Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Tuesday, Aug 26, 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

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Iran Faces Escalating Water Crisis as Protests Spread
More Than Half a Million Evacuated as Typhoon Kajiki Heads for Vietnam
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Cristiano Ronaldo Makes Surprise Stop at New Hong Kong Museum
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
High-Stakes Trump-Putin Summit on Ukraine Underway in Alaska
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Nine people have been hospitalized and dozens of salmonella cases have been reported after an outbreak of infections linked to certain brands of pistachios and pistachio-containing products, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
Tariffs, AI, and the Shifting U.S. Macro Landscape: Navigating a New Economic Regime
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
OpenAI’s Bold Bet: Teaching AI to Think, Not Just Chat
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
×