The construction of lovely and cozy Alpine-style country houses is becoming increasingly popular among European homeowners, especially among our compatriots. They are led by one single desire - unity with nature. Chalet - Alpine style in the design of the exterior and interior of the premises - allows a person to move away from the bustle of city life and plunge into the world of natural harmony, choosing alpine houses for living even in close proximity to the city.
Chalet style houses
This direction in the interior came to the inhabitants of eastern Europe from the southeastern province of France, bordering Switzerland.
One of the main external differences of the alpine house is a gently sloping roof with high ledges that can reach two meters in length. Such "canopies" perform a protective function and protect alpine houses from the negative manifestation of weather phenomena. As a coating for such a roof, tiles with elements of wood are used, often the decorative carving technique is used.
Modern Chalet Style
In recent years, large-scale glazing has become a feature of the design of houses in the Alpine style. This innovation allows you to transform the traditional design of the cottage beyond recognition. The combination of stone, wood and glass is more successful than ever: the style of the house remains fully mature, and glass inserts in the form of panoramic windows allow you to expand the overview of the incredible beauty of nature surrounding the rural alpine house.
In the past, alpine shepherds living in such houses tried to make the windows as small as possible, which was explained by the weather conditions of the mountainous terrain in which the buildings were located. Today, the technological scheme for the production of window structures allows you to create glass units that can withstand any weather.
Chalet style interior
Many homeowners are so immersed in the feeling of chalet style that they decide to completely transform not only suburban cottages, but also to modify the interior of individual rooms of the apartment. Logically, the apartment looks like a living room in the Alpine style, it is appropriate to use a design with elements of a chalet in other rooms.
Alpine houses (photos are presented in the article) look pompous not only outside but also inside.
You can see how successful this combination is when viewing the collection of interior designs of different rooms, designed in the style of a chalet.
We make a country living room
Having an idea of what alpine houses should be like, located in the mountains or near a ski resort, we unwittingly incline to apply the style of a hunting lodge, which is not so far from the alpine style in the interior of a living room of a country house.
Features of a chalet-style living room in a country house:
- spacious room;
- high ceiling;
- large-scale windows;
- stylization of the interior with wooden beams and floors, columns;
- wooden floor;
- oversized chandeliers;
- solid furniture made of solid wood.
Of course, the main decoration of the guest room is the fireplace, a traditional attribute of the chalet style. When arranging an ordinary living room in a country house, the use of emphasizing the style of the interior on the fireplace recedes into the background. Here, furniture plays a more important role. But in a rural or provincial interior, the focus of attention is the home. Even if not stone trim, then the extensive decor in any case will attract attention. In large-sized living rooms, it is appropriate to place stuffed wild animals above the fireplace - another (considered classic) element of style.
The prototype of the living room described above was advantageous in the construction of the Alpine-style house (photo presented).
Today, the chalet style in the interior is “modernized” and looks a little different. The use of traditional upholstered furniture with leather upholstery, fur bedspreads and pillows is increasingly being abandoned, replacing frameless and transforming furniture that brings the spirit of modernity and comfort to a tree-lined room.
Another option for the modern design of the living room style is the use of frameless furniture with bright upholstery. Typically, Alpine-style interiors are designed in restrained tones and pastel shades of the natural group. Therefore, applying bright accent, you need to be careful not to upset the harmony of the aesthetics of the Alpine style.
Thanks to the creation of contrast with the help of bright furniture, you can not only diversify the color palette of the room, but also settle in it the spirit of adventurism, a sense of colorful positive.
Alpine style bedrooms
The bedrooms in the alpine houses were made small. This technique allows you to not only correctly distribute the usable space, but also save heat. Previously, bunk beds were installed in small alpine houses in the bedrooms, and the parent bedroom was combined with the nursery, sometimes cribs were placed in the parents' relaxation room, where there was a fireplace that heated the sleeping area for the whole family.
Today, alpine houses are rarely designed according to this principle, and the style has been replaced by more modern principles.
The kitchen and dining area, made according to all the canons of the style of the chalet
At a time when the chalet style was just beginning to emerge, and the inhabitants of alpine villages did not even suspect that their lifestyle was destined to become a trend in interior design, the kitchen and dining room were combined into one small room, based on considerations of the usual saving on fuel for kindling stove or fireplace.
The kitchen in the house was one of the warmest rooms, so the hearth was never allowed to cool: on fire all the time something was boiling and twisting. Today, such a need disappears, and the owners prefer to take the dining room out of the kitchen, placing the dining area back to back with the living room.
A distinctive feature of the kitchen-living room of the Alpine-style country house is its impressive size. Despite this, the elements of the chalet style are successfully used in small kitchens of private houses within the city. This design is great for decorating the kitchen space, making the atmosphere even warmer.
Integration of household appliances in alpine cuisine
In a modern kitchen in the style of a chalet, filled with wood trim, the most harmonious look is the integrated household appliances with facades made of stainless steel. This contrasting combination creates an interesting visual effect. In addition to the visual component, the emphasis is also on functionality - a kitchen that is fully equipped in terms of modern household (large and small) appliances. It looks like a simple interior, improved by modern appliances and the benefits of civilization, makes kitchen processes even easier and faster.
If you want to maintain the style of the chalet in the interior completely, the facades of built-in household appliances can easily be decorated with wooden inserts for the interior style. In this case, unpainted or colored wood can be used.
The style of a chalet in a country house with an abundance of space or in a compact urban private house will in any case look appropriate. Alpine chalet houses are an interesting idea to move away from modern trends in interior design, becoming closer to nature, and at the same time, keep the functional content of the kitchen one hundred percent.