A charming collection of cozy chalet-style homes

Sarah Tolle—Homify Canada Sarah Tolle—Homify Canada
Chalet Gabriel, HomeMade Architecture[s]® HomeMade Architecture[s]® Country style houses Wood Wood effect
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The warmth and charm of a chalet-style home becomes magnified in the cold, snowy months surrounding the holidays. Originating in the Swiss Alps, the classic chalet is made of wood, with a gently sloping roof (often with a thick blanket of snow covering the eaves). With a central, open floor plan, chalets have their roots as rustic farm buildings used for housing cattle, but with the rise of the tourism industry, chalets became popular as ski lodges and holiday homes. In fact, the term chalet has become a popular way to describe many styles of vacation home, from beach cabins to forest cottages. 

In this idea book, you'll explore a handful of picturesque chalets that are more classic manifestations of the chalet style: located in mountainous regions of Europe, with heavy snowfall in the winter. These chalet-inspired homes embody a sense of holiday charm with their exposed beam structure, wooden materials, fanciful railings, and iconic front-facing gabled roof design. If you're looking for a vision of the days of old, you'll find it in these timeless chalet designs!

​Chalet Gabriel

Nestled in the mountains on the border between Italy and France, this modern chalet structure is a warm haven from the snowy winter. The facade basks in the sun, appearing to soak up the warmth of the sunshine through its light wooden walls and glossy windows. Exposed beams support a roof under a thick blanket of snow, with two porches below offering magnificent views of the landscape.

​Chalet Chardon

The designers behind this project specialize in a variety of chalet-inspired designs. This particular example is a luxury ski chalet in France, with a structure that goes beyond the simple day of old, incorporating various levels and sections in order to provide comfort for a large group of guests. The traditional sloping roof has been manifested a series of smaller roofs over each section, with the typical exposed beams supporting the eaves.

Get a full tour of this luxurious home in this ideabook!

​Chalet Claude

Also located in France, this is another example of a luxury chalet, a series of Alpine cottages for housing holiday guests. The surrounding landscape filled with snow-laden pines paints a picture from a fairytale, with a crisp blue sky and brilliant white snow providing a high contrast backdrop for these warm little cabins. The rich caramel tones of the woodwork creates a warm and welcoming atmosphere, continued on the inside with modern luxuries—including an indoor swimming pool!

​Chalet Les Chantéls

This brand-new chalet offers up a traditional rustic exterior, complete with field stone walls, wooden shutters, and a sprawling upper floor balcony that spans the entire facade. Thick, heavily knotted beams give off a more rustic character than the more luxurious and refined examples you've seen so far, but the interior of this chalet offers all of the contemporary comforts of modern design.

​Chalet Schwiez

This large Swiss-style chalet enjoys a backdrop painted by the peaks of the Alps, the gently sloping roof living in perfect harmony with the sloping mountainous terrain. The perfect symmetry of this design is striking in its simplicity! Beautiful wooden balconies and large windows create an inviting image that seems to welcome you in from the cold, a vision of warmth and hospitality in a pristine winter environment.

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