Michelle Nussbaumer‘s decadently layered Swiss chalet is a far yodel from the usual images that mark the first day of the new year. You know the ones: those starkly bright, gleamingly white-gray spaces that all but announce “out with the old, in with the new!” Nary a stray ornament is in sight, much less the slightest memory of offending Christmas clutter! For those of us whose trees stay up through Epiphany—or later—and who intend to remain wrapped in a blanket by the fire for the next few weeks, these speckless spaces can feel frostily unappealing during some of the coldest days of winter! Instead, grab your cup of cocoa and curl up as we begin 2021 with a look at Michelle’s charmingly cozy chalet from the pages of Veranda magazine’s November-December 2014 issue.
Michelle restored the 300-year old Gstaad chalet after after a long search for the historic structure: “It’s really hard to find them, because people have torn them down and built even bigger ones,” she told Veranda. She blended the interior’s design together with a mixture of antiques from all over the world, vibrant fabrics from her Dallas showroom Ceylon et Cie, and layer upon layer of cozy charm. Take a peek inside!
Photography by Melanie Acevedo for Veranda.

I love every one of your posts!
(P.s. I need this cow!)
Yes! What a lovely way to start the new year!! I am so ready for “more is more” in 2021.
Happy New Year to you and thanks for all of your inspiring posts.
xoxo Kate
So great to see color! Exciting colors at that!! Not a gray or white to be found, thank goodness!
It’s got soul!!!!
What a relief from homes that look like hotel lobbies.
Great writing! LOVE these pics! This is just what I’ve been craving – longing for cozy, intimate, charming rooms with a human (or family farm animal!) scale. What a marvelous home. Distressing to learn though that the tearing down of the old only to replace with (to my eye) yet another boring McMansion is happening there too. I like to pretend Europeans make different decisions.
Happy New Year dearest Andrea! Thank you for all your inspiring posts!! ❤️
I remember this feature in Veranda a couple years back. And I thought it was wonderful, at the time I was going through a dark period of my life. Husband died unexpectedly, I had to sell the huge log home we built. He worked for a Swiss company at the time, plus he always fascinated by old Swiss chalets. But when I read the article and saw the photos of Nussbaumer’s chalet it brighten my day then as it does today. Thanks for the memories. Yes to this over shades of gray!
I love this chalet! The colors are beautiful . A cozy and full of charm . I too am tired of all the Grey and white!