Chalet features
All the design features of Alpine houses, which today are perceived more as a decor, in fact, have serious reasons. The houses were built in mountainous terrain, in a harsh climate, were supposed to serve as a comfortable shelter from frost, withstand serious gusts of wind, heavy snowfalls. In connection with these design needs, there appeared:
- Gable roofsprotruding beyond the foundation. Snow, rolling down from such a roof, falls away from the walls of the house, thus avoiding drifts.
- Use of stone and wood... Moreover, the bottom part is finished first, which allows you to keep warm, makes the country house durable. Plus, both natural materials fit perfectly into the landscape.
- Panoramic windows (sometimes the whole wall). They were made not for the sake of additional lighting, but rather for the opportunity to admire the view.
- Spacious veranda in one part or around the house, always covered with a roof.
- The presence of an attic with a long open balcony outside.
- Fireplace... It is impossible to imagine a chalet-style house, like a winter vacation in the mountains without a hearth. The fireplace stove is an important component of the interior design, which should be taken into account in the design of the house.
In general, the classic chalet style is natural, austere, geometric, natural. In its implementation, a lot of natural stone, large wood (beams, timber) are used. However, in the modern interpretation, it is permissible to change the stone to brick or plaster, timber to lining or imitation.
What can be used to decorate facades?
Houses are characterized by a two-level external design: the lower (basement) part is trimmed with stone. If necessary, the masonry can be replaced with brick, or even imitated. As an imitation, you can use:
- siding (vinyl, acrylic, metal);
- terracotta tiles;
- decorative plaster;
- artificial stone (panels).
The upper floor was built of wood according to the initial technology. Today, any reliable material is suitable as a building material - be it wood, brick, foam block, slabs. But the outside finishing of the building must be made of wood: using massive beams, false beams or a block house.
If there is a stone below, on top you can use light (white, cream) plaster and separate wooden parts - frames on windows, shutters, decorative strips. True, in this case, the facade will turn out to be more in the German, and not in the Alpine style.
Which roof is best to use?
The roof of a chalet-style house is an essential element of the exterior. There is even such a thing as a “chalet-style roof”. Features:
- Big size... The roofs really differ in their dimensions: this concerns the height and the removal of the slopes.There is enough space under the long slopes to organize a cozy terrace, where it will be comfortable to spend time in the warm season.
- Strong slope... The design with an almost sharp angle between the slopes is dictated by the abundance of snow in the home region of the chalet-style houses. In other places it is, rather, a visiting card of the direction. In addition, a tilt degree of more than 45 allows you to save energy and money on additional roof reinforcement.
Chalet-style houses originally had wooden tiles. In modern conditions, it is better to choose its imitation - for example, metal or ceramic. They are not only more reliable than wood, but also cheaper and easier to work with.
Extension design options
Even a small house is not limited by walls and internal area. Outside, there are necessarily outbuildings:
- Veranda... Something like an external living room: it necessarily has a roof, it can be glazed or just fenced with a wooden railing. The decoration is also mostly wooden (floor, walls).
- Terrace... A more open version of the extension, something like a buffer between the inside of the house and the site. It can be with or without a roof. The role of one of the walls is played by the outer wall of the house. The other three are missing completely or are replaced by beams or railings. Of the furniture, they usually have a dining area (table, chairs or benches), cozy recreation area (armchairs, sofas), open kitchen - barbecue area.
- Balcony... The topsides in chalet-style houses are never small. Most often this is either a wide loggia or a long balcony over the entire wall. Balconies are placed under a gable roof on the front side of the building.
Deserves special attention porch - often it is included in the terrace or veranda, but sometimes it is performed separately. It has its own small roof (visor), supports, railings made of wood. It is better to choose gable slopes of the visor so that they echo the design of the main roof.
What to consider in interior design?
The interior of a chalet-style house is not much different from the exterior. Chalet design features:
- Finishing with natural materials - wood, stone.
- It is obligatory to have a fireplace in the living room, in the rest of the rooms - at will and at the opportunity.
- Furniture with history - no deliberately new, modern details. It is advisable to choose stylish vintage items that clearly show the traces of time.
- Soft warm light that adds comfort.
- Monochromatic textile, or a checkered, striped print - no flowers and ruffling in bedrooms, living rooms, and other living rooms.
- Hunting decor - skins, stuffed animals, heads.
- The use of forged items in furniture, decor.
- Calm color palette - beige, gray, brown. Less often - muted green, blue, red.
Examples of projects
A chalet-style house is often made two-story, but there are also one-story projects. To observe the main difference (stone bottom, wooden top), the basement is trimmed with stone, and the main floor is trimmed with wood. Single-storey buildings are ideal for families with small children, as well as the elderly: the absence of stairs is a guarantee of safety for residents.
The projects of two-story chalet houses (pictured below) are usually based on buildings with a simple square section without complex shapes and extensions. Although in some cases it is possible to make a garage or summer kitchen.
A veranda or terrace is another reason why it is worth expanding the base of the house. In the photo on the left you can see an open veranda under the roof - suitable for placing a dining area, but then it is important to make sure that the kitchen is located next to the extension and has direct access to it.
On the right project is a three-storey house with multi-level terraces on each floor. You can put sun loungers on top, a dining table and chairs below, and an outdoor living room in the center of the chalet.
Complicated sloping landscape and the peaks - the conditions for which the chalet-style houses were created.Therefore, if the relief on your site is not easy, choose this style. Below you can see an example of a finished house in the rock for an individual project.
On the first floor there are the main rooms (guest kitchen), on the second there are bedrooms, a study, an open loggia with access to the barbecue area.
In the style of a chalet, you can decorate a summer cottage, a house in the village and even a cottage in an elite village. This design is both simple and beautiful, it will perfectly fit into any environment, it will always look appropriate.