LIVING SPACE / January
LIVING SPACE / January
• The chalet’s entrance hall sets the overall tone in terms
of style: whitened pine walls, large-format grey tiles from
Porcelanosa, and a round mirror with a shelf and lighting by
high-end manufacturer Wever et Ducré. There is a minimal-
ist glass balustrade for the staircase to the lower floor, while
glass doors at the end of the space provide a view of the open
dining area and the mountains beyond.
ENTRANCE
A family’s Alpine
PARADISE
Baltic Outlook gives
you a peek inside the
cosy Chalet Hibou
Blanc, a renovated
traditional house
in the French Alps
that brings an
elegant twist to
Scandinavian style.
98
/ airBaltic.com
Located very near the border with Switzerland,
the village of Morzine in France is a part of the
Portes du Soleil ski resort, a dream destination
for snow sports addicts. And in summer, the
picturesque beaches of Lake Montriond and
Lake Geneva are only half an hour’s drive away.
This holiday chalet is thus the perfect place for a
family with young children to enjoy both winter
and summer holidays.
After a long search for the ideal family ski-cha-
let – a spacious, comfortable, and stylish holiday
home within easy reach from Geneva – the own-
ers of Hibou Blanc were finally rewarded with
a central location on the south-facing side of the
valley and within walking distance of the main
ski lifts, shops, bars, and restaurants. In addition,
the site has a captivating view of the ski slopes,
a large garden, and enjoys the traditional village
spirit of Morzine. They then hired a local team
of experts, interior architects from Shep&Kyles
Design, with broad experience in renovations
and new-build chalets to renovate and enlarge
the existing, dated chalet on the site.
To suit the modern tastes of the new owners, the
once classic but slightly run-down property with
a sombre, rustic, 1980s interior was totally trans-
formed into a light, contemporary, open-plan,
luxury ski lodge. Extra bedrooms (for a total of
five) and bathrooms were added, the kitchen and
living spaces were enlarged, and a few com-
pletely new elements were designed: staircases,
a ski-and-boot room with excellent drying facili-
ties, a separate TV room, and a bedroom with a
play area for the children.
The owners’ love of Scandinavian and Nordic
design found its ultimate reflection in the
interior’s modern yet unfussy alpine feel – true
‘scandi-chic’. The clean lines, lovely grey-and-
white palette, and all-natural finishes bring
a contemporary air to the classic chalet-type
architecture. Here one can say that the house’s
appearance fits the owners’ lifestyle like a glove.
There are huge windows to maximise the light
and views and a large garden for the family to
use as a base for their active, outdoor lifestyle.
While all of the family members are great fans of
skiing and winter sports, they also use
the chalet in summer for many outdoor
activities, including triathlon. Moreover,
this area provides kilometres of stun-
ning trails for mountain running and
cycling routes – the Tour de France race
is a frequent guest here in Morzine.
The children have their own dream-
room on the mezzanine floor, where
colour-changing lights and a ladder
leading to refuge-style beds are play-
ful mood setters. Because the owners
love to cook and entertain guests, it
was important for them to have a large
kitchen, a spacious and elegant dining
area, and a cosy living room from which
to appreciate the beautiful views. The
living room has become one of their
favourite spots – it’s pure joy for the
family to relax on the sofa in front of
the fireplace and gaze at the medita-
tive, snowy mountain landscape outside
the window.
Words by Olga Dolina
Photos by Neil Sharp (sharpography.co.uk)
• This view perfectly demonstrates the chalet’s ‘scandi-chic’
design. Grey plaster walls and grey-tinted flooring, baseboards,
and window frames give a strong palette and identity to the
house. Scandinavian furniture and distinctive wooden lights
from acclaimed Finnish company Secto Design complement the
interior, while particular pieces such as the sound and speaker
system from Bang & Olufsen add luxury accents.
Baltic Outlook
/ 2019 / 99