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See inside the darling little library built in the forest

Jason Koxvold didn't want to discard felled oak trees on his property. So he used them to create a tiny private library in the woods.
/ Source: TODAY

In New York's Ulster County, at the base of the Catskills Mountains, Jason Koxvold's woodland home has a new addition to the property that is nothing short of stunning.

There, tucked among the property's forest of oak trees, sits a tiny one-room library which holds 2,500 books.

Dubbed "Hemmelig Rom," which is Norwegian for "secret room," this studio library was created to be a convenient, intimate respite. It sits steps away from the family's main home.

Jason Koxvold

Koxvold, a British artist based in New York, owns the property and was inspired to carve out a space specifically for solitude and escape. "I work from this location and was looking to make a quiet space for writing and reflection," Koxvold told TODAY.

When there's an overflow of visiting guests, the forest library also serves as an additional bedroom.

Jason Koxvold
Jason Koxvold

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When it came to the initial proposal for the library, the dwelling, which was created in collaboration with Studio Padron, was fairly straightforward: Visually, the library had to work in tandem with the existing building on the property. As well, Koxvold desired a simple, singular structure that he could construct on his own using red oak from the property.

Using already-felled trees left over from the construction of the main house, cut trees were planed on site into large log sections measuring 8 x 8 feet. After air drying the 12,000 lbs of milled red oak for several seasons, they became the shelving and cubbies that make up the the library's interior.

HyperFocal: 0
HyperFocal: 0Jason Koxvold

Koxvold was able to complete this structure with the help of eight different friends over the course of a year.

Jason Koxvold
Jason Koxvold

While the monolithic shape and black exterior is shocking against the natural forest forms, the interior, heated by a single small wood stove, is as warm as it is cozy. A lone picture window looking into the forest is a source of natural light.

Jason Koxvold
Jason Koxvold

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Sadly, this forest library is not for sale or rent for weekend getaways. However if you're lucky enough to be invited as a guest, you're welcome to leave a private message in one of the books on the shelves.

Jason Koxvold
Jason Koxvold