Vincent Thibert Sylvie blanchet marie claire france alps mani
Photo by Vincent Thibert for Marie Claire Maison

A Bourgeoisie Getaway Hidden in the Alps

Away from the notable Alpine ski resorts of Chamonix, St. Moritz, and Zermatt, Manigod is a small and traditional ski station near La Clusaz. Nested on top of the hills, an authentic farmhouse caught the attention of Sylvie Blanchet. Evocative of Little House on the Prairie, the French interior designer and her husband immediately fell in love with the 19th century wooden house and started a project of expansion. Preserving the original structure of the construction was a challenge. Blanchet had to adapt to the house and avoid destroying the original walls. She worked closely with local artisans, counting on their savoir-faire, in order to raise a portion of the chalet on stilts, to dig the dirty floors, and design new spaces. She succeeded in creating a flowing space of 3 floors of 861 sf ft each and a 180 degree view.

Sylvie voluntarily chose to use wood that had been exposed to bad weather which she in turn brightened with a sandy texture. Entering the space, there is a feeling of authenticity as if all the wood had always been there. The singularity of the coating and the suppression of the doors, with the exception of the rooms and bathrooms doors, add to the fluidity of the house. All the details matters for the designer, “the idea was to preserve the warm atmosphere of a chalet but avoid the traditional codes au the genre. I wanted contemporary and timeless.” The kitchen paved floor resembles a rug and the fireplace, embedded in the wall, is built out of the Bourgogne stones. Classic, sophisticated, and eclectic, the decoration is in tune with the house. In a beige and brown palette, the furnitures are in perfect harmony with the panels and the wooden floors.

Sylvie Blanchet elevated a 1833 farmhouse into a comfortable and modern bourgeois getaway that inevitably caught the attention of Marie Claire Maison who commissioned one of our favorites Vincent Thibert to capture this magical dwelling, and now it has made its way to us.

Vincent Thibert Sylvie blanchet marie claire france alps mani
Photo by Vincent Thibert for Marie Claire Maison
Vincent Thibert Sylvie blanchet marie claire france alps mani
Photo by Vincent Thibert for Marie Claire Maison
Vincent Thibert Sylvie blanchet marie claire france alps mani
Photo by Vincent Thibert for Marie Claire Maison
Vincent Thibert Sylvie blanchet marie claire france alps mani
Photo by Vincent Thibert for Marie Claire Maison
Vincent Thibert Sylvie blanchet marie claire france alps mani
Photo by Vincent Thibert for Marie Claire Maison
Vincent Thibert Sylvie blanchet marie claire france alps mani
Photo by Vincent Thibert for Marie Claire Maison
Vincent Thibert Sylvie blanchet marie claire france alps mani
Photo by Vincent Thibert for Marie Claire Maison
Vincent Thibert Sylvie blanchet marie claire france alps mani
Photo by Vincent Thibert for Marie Claire Maison
Vincent Thibert Sylvie blanchet marie claire france alps mani
Photo by Vincent Thibert for Marie Claire Maison
Vincent Thibert Sylvie blanchet marie claire france alps mani
Photo by Vincent Thibert for Marie Claire Maison
Vincent Thibert Sylvie blanchet marie claire france alps mani
Photo by Vincent Thibert for Marie Claire Maison
Vincent Thibert Sylvie blanchet marie claire france alps mani
Photo by Vincent Thibert for Marie Claire Maison

www.vincentthibert.com




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