London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Jul 22, 2025

A Pair of Adventurous Photographers Open the Doors of Their Epic Mountain Hideaway

A Pair of Adventurous Photographers Open the Doors of Their Epic Mountain Hideaway

Alex Strohl and Andrea Dabene are now accepting guests at their Insta-famous, Scandinavian-inspired cabin in Montana.

Adventurous spirits Alex Strohl and Andrea Dabene have spent much of the last decade exploring some of the world's most sublime landscapes. Both freelance photographers, the couple’s work captivates an ever-growing list of clients and over two million Instagram followers, who are showered with scenes of far-flung road trips and rugged backdrops.

Lately, like so many others, they've been staying close to home-swapping a life on the go for the solitude of their Scandinavian-inspired cabin in Whitefish, Montana. Built in 2019, the mountain retreat is now up for rent on a limited basis as the duo begin a second project nearby and contemplate ways to share their love of the outdoors with others.



Sited in the Whitefish Mountains of northwest Montana, the nooq cabin was built in 2019 by Alex Strohl and his wife, Andrea Dabene. The Scandinavian-style home features three gabled sections with expansive windows overlooking the surrounding slopes.



Perhaps the most alluring view came this past winter, when a blanket of snow covered the landscape for nearly six months. The home also became an unexpected refuge when the couple's annual travel plans were cancelled at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The perception is that to build a successful career as a creative you need to be in cities where you can 'connect with clients,'" says Alex. "While that is definitely a bonus, you have to reflect on what is most important to you." Andrea adds, "We’ve moved a lot the past few years and having my own home was all I wanted."

The French natives first experienced Montana together in 2014, escaping a hectic life in Los Angeles for wintertime in a remote log cabin. Montana also offered a familiar atmosphere for Alex, whose French-born father spent two years studying forestry in the region during the 1960s. After returning again during the winter of 2015, the couple decided to move to the area full-time and purchased the Whitefish plot the following spring.

"I grew up with epic tales of my dad being chased by bears while skiing pristine lines in the Flathead Valley," Alex adds. "Being here in Montana some 50 years after him feels like it was meant to be. It just makes sense, and that thought alone is satisfying to me. When I lived in cities, I spent my time thinking of the woods. But when I was in the woods, I never thought about the city. That simple realization made me want to settle somewhere like Montana."



Andrea and Alex shortly after construction wrapped in 2019-marking the end of a long journey to secure financing on a freelancer's income and design the home they'd imagined.



A suspended fireplace by FireOrb takes center stage in the living area.

"We built this house keeping in mind the long, cold Montanan winters," explains Andrea, who completed most of the interior design herself. "It snows for six–to–seven months of the year, so we needed a space that felt warm." After spending time at the Vega Island Cottage in Norway, the couple turned to Scandinavian architecture for inspiration. "What we found alluring was how much [the Vega cottage] contrasted with the mountain range while blending in at the same time," she adds.

The couple saved photos from that trip, collecting other examples as they prepared to design and build the house. "At our first dinner with the architect, we drew the design on a napkin and he took it from there," Andrea says. Formed by three overlapping gables, the home features cathedral ceilings in nearly every room, along with expansive windows for natural light. "The windows are my favorite feature. I've loved seeing the colors change in the fall, snow in the winter, and bears in the spring."



A dining area is located in one corner of the living space. The interior light fixtures are from Schoolhouse Electric in Portland, Oregon.



The dining area is also where Alex and Andrea often work on client and personal projects.

Wanting a clean interior aesthetic with minimal ornamentation, the couple also spent a lot of time searching for light fixtures, as well as tiles for the kitchen and bathrooms. "We knew which details were important to us," comments Andrea. The interior is dotted with simple pendants and sconces, while colorful ceramic tiles recall the hues of surrounding glacier lakes and the fall foliage.



Situated at the back of the living area, the kitchen is separated by a large central island. The backsplash is clad in ceramic tile by Fireclay, contrasting with wood cabinetry and black quartz.



Floor-to-ceiling windows frame views of a frozen landscape in one corner of the master bedroom. The home offers over 2,600-square-feet of living space.



The master bathroom mirrors the window design. A soaking tub from Wetstyle provides a spot to unwind and enjoy the view.



The home also offers two additional bedrooms. Here, one of the rooms features a hanging flower arrangement designed by Andrea.



In total, the home also offers three-and-a-half bathrooms. Each of the guest bathrooms are finished in the brightly colored tile.



"Although we built the nooq for us, we knew since the beginning that we would make it available to rent on a limited basis," explains Alex. "Ever since I've known Andrea her dream has been to run a small B&B, so we felt renting the cabin would be a first step toward that goal." The couple have also become more interested in the process of building and are now planning a second project down in the valley floor.

"It will take a few years to line it all up, but it will be unlike any other property in North America," says Alex. Ultimately, they both wish to share more of the place and serenity they've come to love. "It is a generous thing to give guests an experience they will remember for years to come-a slice of calm in their busy lives."



Another picturesque view from one of the bedrooms.



A front view of the home taken during the 2019–20 Montanan winter. The simple design is based on two gabled sections on either side of a central living area.



A rear view of the home.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
Microsoft, US Lab to Use AI for Faster Nuclear Plant Licensing
Trump Walks Back Talk of Firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Irish Tech Worker Detained 100 days by US Authorities for Overstaying Visa
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
×