Cosy-up in a snowy Canadian cabin inspired by utilitarian farmhouses

Across a field of powdery snow lies a minimalist Canadian cabin by Akb Architects; welcome to Timbertop. The four-bedroom home located in Mono, Ontario, was designed for a family that share a love for the outdoors. The structure's single-storey plan was conceived to help with practicality and ease of movement during action-packed getaways. Fittingly, the residence is also equipped with a large mudroom and shoe cubbies, as well as shelves to store seasonal equipment and embrace country life.

Situated on top of a clearing within the landscape that the client lovingly calls the 'Rolling Hills of Old Ontario', the 200-acre property has remained in the same family for many generations. When the land was first purchased and built upon, the old structure on site eventually outlived its usefulness and was removed, leaving behind space for a new residence.

Tour this minimalist Canadian cabin

Timbertop was designed with the intention of serving as a weekend getaway for the new generation of the family and its three young children. Given its location, it is the perfect spot to enjoy the surrounding trails while walking, horseback riding, snowmobiling, and using ATVs. The woodland is home to deer, porcupines and turkeys.

When designing the home for their clients, the architects referenced local barns and farm structures. ‘The design draws inspiration from local agrarian building typologies, reinterpreted through a contemporary lens,’ explains AKB Architects’ creative director Kelly Buffey, also behind striking holiday homes such as Whistling Wind. ‘It pays homage to the powerful simplicity of utilitarian barn forms and the understated character of traditional Ontario farmhouses, historically clad in white-painted clapboard.' This creates a narrative between past and present and creates, what Buffey describes as a ‘subtle tension that feels both bold and restrained’.

Words such as 'bold' and 'restrained' could also extend to the environment, which posed the biggest challenge for the architects when designing the home. ‘Construction spanned two winter seasons, bringing relentless snowfall and drifting snow. Situated on a plateau at the crest of a hill, the site is exposed and often windy. Before the structure was enclosed, snow had to be cleared from the interior repeatedly, only to blow back in with each wind squall,’ says Buffey.

Regardless, the team prevailed, their efforts resulting in a cosy cabin-like home. Inside the residence, the open kitchen with a harvest table acts as a social area, bookmarked by a built-in pantry and library wall.

However, it is the main living space which is Buffey’s favourite area. Located beneath the gabled roof, the long windows invite light, which animates the interior. Buffey tells Wallpaper*: ‘It provides a space of mental stillness, where everything feels inevitable, effortless, and deeply human.

‘I want visitors to feel an immediate sense of intimacy and belonging – like a warm embrace. The architecture is meant to dissolve rather than impress; it invites presence. Light is choreographed to move quietly through the spaces, revealing subtle textures and framing views of the surrounding landscape. There’s a balance of precision and warmth where beauty inspires an experience that I hope makes people feel both uplifted and grounded.’

akb.ca