The Alps may be out of the question this year, but you can create that famous chalet style in your very own home. Whether you prefer the slopes of Méribel or simply enjoy the picturesque views Kitzbuhel has to offer, one thing they have in common is the cosy comfort offered by the ski chalets. Chalet style is all about creating a laid-back vibe, with rustic features, natural materials that add warmth – and cheese platters – lots of cheese platters!
We’ll suggest ways you can create a cosy and inviting home this winter – the perfect retreat after a cold day outside, and of course, the stylish thermals you need to complete the look!
Enjoy chalet-style feasts
Recreate those Alpine ski lodge feasts to help alleviate the winter blues. Enjoy leisurely weekend brunches by going all continental. Lay out bowls of fresh fruit, cold cuts and of course oven-baked patisserie. When the sun sets, enjoy a baked camembert with fresh French bread, warm up some wine or aquavit and put on a pair of thermal pyjamas before you snuggle up in front of the fire. These Thermolactyl women’s pyjamas will keep you warm all night long – and the elastic waistband is just perfect for accommodating chalet-style feasting!
Let nature lead the way
Chalet style is all about letting nature lead the way. In living rooms and kitchens darker natural colours like forest greens and deep blue-blacks create a feeling of cosy calm, while exposed brick and wood elements help ground the surroundings.
You can easily bring in these natural elements by adding distressed-wood coffee tables, a piece of driftwood as a dining table centre piece, or oversized vases filled with pinecones, twigs and branches to help add texture to rooms.
If cladding your bedroom in pine is a step too far, you can create a luxurious chalet-style master by choosing warm neutral colours. Think caramel and warm whites, and add in natural wicker storage baskets or wood bedside tables.
Get the lighting right
There’s something magical about light that bounces off snow, especially at night. Create the same effect in your home this winter by switching up bright LED bulbs with warm white bulbs. Instead of putting ‘the big light on’ come dusk, layer your downlights with lamps to create a cosy atmosphere. Wrap fairy lights around the twigs and branches in the vases to create little nooks of light and add to the cosy ambience.
In kitchens invest in oversized pendant lights with a bronze trim for a truly opulent ski chalet style. And if you have a smaller room that’s dying to be transformed, why not go all out with a faux deer antler chandelier.
Add in accessories
Skiing holidays are all about hunkering down after a long day on the slopes in the cosy living room. Create that same cosy chalet style in your living room this winter by adding in some thoughtful accessories. Invest in wall art that feature those stunning mountain views, or maybe you have some photos from your last skiing holiday. Black and white prints on a gallery wall are a chic nod to the trend, and come summer, the pictures can be switched for a completely fresh look.
Oversized blankets and throws draped over sofas and armchairs are the perfect addition to your chalet-style living room and for snuggling under on a cold winter’s eve. Incorporate fluffy cushions and faux-animal pelt rugs to enhance the feel, and for a touch of glamour, a stag shaped table lamp.
Don’t forget outside
Chalet style doesn’t have to stop indoors. Bring the theme outside for a winter of content! Build a fire pit or invest in an outdoor log burner and enjoy cosy nights sipping hot chocolate or mulled wine with family and close friends.
Your chalet-style wardrobe needs to not only look the part, but act it as well. This thermal cable knit jumper is made from our innovative Thermolactyl fabric, which will ensure you keep wonderfully warm, however long you stay outside. In a choice of three seasonal colours, and with a button detail on the neck, it looks great paired with our thermal jeans and some faux-fur lined boots.
Outdoor fairy lights hung on trees help add to the ambience, and if you’re looking to really recreate nights in Val-d’Isere invest in a hot tub – but don’t forget to don a thermal pom-pom hat.
Shop the full thermals range and get your chalet-style clothing sorted just in time for the first frost of winter.