You don’t have to actually snap on the bindings and hit the slopes to love ski chalet style. This type of decor is particularly suited to Canadian homes and celebrates the True North with forest motifs, natural materials and a “cozy up by the fire” sensibility. We can’t think of a better incentive to don the flannel and break out the fondue pot! Click through to see how you can bring the chalet chic aesthetic home, even when you’re miles away from the nearest chair lift.
In this family-friendly ski chalet in Whistler, B.C., designer Alda Pereira chose sink-in rust-colored leather chairs, which contrast beautifully with the dramatic alderwood cabinets.
Photographer: Ema Peter
Source: House & Home February 2020
Designer: Alda Pereira
Having a fire to gather around after a day bundled up in the snow is a must, whether you’re in the city or the country. This brick hearth feels modern while still suiting the chalet’s rustic-chic interior.
Photographer: Ema Peter
Source: House & Home February 2020
Designer: Alda Pereira
Give your bedroom a sense of place (read: in the mountains) by adorning the walls with a rocky painting framed by dark millwork. Balance out the cave-like feeling with light linens, marble and a camel-hued headboard.
Photographer: Ema Peter
Source: House & Home February 2020
Designer: Alda Pereira
This curvy, suspended stunner is a classic mid-century design can be rotated to direct the heat where it’s needed most, like frigid feet after a day on the mountain. This fireplace offers a sexy ’70s spin that doubles as sculpture.
Photographer: Maxime Desbiens
Source: House & Home February 2018
Designer: Sacha & Melissa LeClair
A comfy rug is an open invitation to keep your toes nice and toasty. It’s especially welcome when the floor is concrete (as in this serene chalet) or stone.
Photographer: Maxime Desbiens
Source: House & Home February 2018
Designer: Sacha & Melissa LeClair
It’s an admittedly luxe addition to a chalet, but Scandinavian spas practice the art of sweating it out in the sauna and then rolling in snow: the temperature extremes have health benefits and are a bracing way to end a day on the slopes.
Photographer: Maxime Desbiens
Source: House & Home February 2018
Designer: Sacha & Melissa LeClair
The warmth of wood cuts the chill… literally! A mellow honey-brown stain allows the unique beauty of the grain to show through. If you don’t have log walls or panelling, get the look with a rustic pine bench or flooring underfoot.
Photographer: Monic Richard
Source: Maison & Demeure November 2013
It’s always sweater weather in a ski chalet, so don’t forget to dress up the bed with textured blankets. This cozy, oversized knit can warm your toes or double as a throw (we call dibs on that armchair overlooking the perfect winter vista).
Photographer: Andre Rider
Source: House & Home December 2014
Designer: Richard Ouellette & Maxime Vandal, Les Ensembliers
No surprise here: forest motifs are naturally at home in a ski chalet. In an entry, a stump table is a functional yet unfussy way to bring the outdoors in. This version gets a Scandi-style spin with a frosty coat of white paint.
Photographer: Maxime Desbiens
Source: Maison & Demeure December/January 2018
Designer: Jacinthe Piotte
Everyone wants to gather around the fireplace after a day on the slopes, and a generous integrated bench in this Whistler alpine-inspired home offers enough seating options to accommodate a crowd.
Photographer: Janis Nicolay
Source: House & Home November 2017
Designer: Ami McKay, Pure Design Inc.
Wooden beams and trusses lend architectural character — even when they aren’t structural. They inject homespun charm to a room. Touches of copper, seen in this sleek kitchen vent hood, and burnished metal pendants add a dose of gilded glamour.
Photographer: Virginia Macdonald
Source: House & Home November 2014
Designer: Timothy Johnson
Fur is a winter staple, but it doesn’t need to be real to offer warmth — a cruelty-free alternative is our go-to. Designer Anne Johnston gets the same cozy effect with a faux fur throw that looks as convincingly luxe.
Photographer: Donna Griffith
Source: House & Home December 2013
Designer: Ann Johnston; Architecture by Ray Murakami
Historic, humble and durable, hardy wrought iron accents (seen in the chandelier, lantern and fireplace accessories) are an easy way to conjure up chalet style.
Photographer: Donna Griffith
Source: House & Home December 2013
Designer: Ann Johnston; Architecture by Ray Murakami
A fieldstone fireplace gives architectural gravitas and makes a grand gathering place for the whole family. The organic shape and coloration of the stones offers a one-of-a-kind look.
Photographer: Alex Lukey
Source: House & Home July 2016
Designer: Margot Bell, Peaks & Rafters
A pile of kindling is always dry and ready to start a roaring fire at designer Grace Castaneda’s family ski chalet. Aside from providing warmth, artful piles of logs complement natural accents and double as chic Instagram subjects.
Photographer: Donna Griffith
Source: House & Home December 2013
Designer: Grace Castaneda
Antlers (resin versions are readily available and realistic) are a classic accompaniment to wood walls.
Photographer: Jean Longpre
Source: Maison et Demeure December/January 2012
Designer: Douglas Cridland
They can stand up to slushy, salty boots, and the rough texture even offers some traction. We love the way stone floors naturally transition to a stone fireplace.
Photographer: Donna Griffith
Source: House & Home September 2016
Designer: Margot Bell, Katelyn Hermant & Dasha Ricci, Peaks & Rafters
A beloved Hudson’s Bay Point blanket upholsters an ottoman in designer Kate Thornley-Hall’s classic ski chalet. The iconic stripes inject color, or opt for buffalo check and other plaid patterns, which are equally cozy, traditional staples of chalet style.
Photographer: Angus Fergusson
Source: House & Home December 2010
Designer: Kate Thornley-Hall
Pay homage to the winter sport that’s the beating heart of every ski chalet with a playful nod to all things alpine. An antique ski banister keeps things steady on — and off — the slopes in this family chalet in Collingwood, Ontario.
Photographer: Virginia Macdonald
Source: House & Home November 2009
Designer: Michele Haber
Putting on ski boots, or even just donning winter footwear, can be awkward. A rustic bench (a farmhouse find) can be just as useful in the city when going gets rough outside.
Photographer: Virginia Macdonald
Source: House & Home November 2009
Designer: Michele Haber
Set a warm, welcoming chalet note with lanterns, greenery and holly bushes wrapped in burlap for winter curb appeal.
Photographer: Donna Griffith
Source: House & Home November 2008
Author: Wendy Jacob & Victoria Christie
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