Majestic and monumental, the Aiguille du Dru keeps watch over this chalet, which sits in the grand mountain’s shadow, deep in the Chamonix valley. At this time of year, the area of Les Bois is usually shrouded in thick drifts of snow, but this season it’s still possible to enjoy the property’s Alpine garden.
Landscaped by celebrated Italian designer Paolo Pejrone, its colourful flowers add to the idyllic look of this traditional home, whose larch cladding and chestnut beams were salvaged from an abandoned convent in Cuneo, northern Italy, the birthplace of the chalet’s owners.
Spread over three floors, the 700-square-metre interior is warm, welcoming, yet beautifully modern, and built with sustainability in mind. ‘The owners wanted a versatile place to be enjoyed all year round, not just a home for winter,’ says architect and designer Annalisa Mauri. ‘A retreat where the days can be dedicated to the pleasure of long walks and entertaining family and friends.’
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As a result, the basement is given over entirely to relaxation, with a sauna, gym and cinema room, as well as a five-metre-long table made of a single strip of cedar wood – ideal for lively parties and languorous dinners that stretch long into the night. Snug bedrooms for children and guests can be found on the ground floor, while the top level of the house, which enjoys the most exceptional views, is reserved for the living area, kitchen and main suite.
Here, beneath the rafters and overlooking the forest, is a sitting room clad in patinated oak. A skilful combination of traditional and contemporary, the furniture, which includes Patricia Urquiola’s ‘Bend’ sofa for B&B Italia and ‘637 Utrecht’ chairs by Dutch designer Gerrit Thomas Rietveld, is unapologetically sleek.
At the centre of the living area is a fireplace made from Corten steel, while the luxurious velvet curtains, like the woods outside, are the deepest green. The snow may not be blanketing the trees just yet, but when it does, this is the perfect place to be. annalisamauri.it
This article first appeared in ELLE Decoration Country December 2018
