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. â€œIt was amazing being up in the trees,â€ Remo says, â€œand so I bought a lot and thought Iâ€™d build a tree house.â€

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 structureâ€™s first floor to be at least 500 square feet. â€œI started looking into what it would take to build a cabin,â€ Remo says, â€œand I knew I needed help.â€

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. â€œOtherwise, I would have needed to take on a loan or wait to build,â€ 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. â€œIn some ways, the van was like a smaller prototype,â€ he says.

When conceiving the getawayâ€™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 cabinâ€™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. â€œThat is part of the reason it took four years,â€ Emi says. â€œMake money, build something, make money, build something.â€ As the project progressed, buying quality materials and products caused their budget to mushroom. Several weather-related setbacksâ€”like frozen pipes, leaky windows, and a mudslideâ€”cost the couple time and money as well.

The due date of their daughter, Fio, in February 2022 was the ultimate incentive to finishâ€”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. â€œThese moments of connection with nature are very intentional,â€ Farley says.

Now, the cabin is an escape where Remo, Emi, and one-year-old Fio can spend time togetherâ€”and each visit brings a new discovery or memory. â€œEvery time we go, itâ€™s special,â€ Remo says. â€œWeâ€™re so grateful to have Fio experience these moments with us.

The Doah House is available for rent on Airbnb.

Project Credits:

Architecture: Patrick Farley Architect / @pfarleyarch

Homeowners/Builders: Remo Kommnick and Emi Moore/ @doahhouse, @casashoprare

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A Couple Build a Cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains for $150Kâ€”Without Borrowing a Cent