A Winter’s Tale

„Home is where love resides, memories are created, friends are always welcome and laughter never ends.“

A year without hugs or handshakes – that is how we will remember 2020.

With a cup of Sylt tea and a Sylt lighthouse lantern on the table in front of me, I’m pondering my keyboard. While I’m upset that I can’t spend the holidays on our favorite island, a light drizzle starts to fall outside on this last Sunday before Christmas. But despite all that: I refuse to put on paper the negative feelings that are weighing heavily on all of us in these times. I know you have all had your fair share of them. So pack your suitcases, your skis, your sleigh, reindeer, and favorite winter clothes. Elf costumes and ski suits. Your pointed hats, wonderfully ridiculous Christmas sweaters, jigsaw puzzles, books, board games, gifts, the ingredients for your favorite recipes. We are going to Villars! Past the little town of Aigle, where the Orient Express once made a special stop. From there, the bus takes us on a winding road up towards Winter Wonderland.

Visitors of the idyllic place in the Vaud Alps are greeted with an incomparable view of the Dents du Midi and the Mont Blanc Range, spanning all the way to Lake Geneva. It has been snowing quite a lot. And we all know it, that smell of winter.

Already back in 1938, Villars was considered one of Europe’s first winter spa towns. Thanks to its modern infrastructure, numerous Swiss ski clubs flocked to Villars to train in the number 1 winter sport resort.

While jetsetters publicly celebrate themselves in St. Moritz, celebrities, industrialists and people like you and me can enjoy a discreet retreat here. Seeing and being seen are not important here. However, there is still a lot to look at!

Coco (Chanel) and Grace (Kelly), for example. But more on that later.

In 1910, the boarding school “Collège Alpin International Beau Soleil”, one of Switzerland’s oldest private schools, was founded in Villars. To this day, alongside the second boarding school there, “La Garenne”, it offers high level teaching and provides the elite youth with an ideal start to their academic career.

My mentor, property developer Frank Ewald, and his son, Thomas, are building unique chalets in this special place. From excavation to building, from the interior finish to furnishing the ready-for-sale apartments and chalets, they attend to even the smallest details, such as closet door handles made from deer antlers. It’s all part of their project “Domaine Du Roc”. With a keen sense for alpine design, Frank and Thomas have hired specialists from near and far.

Already around 2014, I had the privilege and pleasure to add my creative touches to the interior design of the “Domaine Du Roc” project as part of my thesis. From day one of my work as an interior designer, I received an incredible wealth of inspiration and new insights into the design and lifestyle of so-called contemporary Chalet Chic.

On a sun-kissed hill a little higher up, not far from the chairlift, there are three duplex chalets containing eight apartment units each.

Boulders from the area, shaped by the glacier, are a main feature in the landscaping of the property. Already upon entering the generously spaced underground parking garages, you realize that everything here has been furnished with great attention to detail. The really bright lighting system, the beautiful rockwork walls and dark paint welcome sleigh and reindeer with elegance and style.

From the garage, we go directly to the ski room, which not only features a heated ski boot rack, but also boasts plenty of storage space for gear and clothing.

To complement the solid building structure, a lot of reclaimed wood was used in this project. It lends a rustic warmth and a sense of originality to the rooms. Contrasting elements are natural stone such as black granite and chrome elements as can be seen on Lacanche stoves. The clear lines of the Dornbracht fittings in the bathrooms harmonize well with the natural stone sinks and built-in closets with fronts made of reclaimed wood. When it comes to the selection of furniture, the focus lies on a premium style with a Nordic touch. Brands such as Eicholtz for furniture and Fabbian for lighting are used.

Here, Chalet Chic is interpreted as a balance between natural elements and high-quality materials. There’s even room for some ethnic influence, as shown by the home cinemas with oriental flair. Finally, the elegance of the rooms is brought to life by a clever lighting system. The right amount of functional and mood lighting is indispensable. The sophisticated lighting and audio system accompanies the residents throughout their day and into the night, setting the right mood depending on the chosen theme or the occasion.

After a long day in the snow, residents can go straight to the home spa located in the basement, featuring a steam shower. The home cinema and the game room with pool tables can also be found downstairs.

For those wanting to host fondue parties on one of the penthouse terraces, there is an outdoor fireplace. A warming fire, the view of the night sky and a glass of punch will help anyone forget the dark side of 2020.

And when the day draws to a close and the last embers in the open fireplace slowly go out, we look forward to the next day. Even if we all end up staying home. As if we were snowed in.

Happy Holidays!

Epilogue: Embedded in the center of our beautiful neighborhood, Coco and Grace gradually come to life: two high-class multi-story chalets still under construction. They carry the names of their prominent visitors of days past and sit enthroned in the center of the holiday residence “Domaine Du Roc”. These luxury chalets are also true to their namesakes when it comes to style. Below is a short trailer for Chalet Grace. We will soon return to Villars and report on the progress of construction.

My heartfelt thanks to Frank and Thomas Ewald