6 minute read
CHALET STYLE
from Rfgtgg
TEXT BETHANY LYTTLE PHOTOGRAPHY PATRICK BILLER
After shimmering days on the slopes comes après-ski by the fire in this welcoming winter vacation home.
Advertisement
To set an alpine tone, designer Lindsay Mens of TOM Interior Design Studio mounted vintage skis on the wall, tossed some plaid into the pillow mix, and flanked the fieldstone fireplace with photographs of mountain vistas. “This room teems with snug comforts, ” she says. The inviting forest-green sofa, nubby club chairs and suede lounge chairs – all upholstered in sumptuous, soft-to-the-touch fabrics – are drawn up to the fire. “The 25-foot ceilings called for this five-foot chandelier and four-foot mirror, ” says Lindsay. Wood ceilings and shiplap on the walls ensure architectural warmth, while drapes soften the modern windows.
DESIGN, Lindsay Mens, TOM Interior Design Studio. CLUB CHAIRS in Vale Fog, SOFA 1967-44 in Everest Forest, Lee Industries. Betheny MIRROR (over mantel), Arteriors. Vintage LAMP and SKIS, Bettencourt Manor. MIRROR (by door), The Door Store. Custom CHANDELIER, The Artisan’s Gallery. Northwest Series WALL ART, Patrick Biller. David ART LIGHTS, Circa Lighting. CANDLESTICKS (on mantel), Decorum.
LEFT A big round coffee table with a woven finish multiplies the room’s textures, which include soft bouclé on the armchairs and the warm fibres of a wool rug. The home’s architecture may be contemporary, but the wrought-iron railings and reclaimed-beam construction make it look like a rustic mountain retreat.
Seagrass COFFEE TABLE, RH. Camber LOUNGE CHAIRS, Aspen BENCH, Cocoon Furnishings. Custom plaid PILLOW, Kravet. Peter Dunham print PILLOW (on sofa), Linen + Cloth. Conrad CONSOLE, Noir Furniture. CANDLESTICKS (on coffee table), vintage green glass VASE, vintage PLANTER (with moss), Bettencourt Manor. Loki ceramic PLATTER, Elte. Myra RUG, Loloi. Vintage ANTLERS, Vintage Fine Objects.
From the outside, this newly built home with its clean lines looks nothing like an alpine chalet. But step inside and the mountain views from the soaring windows leave little doubt that, indeed, we ’ re in Ontario ski country. When designer Lindsay Mens met the family of four who ’d spend winter holidays here, she knew a lodge-inspired interior was a must. “The
challenge was how to bring layers of coziness into such a contemporary space, ” says Lindsay. “I wanted them to tuck in at
night feeling homey, but I didn ’t want the look to be rustic. Plus, they
’ re always having friends with kids over, so things had to be function-first and durable. ” Here ’ s how Lindsay endowed the cold-weather getaway with a chalet-chic interior that radiates après-ski warmth and furnishings worthy of the fun-filled chaos of post-downhill downtime.
BELOW Guests (and there are plenty of them!) arrive via the home’s old-meets-new entryway. “Sure, the sconces, mirror and flooring are brand new, but adding this antique credenza and armchair warms the space and makes it more welcoming, ” says Lindsay.
CONSOLE, VASES, CHAIR, Bettencourt Manor. Vintage RUNNER, Smash Salvage. Circa Lighting’s Fontaine SCONCES, Elte. MIRROR, Absolutely. RIGHT Lindsay opted for a woodsy wildlife-patterned wallpaper for the main-floor bathroom. “It was a pricey endeavour, but so worth it because it gives that room so much personality, ” she says. Equally compelling is the black and white penny-round tile floor. The custom vanity was fashioned from a reclaimed beam.
VANITY, Harbourview Custom Homes. Cyclone FAUCET, Riobel. FLOOR TILE, Creekside Tile. WALLPAPER, Memo Showroom. Vintage MIRROR FRAME, Smash Salvage.
BELOW “There’s no buffet, no rug and no chandelier, so the chairs had to do a lot of work when it came to mood and texture, ” says Lindsay. Armchairs upholstered in wool plaid were her pick. They’re pulled up to a long and narrow Mennonite-crafted table.
DINING TABLE, Absolutely. DINING CHAIRS, Lee Industries. Circa Lighting’s Goodman PENDANTS, Elte. VASES (on dining table), Bettencourt Manor.
ABOVE With nine-foot ceilings, why not max out on vertical storage? The mellow-toned oak and black millwork is paired with black metal pendants and natural woven stools. The large island with a builtin cutting board is as useful for prep as it is for entertaining.
CABINETRY PAINT, Black Panther 2125-10, Benjamin Moore. Quartz COUNTERTOP, Marmi Maximum COUNTERTOP (island), KSTONE. Palacek’s Nora COUNTER STOOLS, Cocoon Furnishings.
RIGHT, TOP & BOTTOM Lindsay (left) and TOM project manager Haley Dermenjian pause for a pic in front of the pantry wall and open shelves. The custom metal range hood, crackled tile backsplash and vintage runner give the new kitchen its winter-vacay vibe.
RANGE HOOD, Harbourview Custom Homes. Emerson BACKSPLASH TILE, Creekside Tile Company. Palacek’s Bronson SCONCES, Cocoon Furnishings.
“The mudroom is where friends enter après-ski, so stone floors and a rug that wears like iron are a must.
OPPOSITE An eight-foot-wide photo floats above a tumbleready grey-weave sectional in the media room. “That oversized woven pendant fills the ceiling with amber light, ” says Lindsay. The table is fashioned from a reclaimed beam. The red plaid pillows pick up tones from the vase of red dogwood branches that were pruned from a shrub on the property.
SECTIONAL, Lee Industries. Ice hut WALL ART, Richard Johnson. Vintage COFFEE TABLE, Scott Landon Antiques. Kate Thornley x Tommy Smythe RUG, Kate Thornley Hall. Lyla CHAIR, Cocoon Furnishings. Farris TABLE LAMP, Pottery Barn. Custom PILLOWS in Ralph Lauren Market Street Plaid, Kravet. Black-striped PILLOW COVERS, Linen + Cloth. Custom-made block-print PILLOW, Memo Showroom.
RIGHT “Here’s an excellent way to bring some casual colour to any mudroom, ” says Lindsay. “A green tone like this really spruces up the oak. ” Hooks inside cubbies stow jackets for both family and friends. Baskets make perfect catchalls for mittens, scarves and hats.
PAINT, Forest Floor 1498, Benjamin Moore. Vintage RUG, Smash Salvage. PILLOWS, Memo Showroom. BASKETS, Walmart.
“Big art and big draperies invite ease and relaxation.
LEFT “The canopy bed is right at home beneath high ceilings, and its finish reinforces the theme of wrought iron throughout the house, ” says Lindsay. She paired the new bed with vintage items, such as the bench at its foot and the clients’ vintage antler collection. “We went for full broadloom on the floors, since this is a winter home.
CANOPY BED, RH. BENCH, Smash Salvage.
BELOW & OPPOSITE, BOTTOM
“I wanted the chalet accents to be subtle, so I used a modern buffalo plaid for the drapes, ” says Lindsay. The almost-black dresser is softened by gentle neutral linens on the bed and the wood side tables. Both the wall art and the mirror are large in scale.
Blatchford DRESSER, Pottery Barn. Vintage MIRROR FRAME, Scott Landon Antiques.
ABOVE Contemporary, clean and simple. That’s how Lindsay describes the primary ensuite, with its soaker tub and storage-friendly vanity. Thanks to the home’s tall windows, winter’s clear light dances across the shiny large-scale tile floor.
