This is particularly evident on the first floor, which is the most transformed part of the original structure. At one end is a large sitting area and, at the other, a dining space; acting as a buffer between the two is a fireplace with a surround of hand-painted Balineum tiles, flanked by two skirted armchairs. It’s all terribly pretty – without a sheepskin or other chalet clichés in sight. Instead, vintage kilims cover the floor and the walls are hung with framed textiles, contemporary photography and modern paintings. Nicole worked closely with de Gournay to create a bespoke wallcovering for this room: a finely hand-painted design inspired by alpine flora, realised in a colour palette of soft ochres, smoky greens and twilight blues. ‘I wanted it to reference the mountains without feeling too literal or seasonal,’ she explains.
Adjacent to this space is an oak kitchen made by Guild Anderson, featuring worktops in local marble and a sociable island. Food plays a central role in life at the chalet. ‘We spend a lot of time cooking and eating when we are here,’ Nicole says. The winters bring slow roasts, fondues and tartiflettes, while summer means barbecues in the garden. ‘We didn’t want the house to feel like a place that was just for stopping off after days on the piste, but somewhere you would want to spend time. It had to work as a proper home rather than a rental.’ That said, the family does occasionally rent out the chalet when they aren’t in residence.
A bespoke de Gournay wallpaper, featuring alpine flowers hand-painted on silk, embellishes the sitting area, which is demarcated by a pair of slipper chairs upholstered in red ‘Kilim Stripe’ by Claremont.
Christopher Horwood
Practical spaces are as carefully considered as the decorative ones. Upstairs, seven bedrooms – including a cosy bunk room for children – make the house flexible for extended family and friends. At ground level, there is a newly created entrance hall and, beside it, a boot room big enough to store and dry plenty of skis. There’s also a pantry and flower room at the back of this floor.
Off the hall is a comfortable snug with room enough for more than a dozen children to pile in and watch films. Rugs are layered up, a robust blanket covers an ottoman and floral patterns dress a generous L-shaped sofa. As elsewhere in the new extension, the walls – and, in this case, also the ceiling – are covered in wallpaper. It’s a neat trick that Salvesen Graham repeatedly uses to soften the edges of a newbuild.
Though the chalet is set in a bustling ski resort, it has a pleasing feeling of seclusion. And inside, it adapts gracefully to the rhythms of French Alpine life, shaped both by the seasons and the family members who return throughout the year.
salvesengraham.com | chaletsarcleret.com | The chateau can also be rented via AliKats.