Tir Longë: Nordic Cabin Warmth Above The Italian Alpine Forest Sky
Tir Longë sits in the woods of Cesana Torinese, Italy, where Caracter Architettura d’Interni turns a steep A-frame cabin into a Nordic-inflected retreat. Inside, pale pine, dark beams, and custom furniture compress alpine tradition into a compact, light-filled volume that feels both efficient and quietly indulgent. The result is a small mountain hideaway with a clear point of view and a close dialogue with its forest setting.
Grass cushions each step as the black roofline cuts sharply against the pines. Light bounces off the timber facade and the rough stone plinth below. Through the glazed front door, the wooded hillside frames the first view inward.
This compact cabin in Cesana Torinese, Italy is Tir Longë, a triangular retreat by Caracter Architettura d’Interni that reinterprets the classic A-frame with a Nordic sensibility. The project leans into interior palette and furniture: pale pine, dark steel, and tailored pieces anchor every level. Alpine tradition holds the outline, while Scandinavian minimalism shapes how each room feels and works.
Pine Shell And Stone Base
From outside, the house reads as a clear triangle against the clearing. A masonry ground level carries irregular gray stones, above which warm horizontal boards and crisp black framing lift the upper levels. The proportion of the front elevation stays simple so that three square windows and the entry door give just enough rhythm without clutter. Around the cabin, grass and tall trees keep the outline sharp and the mood quiet.
Open Loft Living Level
On the main floor, pale pine wraps floor, walls, and ceiling in a continuous surface. Black steel beams stride along the slope of the roof and articulate the volume without breaking its intimacy. A compact linear kitchen in light cabinetry runs under a dark counter, while a small dining corner pairs a solid pine bench with white chairs and a modest pendant. Nearby, a deep petrol sofa stretches along the wall, facing both the table and a balcony that opens directly to the treetops.
Daylight pours through square windows and full-height glazed doors, catching the knots in the pine and the matte surfaces of the beams. Built-in shelving tucks into eaves so that belongings stay close but unobtrusive. The room works as kitchen, living, and dining yet remains calm, because the palette stays tight and textures do the lifting.
Stair As Dark Thread
A slender stair in dark metal and timber climbs from the living level, its open treads hovering above a low plinth that doubles as storage. Each step becomes a small perch, and the black structure runs like a graphic line through both living room and bathroom. Underneath, an open-framed console with stone basin and folded towels turns the underside of the stair into a compact grooming zone.
The same stair descends to the generous bathroom below, where concrete-toned flooring meets pine walls and ceiling. Fixtures in soft white shapes sit next to a vertical radiator and simple mirror, all anchored by the strong presence of the stair spine.
Intimate Loft And Bath Retreat
At the top, the triangular loft narrows around a wide low bed dressed with graphic textiles. Light wood boards converge toward a single window, and two round wall lights warm the head of the bed. The composition has the clarity of a cabin and the low profile of a tatami room, so resting feels close to the roof plane. A fiber optic ceiling recreates a starry sky, adding a subtle night glow that keeps the loft hushed.
Back on the ground level, the bathroom continues the careful material choreography. A freestanding white tub sits in a deep timber-framed niche, flanked by cushions that turn the sill into a reading ledge. Through the large window, the garden presses in, and the contrast between smooth tub surface and knotty pine cladding sharpens that view. Dark fittings and towel warmer temper the light wood with a cooler note.
Toward evening, the cabin reads as a warm wedge in the clearing, with interior light catching on stone, pine, and matte metal. Each floor holds a distinct mood, yet the repeating palette ties them together. From forest edge to loft peak, Tir Longë keeps the mountain close while giving its small interior a clear, confident character.
Photography courtesy of Caracter Architettura d’Interni
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