&#038;muted=1\"\n            frameborder=\"0\"\n            allow=\"autoplay; fullscreen picture-in-picture\"\n            allowfullscreen>\n          <\/iframe>\n        \n\n\n\n      <style>\n        \/* .mobile-background {\n          position: relative;\n        } *\/\n        .background-video\n         {\n          position: absolute;\n          top: 50%;\n          left: 50%;\n          width: 100vw;\n          height: 56.25vw;\n          \/* 16:9 aspect ratio *\/\n          min-height: 100%;\n          min-width: 177.77vh;\n          \/* 16:9 aspect ratio *\/\n          transform: translate(-50%, -50%);\n        }\n\n        .mobile-background img {\n          position: absolute;\n          width: auto;\n          height: 100%;\n          object-fit: cover;\n          object-position: center;\n\n        }\n      <\/style>\n\n\n        <div class=\"topheadercontent\">\n      <span>Our Story<\/span>\n      <h1>Bringing You Closer To The Natural World<\/h1>\n\n\n      \n\n\n    <\/div>\n          <a class=\"explore-anchor\" href=\"#explore\">\n        <span class=\"explore_anchor_text\">Explore<\/span>\n        <span class=\"explore-anchor-after\"><\/span>\n      <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n    <div id=\"explore\"><\/div>\n\n<div id=\"text-title-block_b545c15c5e302bc31a6d3b85b5a368be\" class=\"our-story-top-block\">\n  <div class=\"our-story-top-block-content\">\n    <div class=\"our-story-img round-img\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.blueforest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/andy-payne.jpg\" alt=\"Where It All Began\"><\/div>\n    <h2>Where It All Began<\/h2>\n    <div class=\"text-title-content\">\n      <p>Every story has a beginning, and ours started in East Africa. Andy and Simon Payne had the kind of childhood that truly embraced the beauty of the great, wild outdoors. Andy started Blue Forest inspired by his desire to help people reconnect with their inner child and enjoy similar adventures up in the trees.<\/p>\n    <\/div>\n          <div class=\"cta-wrapper\">\n        <a class=\"orange-button\" href=\"#the-name\" target=\"\">learn more<\/a>\n      <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"our-story-content blue-our-story\">\n  <div class=\"our-story-wrapper\">\n      <div class=\"our-story-video\">\n          <div class=\"video_cover_image\">\n                        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.blueforest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/our-story_video-cover-01.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/>\n          <\/div>\n          <a class=\"video_btn_title\" href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/liS_d7RZzi0\" data-fancybox>\n            <span class=\"playbtn\" >\n              <span class=\"vsplaybtn\"><svg width=\"50\" id=\"Layer_1\" data-name=\"Layer 1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 46 46\"><polygon class=\"cls-1\" points=\"30.25 23 19.35 16.7 19.35 29.3 30.25 23\"\/><circle class=\"cls-2\" cx=\"23\" cy=\"23\" r=\"22.5\"\/><\/svg><\/span>\n            <\/span>\n            <span class=\"video-title\">What our clients say<\/span>\n\n        <\/a>\n      <\/div>\n\n      <div class=\"the_name\" id=\"the-name\">\n        <span class=\"name_title\">WHAT\u2019S IN A NAME?<\/span>\n        <div class=\"the_name_text\">\n          <p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The name Blue Forest comes from the Japanese region of \u201cAomori\u201d meaning \u2018Blue Forest\u2019 \u2013 named after the \u2018blue\u2019 appearance of the distant pine forests.<\/span><\/p>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n            <div class=\"our-story-repeater\">\n                    <div class=\"our-story-item\">\n            <div class=\"our-story-item-text\">\n              <h2>Our History<\/h2>\n              <div class=\"text-description\">\n                <p>Siblings Clare, Andy and Simon Payne grew up in Kenya, surrounded by the wild beauty of the rift valley where their parents worked. Most children spend their time playing in parks and playgrounds, but the Payne children grew up swinging on jungle rope swings, climbing trees and having adventures. As Rumi, the 13th Century Persian Poet said &#8211;\u00a0 \u2018Let the beauty of what we love be what we do\u2019 and that was certainly true for Andy, whose passion for building and construction started at an early age. He was nicknamed \u2018Fundi\u2019 which means \u2018craftsman\u2019 in Swahili. Andy has never forgotten these memories of playing in the great outdoors, and loves to help other people create extraordinary experiences through the structures he builds.<\/p>\n<p>In 2003, after graduating with a degree in Business and Design, Andy, along with his brother Simon were asked to design and build a walkway suspended high above the Mida Creek mangroves in Kenya. Once Andy started showing photos of their work to his UK friends, he saw the excitement that it inspired and realised that he had to bring these treetop structures to our green and pleasant lands too.<\/p>\n              <\/div>\n                          <\/div>\n            <div class=\"our-story-item-images\">\n                                                <div class=\"grid\">                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.blueforest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/our-story-landscape-02.jpg\" alt=\"\">\n                  <\/div>\n                                  <div class=\"grid\">                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.blueforest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/our-story-landscape-03.jpg\" alt=\"\">\n                  <\/div>\n                                            <\/div>\n          <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"our-story-item\">\n            <div class=\"our-story-item-text\">\n              <h2>Our Values<\/h2>\n              <div class=\"text-description\">\n                <p>As far as we\u2019re concerned, treehouses are not just for children. It doesn\u2019t matter how old you are or what you do for a living; everyone needs to have a bit of excitement in their lives and a breathtakingly beautiful hideout up in the trees will bring a smile to your face, every time. We believe in bringing our clients closer to the natural world, creating amazing lofty abodes that they adore from the moment we reveal the designs. What\u2019s more, we absolutely love doing it.<\/p>\n<p>Our aim is to reconnect people with the great outdoors enabling them to create their own extraordinary memories and adventures. We\u2019re known for designing buildings that reflect their natural settings, nestled amongst the branches or tucked away in the woods.<\/p>\n<p>We care for the environment and want to do our best to ensure that the natural world is protected and can be enjoyed for generations to come. We promote sustainable principles and ethics throughout every stage of our design and build process, so you can rest assured that your new treehouse is as eco-friendly as possible. Where possible, our timber is PEFC or FSC certified and sourced from sustainably managed forests where there is an active strategy of replanting and habitat regeneration.<\/p>\n              <\/div>\n                          <\/div>\n            <div class=\"our-story-item-images\">\n                                                <div class=\"grid\">                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.blueforest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/our-values-landscape-01.jpg\" alt=\"\">\n                  <\/div>\n                                  <div class=\"grid half-grid\">                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.blueforest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/our-values-portrait-01.jpg\" alt=\"\">\n                  <\/div>\n                                  <div class=\"grid half-grid\">                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.blueforest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/our-values-portrait-02.jpg\" alt=\"\">\n                  <\/div>\n                                            <\/div>\n          <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"our-story-item\">\n            <div class=\"our-story-item-text\">\n              <h2>Your Dream<\/h2>\n              <div class=\"text-description\">\n                <p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">For many people owning an incredible hideaway up in the trees is something they only got to dream about as children. But there\u2019s absolutely nothing stopping you from having your own magical treehouse in your garden, and we can make it as amazing and awe-inspiring as you want it to be.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">We always say \u2018if you can imagine it, we can build it\u2019. Our highly skilled team of specialist designers will take time to understand what you want and will work with you to design a bespoke treehouse that\u2019s perfect for you. They will use their expertise to suggest additional elements and features that you might not have thought of. They\u2019re a creative bunch and love nothing better than to push the limits of design.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Have you always wanted a secret room hidden behind a bookcase door? No problem. What about a secret escape tunnel leading out of the room? Great. You\u2019d love a family living space up in the trees? Excellent, let\u2019s add a retractable projector screen for movie nights. We believe in making your dream a reality but as treehouse experts, we know that it\u2019s also our job to show you what else is possible.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">So, sit back and let your imagination run wild &#8211; and we\u2019ll take care of the rest.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n              <\/div>\n                          <\/div>\n            <div class=\"our-story-item-images\">\n                                                <div class=\"grid\">                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.blueforest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/our-dreams-02.jpg\" alt=\"\">\n                  <\/div>\n                                  <div class=\"grid\">                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.blueforest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/your-dream-landscape-03.jpg\" alt=\"\">\n                  <\/div>\n                                            <\/div>\n          <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n\n  <div class=\"our-story-awards\">\n    <div class=\"wrapper\">\n      <div class=\"awards-title\">\n        <span class=\"bg-awards-title\">Awards<\/span>\n        <h4 class=\"award-title\">Awards<\/h4>\n      <\/div>\n      <div class=\"award-list\">\n                    <div class=\"award-item\">\n              <span>Build, Design and Build Awards 2019<\/span>\n            <\/div>\n                      <div class=\"award-item\">\n              <span>Offsite Awards, Finalist Best Use of Timber Technology 2019<\/span>\n            <\/div>\n                      <div class=\"award-item\">\n              <span>Build Interior Design Awards Winner 2018<\/span>\n            <\/div>\n                      <div class=\"award-item\">\n              <span>Structural Timber Awards Finalist 2018<\/span>\n            <\/div>\n                      <div class=\"award-item\">\n              <span>Best of houzz Design Winner 2017<\/span>\n            <\/div>\n                      <div class=\"award-item\">\n              <span>Construction &amp; Engineering Awards Winner 2016<\/span>\n            <\/div>\n                      <div class=\"award-item\">\n              <span>AI Business Awards Winner 2015<\/span>\n            <\/div>\n                      <div class=\"award-item\">\n              <span>Sussex Business Awards Winner 2014<\/span>\n            <\/div>\n                          <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"testimonials-container whitebg-testimonial\">\n  <div class=\"wrapper\">\n    <div class=\"testimonials-wrapper\">\n            <blockquote>\n        \u201cWhy should children have all the fun? There\u2019s room in the branches for grown up adults\u2026\u201d        <footer><span>Sonia Purnell<\/span><br \/>The Sunday Telegraph<\/footer>\n      <\/blockquote>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"our-services-grid our-services-grid-with-title\">\n  <div class=\"wrapper\">\n    <div class=\"top-border-for-title\">\n      <h3 class=\"h3\">Our Projects<\/h3>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n  <div class=\"our-services-grid-wrapp\">\n      <div class=\"our-services-grid-item\">\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/www.blueforest.com\/treehouses\/\">\n      <figure>\n                <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.blueforest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/designed-for-families-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/>\n        <span class=\"imggradient\"><\/span>\n        <figcaption>\n          <span class=\"part-italic-title\">Treehouses<\/span>\n        <\/figcaption>\n      <\/figure>\n      <\/a>\n    <\/div>\n      <div class=\"our-services-grid-item\">\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/www.blueforest.com\/resorts-lodges-and-hotels\/\">\n      <figure>\n                <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.blueforest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/International-02.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/>\n        <span class=\"imggradient\"><\/span>\n        <figcaption>\n          <span class=\"part-italic-title\">Lodges &#038; Hotels<\/span>\n        <\/figcaption>\n      <\/figure>\n      <\/a>\n    <\/div>\n      <div class=\"our-services-grid-item\">\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/www.blueforest.com\/home-offices\/\">\n      <figure>\n                <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.blueforest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hideaway_Hollow_Large_Image_8-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/>\n        <span class=\"imggradient\"><\/span>\n        <figcaption>\n          <span class=\"part-italic-title\">Yoga Studios &#038; Offices<\/span>\n        <\/figcaption>\n      <\/figure>\n      <\/a>\n    <\/div>\n      <div class=\"our-services-grid-item\">\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/www.blueforest.com\/adventure\/\">\n      <figure>\n                <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.blueforest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Adventure-Playground-10.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/>\n        <span class=\"imggradient\"><\/span>\n        <figcaption>\n          <span class=\"part-italic-title\">Outdoor Adventure<\/span>\n        <\/figcaption>\n      <\/figure>\n      <\/a>\n    <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-474","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.blueforest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/474","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.blueforest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.blueforest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.blueforest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.blueforest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=474"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.blueforest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/474\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23307,"href":"https:\/\/www.blueforest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/474\/revisions\/23307"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.blueforest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=474"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}