Delectable fairytale cottage in Courchevel 1850

Sheltering amidst the snow-laded pines, Chalet Gentianes is one of the most sought-after luxury ski chalets in Courchevel 1850, France. This is a ski in and out chic mountain retreat with only a five minute walk away from the buzz of Courchevel. Don’t ski past the turning for your private pathway through the trees as you head down the Bellecote piste, or you’ll have to do the run again.

The chalet has been built in a sympathetic alpine style with wood interiors, beautiful aged oak beams and a huge open fireplace and elegant decor. From the deep sofas, squashy sheepskin stools, large dining table with the finest glassware and china, everything in this property has a feeling of understated class. At the basement level, you will find a private swimming pool, Jacuzzi and steam room, a self-contained gym and a massage room.

As you head upstairs and prepare to discover the private cinema and games room, the sumptuous en-suite bedrooms and spectacular top floor living area. Look out for those special little touches such as fresh flowers and luxury toiletries in the bathrooms as you go, the chalet even has a lift.

Now all of this would be impressive enough, but there’s more. Staying at Chalet Gentianes is like being wrapped in a blanket of love. A team of people attends to your every need, from the highly qualified chef to the chauffeur and minibus at your disposal. Not forgetting the dedicated private ski instructor and the near-constant attention of housekeepers. There’s even a concierge service to fulfill your every whim.

Prices start from 2,095 per person for 7 nights with fully catered services, from here.

Fireside Resort luxury ski cabins in Jackson Hole

Fireside Resort features an innovative new perspective on mountain town lodging in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The luxury resort offers 19 ski cabins that reflect the heritage of the valley’s original homesteader cabins. That rustic appeal is then combined with understated elegance and modern conveniences. Every cabin is designed to offer a combination of rustic and modern aesthetics. Designed by WheelHaus, the cabins are a “Wedge” design which features an angled roof, starting low above the bedrooms and builds to 17 feet in the living room.

Trapezoidal windows grow similarly from back to front, offering natural light while maintaining privacy. The front of the cabin is almost entirely glass. A large sliding glass door opens to a private deck. Each cabin has one bedroom, a bathroom, a kitchen/living room and a private deck. The ceilings and exterior side are covered with reclaimed Wyoming snow fencing.

The bedrooms feature a king size bed with two side tables and linen lamp style sconces. The kitchen/living room was designed to offer both comfort and functionality. The mini-kitchen is fully equipped with concrete countertops and modern rustic cabinetry. A large bomber leather sofa, two cowhide ottomans, two barn wood side tables, custom made wrought iron lamps and railroad cart coffee tables make up living room furnishings. A mini-high efficiency gas burning fireplace warms the room. Mounted above the fireplace is a flat screen HDTV and attractive, colorful art brightens every room.

The fully appointed bathrooms are small yet functional with custom vanities with concrete countertops/sinks and quartzite floors. An additional bonus for those that don’t want to vacation without their pets, the cabins are pet friendly!

To stay in one of these luxurious cabins, rates run from $289 per night, from here.

Rustic retreat with an industrial edge in Big Sky

In Montana’s Yellowstone Club, a getaway home designed by Faure Halvorsen Architects in conjunction with interior design firm Peace Design showcases the Old West vernacular with an industrial edge. The owner’s asked for a second home that was not only rustic but also unique. The site was what drove the entire design concept, from the steep lot to the spectacular views of nearby Pioneer Mountain ski area and distant Yellowstone National Park. It was a difficult task for the architects to design a home to fit the clients with their twin sons as well as a large extended family. The solution was to design four separate “modules” that were connected by way of enclosed bridges and hallways that work their way up the hill in an organic, nonlinear fashion.

Each module is nestled at a different elevation and slightly different angle. This approach allowed the architect to maximize the incredible views from the 4,500 square foot residence and conceal the neighboring houses from sight. The design also created fascinating sightlines within the interior spaces, with bridges and living spaces divulging glimpses of other parts of the home. The unconventional configuration also created some intriguing nooks and crannies, such as a staircase landing which doubles as a niche for a desk, to wall-recessed bunk beds, to a wine cellar that is tucked beneath the bridge connecting the living room to the master suite.

Just as unique is the rustic retreat’s palette of materials, finishes and furnishings. The material choices offer a fresh take on rustic design, making the new structure appear as if it were constructed over time. Finishes include standing-dead timbers and reclaimed barn boards, joined by Montana moss rock that forms walls, double-sided fireplaces and the enclosure around the kitchen stove. The bridges were designed from salvaged steel joists, tracks and screens that recall the region’s mining tradition. Peace Design added softness into the design scheme to contrast with the rugged materials as well as subtle decoration to create livability. A neural color palette was chosen, mostly earthy hues in a range of browns and greys, as a backdrop for the owner’s collections and art.

Beautifully adorned farmhouse in Jämtland

Nestled on a remote farm in Jämtland, an historical province in the center of Sweden is this beautifully adorned farmhouse, with a calm, no-frills simplicity. It was in this type of environment that the majority of the population in Sweden lived only 100 years ago. Dressed in casual warmth that one would expect of a Scandinavian home, this cozy country style home was photographed by a company called Norrgavel for their home furnishings and decor catalogue. The fantastic farmhouse also features an inviting bedroom attic with exposed wood beams, hardwood flooring and fabulous linens.

Let us know what you think of this wonderful farmhouse!

Rustic fisherman’s house in the village of Buzios

High on a hill, away from the hype, is this small house in the picturesque fishing village of Buzios, Brazil. The owner, businessman Santiago Bebianno sought out a space that was on high ground, isolated, but close to the village, with the constant breeze and beautiful scenery surrounding. Divided into modules, the construction of the 1,614 square foot (150 square meters) house was carried out by architecture studio Das Canoas. Building was done gradually, respecting the budget and because the client was in no hurry.

When Santiago first moved in, he just had his bedroom and bathroom, the rest of the house was a concrete slab with no electricity. He lived by candlelight for four months, waiting for the installation of cables. The work took place over the course of a year, with labor and local raw materials. Santiago wished for a simple style, a rustic finish and simulating a fisherman’s house. The goal to create relaxing spaces that are open and airy and that everything was easy to use and maintain. Via

Magnificent seaside villa with rustic details in Ibiza

Blue Bay is a luxurious villa retreat with stylish rustic touches, light-filled interiors and incredible sea views in Ibiza. This magnificent Finca-style residence is set on a secluded stretch of Ibiza’s coastline. Guests will live like royalty, amidst glorious gardens, two swimming pools, a tennis court, par 3 golf course and private swimming dock. As masters of all you survey, you have the use of a Jeep Wrangler and an array of gadgets from hand-held diving jets to a 3D HD cinema room, games room and private gym with 20 Cybex machines.

Private and secluded, Blue Bay villa is not far from San Carlos village and all the beautiful beaches of northeast Ibiza. Wherever you want to go, there are two chauffeured Mercedes Vianos to take you. And, for trips out to sea the Mastercraft 220CX boat, complete with skipper and crew, is at your disposal, depending on the weather. Not only does Blue Bay have a private chef, kitchen and hospitality team, it has housekeeping staff and a full time concierge service. Almost anything you desire is possible.

Rates at Villa Blue Bay are from $83,252 per week, from here.

Montana ranch home exuding rustic-modern style

This beautiful home in Big Sky, Montana’s Yellowstone Club is a low-slung, ranch-inspired residence, which can only be described as earthy, textured and thoroughly Western. The home has been designed by Montana-based architecture firm KMA Inc., the home delivers exactly what the client’s wanted, a design that infuses rustic with modern elements in a space that is as welcoming as it is beautiful. Not your typical mountain lodge, the home can feel intimate for the owner’s family but can also welcome a large group of guests for entertaining. The interior spaces were dreamed up by Colorado-based Worth Interiors with the help of the homeowners. Collaborating with Montana-based Highline Partners, the project’s contractor, the furnishings and finishes directly influenced the built structure to yield brilliant results.

Many of the home’s furnishings, light fixtures and even architectural details were designed by Worth Interiors. A lounge area was designed in place of a formal dining room, which was thought to be too stuffy for laid-back living. The room features hollow concrete tables and a built-in banquette under voluminous windows for cocktail hour. Square iron tables greet guests of four for casual dinner parties, for more formal affairs, the tables can be rearranged to seat 14. For bar storage, the designer cut into the log walls, lined it with leather in a chartreuse hue and slid in glass shelving on stainless-steel pegs.

The home is filled with textures, defining spaces with rough-hewn timbers beside smooth plaster walls. The entryway features iron benches covered in leather, against walls wrapped in cowhide panels. One of the bedrooms contains a custom-made platform bed of reclaimed wood with a wood-and-iron headboard. Finished with throw pillows in a multitude of fabrics, the bed is a perfect example of combining textural opposites. The materials palette adds depth to the design, tying vignettes throughout the home together by way of materials and themes. Clean-lined furnishings add a modern flair while leather and faux-fur adds hints of Western style.

A neutral color palette was used with reclaimed wood beams on the ceilings and walls refined with a wire wheel (a process that clean old wood and brings out its color and character). Wide-plank oak that arrived whitewashed was sanded and black washed to give it a soft, weathered look on the floors. A few accents of eye-catching bold color were splashed throughout the home. The home’s not-so-hidden secret in its perfect balance between surprise and tranquility, rustic and modern, texture and color.

Photos: Courtesy of Benjamin Benschneider

Cozy mountain refuge in the village of Madremanya

This beautiful rustic home, spotted on Mi Casa, is part of a Manor House from the 14th century, situated within the historic center of the village of Madremanya, in Girona, Spain. Their owners reformed it into Can Bassa, a charming rural vacation accommodation divided into five apartments. To preserve its rural essence, rehabilitation involved preserving the original stone walls from the interior and exterior facade, although some were demolished to extend the dining room and the living area, and others were painted to gain clarity. Other elements were very deteriorated and replaced by materials of demolition from other country houses in the area.

All the ceilings and floors were reinforced and its structure is thermally insulated for optimum comfort in the interior. The ceiling beams were restored to their natural finish, after sanding them and treating them, the rooms became welcoming environments. All of them emphasize the simplicity of rustic and the merger between furniture and upholstery of light and toasted tones with the tile floor, the walls and the beams. All this made up a serene and evocative, scenario in harmony with its surroundings.

To enjoy more of this landscape and feel the presence of the nearby Les Gavarres Mountains, the owners decided to locate the hallway on the second floor of the house that leads to a terrace with great views. There is an abandoned loft located on the top floor, accessed through a trap door and a staircase. A bedroom with two beds was placed in this location and a staircase was built to make access more convenient. This new environment is certainly very special since it seems to keep the stone walls and the wooden ceiling and beams, transformed into a cozy, warm mountain refuge.

Gorgeous rustic mountain retreat in Lake Tahoe

Located in picturesque Martis Camp in Truckee, California this second home for a young family is easy, comfortable and fun. Designed by Jeffers Design Group on conjunction with Walton Architecture, this mountain retreat is infused with a great mixture of industrial chic, while warm blankets redefines rustic. No antler chandeliers here! A soft palette of textures and hues mixed with wood flooring adds warmth to this cozy vacation home. Bunk beds in the children’s room save space, creating a fun and playful environment. Large expanses of windows allow the inhabitants incredible views of the beautiful landscape and mountains of Lake Tahoe in the distance.

Photos: Matthew Millman

Rustic-contemporary mountain lodge in Big Sky

Elk Ridge Lodge was constructed by Centre Sky Architecture to be a part of the ridge and the surrounding site, situated at The Club at Spanish Peaks, Big Sky, Montana. Drawing on regional history, the home is constructed using reclaimed timbers and siding throughout the building with an emphasis on reinventing rustic style. This residence’s design is based on a number of principals- quality, durability, site views and a “lodgey” aesthetic. The client wished to build a getaway home that was a “jewel box” in the mountains. The overall design concept was centered on the owner’s passion for the outdoors, love of Yellowstone and Western history and a request for a house that could be filled with multiple families, yet never seem crowded.

At the front door, the massive cedar posts, set in stone, allude to what’s inside, a hush of warmth from the soft clay-walled entryway embraces visitors. One is greeted with bold color and warm textures of wood, stone and metal. The interiors were designed by Carole Sisson Designs, who thoughtfully designed with a Western connection expressed in contemporary form. The extraordinary cedars seen throughout the home offers more than an aesthetic appeal, the trees are structural, partially bearing weight of both the roof and the locally forged custom interior bridge that spans the second floor, connecting the master wing to the rest of the home. The bridge has a connection with the structural elements of the building, the clerestory windows on one side and the arched timber trusses, iron tension rods and the masonry of the fireplace on the other, to the landscape through the great room window.

Photos: Roger Wade Photography