While living in the Bay Area during the pandemic, Max and Hannah yearned to be closer to family—so they took a cross-country roadtrip in a camper van to Max’s hometown in central Maine. After they arrived, they discovered a 13-acre plot for sale. The lush, wooded acreage is situated on a large pond with a meandering trail. “We were really struck by it,” Hannah says. “We just loved the quiet and solitude there.”

After purchasing the property with a future getaway in mind, they camped on the site in an RV to fully immerse themselves and experience the lay of the land. A few years later, their dreams grew from keeping a vintage Airstream on-site to designing and building a retreat from scratch.

“I’ve always dreamed of designing my house, but I wasn’t sure it would be practical,” Max says. He’s an engineer and she’s an artist—and the couple combined their talents to dream up their future forest dwelling.

They approached Portland, Maine–based firm Winkelman Architecture to bring their vacation home to fruition, and what started as an inspiration board of A-frames and tree houses evolved into their very own tiny cabin. The couple collaborated closely with designers Lea Stagno and Alex Lehnen, and the firm handled everything from project management to designing and building the home and installing its kitchen cabinetry.

From the start, Hannah and Max knew they wanted to minimize any site disturbance. “We both love the outdoors and the natural world,” Hannah says. “I particularly have a passion for native plants and landscapes that are specific to a place, so it was really important not to clear too many trees, and to restore the habitat.”

The few red oaks and white pines that were felled on-site were milled into lumber for the interior—oak for the floor, pine for the walls, and a mix of both for the custom built-ins. To create a small footprint, the firm perched the tiny A-frame on posts, piers, and an 8-foot-by-10-foot concrete structure that houses its mechanical systems. “It feels elevated, like a tree house,” Stagno says.

The couple also wanted to feel a connection to the great outdoors even while they were inside the A-frame—after all, Max is a long-distance biker with an adventuresome spirit, and Hannah creates botanical illustrations in her artistic practice.

“Being from California, I grew up with the architecture of Big Sur, Sea Ranch, and Sunset magazine,” Hannah says. “But how could we have an indoor/outdoor space that is appropriate for the seasonality of Maine?”

The firm oriented the structure to maximize views of the pond, and installed large skylights and windows that frame the tree canopy and open for ventilation. “Natural lighting in an A-frame is tricky—because is it wall, or is it roof?” Lehnen says. “We used lots of skylights to make the spaces feel bigger.”

They also added a screened porch and terraced decks and walkways that allow the 600-square-foot space to expand into the surrounding forest.

“Having the natural light, high ceilings, natural materials, and being able to look out at the trees and listen to birds and frogs through the screens helps me feel grounded,” says Max. “I feel a different kind of inspiration in this space.”

After spending plenty of time in camper vans and RVs, the couple were used to small quarters. “Fitting furniture and storage into an A-frame is challenging,” Max notes—but Winkelman Architecture took on the challenge without letting a square inch go to waste.

The design team packed in nooks for books, an electronic charging station, and even an 84-inch pull-down projector screen in the living room. Built-ins are integrated into the sloped walls, and a washer and dryer are tucked into an angled hall closet. The sectional in the living room was custom built with storage underneath, and there’s a triangular storage area behind the couch. In the nine-and-a-half-foot-long bedroom, there’s a built-in wardrobe, desk, and headboard.

To save on space, they MacGyvered a ladder with stair treads that can be stored vertically and pulled out to access the pint-sized loft. Max even came up with the idea for a rope-and-basket pulley system to easily transport things to the upper level.

For Hannah, it was important to source materials and decor from the land and the local community—from the Deer Isle granite countertops and Sheldon Slate hearth pad down to the small decorative touches. “Even before we broke ground, I was going around to local craftspeople and starting an inventory—our glassware, our knives, all our dishes, the textiles,” Hannah says. “We really tried to make as much of that local as possible.”

Passive solar orientation, natural ventilation, and a woodburning stove help minimize grid reliance, allowing the homeowners to live comfortably and in sync with the seasons. One winter during a power outage, the locally manufactured Jotul stove gave off plenty of heat to warm the entire dwelling; and they were even able to cook all their meals and make coffee on it.

During the warmer months, the couple host family and friends for gatherings—so, having the screened porch and terraced decks for entertaining and the loft with a pullout couch for sleeping was crucial. “We are more likely to have people there in the seasons when the land and water can be a part of the experience of being there,” Max says. “We really like dining outdoors and hearing the birdsong when it’s warm.”

Both Max and Hannah enjoy cooking, and having a fully functional kitchen was important so that they could host Max’s family for meals. In the spring and summer, they seek out fresh produce at local farm stands and farmers markets.

They keep a log of nature observations as Hannah collects plants for her botanical illustrations, and Max listens to birdsong. At dusk, they bring their chairs down to the pond to watch the birds in their own little paradise. And during the winter, they snowshoe through the woods and across the pond.

“I love the quiet and protective nature of the forest. It provides change from our usual city life, and an opportunity to recharge every time we are there,” Hannah says. “I love that, even inside the cabin, we are basically forest bathing all the time. Even though we keep up with work and responsibilities while there, it is nice to have the natural world at our fingertips.”

More projects by Winkelman Architecture:

You Can Count the Stars From These $77K Tiny Cabins in Maine

A Green-Roofed Maine Home Rises Above a Limited Footprint

Just Getting to the Front Door of This Family’s Maine Retreat Is an Adventure

Project Credits:

Architect of Record: Winkelman Architecture / @winkarchitecture

Builder/General Contractor: Winkelman Architecture

Structural Engineer: Albert Putnam and Associates

Interior Design: Winkelman Architecture

Cabinetry Design/Installation: Winkelman Architecture