After staying in a tree house listed on Airbnb, Remo Kommnick, a product manager for a software company, and Emi Moore, owner of the homeware e-tailer Casa Shop, wanted their own getaway in the woods. “It was amazing being up in the trees,” Remo says, “and so I bought a lot and thought I’d build a tree house.”

A forested four-acre property just outside Front Royal, Virginia, that the Richmond couple bought for $10,000 was the perfect setting for their future fort. But then they found out that neighborhood bylaws required a structure’s first floor to be at least 500 square feet. “I started looking into what it would take to build a cabin,” Remo says, “and I knew I needed help.”

A local firm connected the couple with architect Patrick Farley, who is well versed in mountain terrain and understood their desire for a pint-size, minimalist retreat. Remo requested a design that he could build himself. “Otherwise, I would have needed to take on a loan or wait to build,” he says.

Remo had just converted a 2006 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van for a road trip with Emi, and that project gave him the confidence to try his hand at cabin construction. “In some ways, the van was like a smaller prototype,” he says.

When conceiving the getaway’s design, Farley camped at the site to get the lay of the land. He strung up a hammock between a hickory and an oak and, after surveying the rugged acreage, drew a rectangular form with a shed roof and sliding glass doors that open to a deck.

With a target budget of $75,000, Remo kept costs in line by acting as general contractor. He managed construction; pulled permits; installed flooring, siding, and decking; and even fashioned the cabin’s custom kitchen and maple plywood built-ins. (The couple opted to outsource bigger projects, like the foundation, framing, insulation, and roofing.)

Remo and Emi took their time, doing as much themselves as they could. “That is part of the reason it took four years,” Emi says. “Make money, build something, make money, build something.” As the project progressed, buying quality materials and products caused their budget to mushroom. Several weather-related setbacks—like frozen pipes, leaky windows, and a mudslide—cost the couple time and money as well.

The due date of their daughter, Fio, in February 2022 was the ultimate incentive to finish—and they wrapped in May 2022 for just over $150,000 without taking out a loan or otherwise going into debt.

Perched atop Blue Mountain, the 512-square-foot cabin is wrapped in black-stained siding that echoes the striations and colors of the surrounding trees. The bright living areas revolve around a central core that houses the bathroom, a sleeping loft, a Murphy bed, shelving, and a custom kitchen. Two round windows, a special request from Emi, frame sunrises to the southeast and sunsets to the northwest. “These moments of connection with nature are very intentional,” Farley says.

Now, the cabin is an escape where Remo, Emi, and one-year-old Fio can spend time together—and each visit brings a new discovery or memory. “Every time we go, it’s special,” Remo says. “We’re so grateful to have Fio experience these moments with us.

The Doah House is available for rent on Airbnb.

Project Credits:

Architect of Record: Patrick Farley Architect / @pfarleyarch

Builder: Remo Kommnick and Emi Moore/ @doahhouse, @casashoprare

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A Couple Build a Cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains for $150K—Without Borrowing a Cent