When Frode Danielsen invited his then-girlfriend Tone Beathe Øvrevoll on a holiday to Hallvardøy Island in northern Norway, little did he know that she would fall so deeply in love with the area that they would spend the next two years putting down roots on the remote island.

With the support of Danielsen’s family (who lived nearby) and the design expertise of award-winning architect Snorre Stinessen, the couple dove headfirst into creating the retreat of their dreams—and they even documented the entire process on Instagram.

The process of creating their dream cabin, however, was no easy task. First, the couple had to work with the Ballangen municipality to develop a completely new zoning plan for the undeveloped area. Once complete, they carefully selected a building site that was naturally flat, so as to minimize site disturbance. The site affords spectacular views of the fjord and mountains, optimal access to daylight, and privacy.

Taking advantage of the site’s slight slope, Stinessen divided the 2,150-square-foot cabin into two parts: a larger two-story volume containing the bedrooms and sauna, and a smaller volume that houses the open-plan living areas located a few steps below.

Stinessen relied primarily on locally sourced timber to create a warm and inviting atmosphere. Core pine treated with iron sulfate lends an even patina to the exterior cladding, and birch veneer clads the interior. Walls of glass frame breathtaking views of dramatic mountains in the south and the fjord to the west.

This feature was originally published in dwell.com.