Monday, August 22, 2011

From Cashiers to Klosters





I just returned from a really nice weekend up in Cashiers, North Carolina where I attended the Cashiers Designer Showhouse. Carole Weaks, Tammy Connor, Tish Mills, Barbara Heath, and James Farmer were just a few of the talented designers who decorated rooms at the charming 1960s-era mountain house. There was even a dose of Hollywood glamour thanks to Mary McDonald and Nathan Turner, guest speakers at the event. The whole weekend (especially the pleasantly cool nighttime temperatures) got me in a mountain state of mind.

So, with mountain houses on the brain, I decided to feature these photos of the Klosters chalet of Robert Ricci, founder of Nina Ricci. Okay, so it might be a stretch to go from Cashiers to Klosters, but they do have something in common. Hiring a top designer to makeover one's mountain house is just as important in Cashiers as it is in Klosters. And in the case of the Ricci home, the top designer just happened to be Georges Geffroy. I'd say that's impressive, wouldn't you?




Suede upholstered doors were an unexpected touch to Ricci's chalet.




Geffroy was responsible for the design of the staircase as well as the terracotta and marble tiled entrance hall floor.




The living room had a pine coffered ceiling and walls covered in Thai silk.




The dining room featured cabinets painted in a style that was indigenous to the area around Klosters. The pedestal table and dining chairs were custom designed by Geffroy.




The dining table set for dinner.


All photos from Architectural Digest Country Homes.

9 comments:

  1. I love the suede upholstered doors, especially.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Fabulous! I'm with TDC - LOVE the upholstered doors. The only thing I found a little disappointing was the table setting - boring china and sad flowers. But the house is a fab mix of contemporary and indigenous traditions!

    ReplyDelete
  3. The upholstered doors are my favorite as well! The table setting does leave a lot to be desired.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Adore Cashiers + those doors are the best. Thanks for the tour. Grand post. xxpeggybraswelldesign.com

    ReplyDelete
  5. Before today, this west coast bumpkin didn't know about either hot spot! Looks like I have some homework to do! Our mountain spot is at Lake Tahoe. It was a lot more relaxed before we tore down the old place and built a beautiful new place that we have to worry about. I'm for low-maintenance second homes!
    Cheers!,
    Barbara

    ReplyDelete
  6. Barbara- I think that Cashiers/Highlands NC is the Southern US equivalent of Lake Tahoe. I agree about low-maintenance second homes!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I must be coming down with, or in the midst of the flu, and certainly do not intentionally mean to be unkind, but neither house had any appeal for me, including the upholstered doors which one can say with certainty are not at all practical. But beautifully crafted they were! I do, however, have fond memories at The High Hampton Inn in Cashiers. Glad you were able to get away to Cashiers and enjoy the cooler August temperatures!!!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Tell me your thought in Berndaud's Grand Versailles pattern. as a collection it to over-the-top for me. I have the dinner plates, which I love and mx with may grandmother's gol limoges/Haviland with gold trim , I love it. I like that everything doe not match. The whole grand versailles collection is a little too much, but tempered with the gold and and white Limoges/Haviland makes a nice subtle statement. Thoughts? I post a picture.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Keith- I love that pattern, but I think that you're wise to temper it with more subtle pieces. I think that you don't need to use a lot of that pattern to make an impact!

    ReplyDelete