Vals

Mountain high

In the Swiss town of Vals, Brücke 49 is reinventing Alpine hospitality with a home-away-from-home experience

Words / Karine Monié Images / Anders Hviid

“I used to spend all my summer holidays in Switzerland with my grandparents,” recalls

Danish-born Swiss citizen Ruth Kramer. “I wanted to share this with my husband.” After two successful careers – Kramer in fashion and her Danish husband Thomas Schacht in advertising – the couple knew they were ready to do something else. With the goal of achieving a life surrounded by nature, they decided to make the move to Switzerland, where they ended up taking on a very personal project, an intimate boutique and pension, high in the Swiss Alps.

Named after the stone bridge just across the road, Brücke 49 overlooks the Valser Rhine in the centre of Vals. This small hamlet has 1,000 people and the same number of sheep, and for wellness or architecture enthusiasts, it is better known for Therme Vals, the world-famous spa designed by architect Peter Zumthor.

Acquiring the property presented a unique opportunity for the couple. “We have always wanted to share a place and make a small sanctuary, where we could have nice meetings and good talks, over a wonderful breakfast in [beautiful] surroundings, with like-minded people,” says Kramer. “We saw the house and bought it three minutes after. Brücke was way too big of a house for us two to live in, so we simply made a decision to try out our dream of a new kind of hospitality.”

Inspired by Parisian architecture, the fourstorey, 18th-century chalet once belonged to three families. “It has some grandeur, because the man who built it originally had seen and experienced the high-ceilinged living spaces and big windows in the French capital,” says Kramer. “He brought a bit of this inspiration back to Vals. There is wonderful light in the house because of this.”

With four rooms (the Suite, the Zervreila, the Tomül and the Valser), a living area and kitchen, as well as a garden and lots of terraces, the property is inviting, infused with the charm of the Swiss villages. The complete renovation was guided by the history of the house to preserve its original character while bringing in contemporary comforts. “Right away, you feel at home and just want to be inside,” says Kramer, who used warm colours, fabric and textures throughout.

Among the couple’s main sources of inspiration for the project are the homes of writer Karen Blixen and designer Finn Juhl, both in Denmark. The result is a subtle and balanced combination between Alpine architecture and Scandinavian aesthetic. Kramer and Schacht

Previous page The 18thcentury chalet was inspired by high-ceilinged, light-filled Parisian architecture

Facing page Left to right: rustic touches include a collection of wallmounted plates; a Ton bentwood chair and table by Danish brand KBH

Facing page The kitchen in The Chammera, a two-bedroom apartment in the recently opened annexe, Brücke 49 Herberge. The table and chairs are by Carl Hansen & Søn

“The best thing is when guests have many plans, but in the end they just love to stay in their home away from home, here with us”

chose classic Danish furniture such as the Carl Hansen & Søn dining chairs, as well as fine linen for the beds. Guests have the opportunity to order some pieces directly from Kramer.

“My mantra has always been less is more,” she says about her style. “I love men’s clothing but I also love a bit of hippy.” Visually translated into functionality and long-lasting items, which will age gracefully, the spirit of Brücke 49 is best captured by French writer, Antoine de Saint-Exupery: “Perfection is achieved not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.”

All the rooms have their own individual design, providing a personal experience for every guest. “Each space makes me feel different when I sleep there,” says Kramer. “I love the artwork by Cooper and Gorfer in the library, which tells me a story about women and female beauty but also asks the question, ‘What do you hold close? Where is your secret place of belonging? If you had to leave everything behind and begin again, who would you be?’ We did this here with Brücke 49 in Vals, and it showed us a totally new side of ourselves.”

Farrow & Ball paint on the walls seems to have always been there and perfectly harmonises with the natural materials including stone, wood, linen and wool. “This, mixed with art and Danish porcelain, as well as a lot of books, reflect a sense of easily accessible luxury,” says Kramer. “The best thing is when guests have many plans, but in the end just love to stay in their home away from home, here with us.”

Thomas Schacht sadly died in May 2021, but not before the pair expanded their domain in this peaceful corner of the Swiss Alps. Recently completed, the neighbouring house, Brücke 49 Herberge, comprises two apartments and one studio suitable for families, while the related stable was transformed into a venue for bakery workshops, yoga sessions and small concerts. Kramer lives only 300 metres above Brücke 49, allowing her to manage the pension every day – “it smells so fresh and airy when coming into the house in the morning” – and also runs the Brücke Butik shop next door, which sells products by Danish and international brands including Moshi Moshi Mind, Skagerak and her own label Kramer & Co.

Kramer is also spreading her wings as an interior designer, and is currently working on a hotel in the woods in Blausee and a small hotel in Buchs. Brücke 49 was where it all started, though: “I feel so much at home and enjoy just taking care of this wonderful shelter in the mountains,” she says.

Facing page A comfortable corner of The Stuba, one of the apartments at Brücke 49 Herberge

Above Owner Ruth Kramer's Danish heritage comes through in her interiors: the sofa is by Eilersen, while a Hay rice-paper pendant hangs above it Facing page The Valser mountains surrounding the village offer what Brücke 49 describes as "extreme wellness", from skiing to its famous thermal spa

Facing page A bedroom in The Chammera; the bed is by Fennobed, topped with linen from Ruth Kramer's own brand Kramer & Co Above Functionality and longevity are as important as aesthetics, evidenced by the bathroom in The Stuba