WINTER WONDER

When Nick and Lucy Addyman found the holiday home of their dreams in the French Alps, they enlisted expert help to get the decor right for all seasons

Intended for all seasons, this holiday home in the French Alps truly comes into its own at Christmas time

Happy childhood memories of frequent family skiing holidays in the French Alps inspired Nick Addyman to buy a small holiday flat there. Fast forward several years. By this time, Nick had met and married jazz singer Lucy Rathbone and the couple had two daughters. Nick’s beloved flat simply wasn’t large enough for his growing family. Determined to keep the old traditions alive, the Addymans began searching for a house where they could continue to enjoy spending time in France.

Before beginning their search, Nick and Lucy both agreed it shouldn’t be a conventional ski chalet. ‘We didn’t want anything twee with gingham, or modern and sleek, but were after something a bit more quirky,’ says Lucy.

‘We started looking around the area of Megève,’ she says, ‘but couldn’t find anything large enough, so we widened our search to Combloux. It’s not far from Megève, but smaller and quieter, and has incredible views of Mont Blanc – in fact it’s called La Perle du Mont Blanc.’

Eventually the couple found a property they really liked: a substantial five-bedroom farmhouse that had been recently renovated. ‘We loved the sense of space, and we also liked the fact that it was an authentic, 19th-century Haute-savoie house rather than a purpose-built chalet,’ says Lucy. ‘It had a really generous living area and all the bedrooms had en suite shower rooms. There was also a garden, which we wanted for the children.’ As an added bonus, all the bathrooms were newly fitted, and so too was

the kitchen. ‘All that remained to be done was designing the interior decor: the curtains, additional lighting, furniture and accessories, which are all the bits I love.’

Lucy and Nick decided to enlist the help of interior designer Tor Vivian. ‘Tor and I have been friends for years and she helped us refurbish our first house,’ says Lucy. ‘She is wonderful at getting things done and I am very decisive, so we make a great team.’ Nick was content to leave the interior design to Lucy and Tor, but did specify the distinctive wingback chairs in the living area.

One of Tor’s priorities was to highlight the interesting structural features of the farmhouse. ‘The wooden beams and high ceilings of the space are already beautiful,’ she says, ‘so we kept the decoration simple so these elements could be fully appreciated.’ Tor made minor alterations to the brand-new kitchen and bathrooms. ‘We improved the lighting in the kitchen as it was rather poor,’ she says. ‘And we also added a wooden vanity unit with simple basins to the master en-suite bathroom, as we felt it was more in keeping with the house’s style.’

Now the project is complete, Nick and Lucy have no doubt they made the right decision. ‘The views of the mountains are stunning,’ says Lucy, ‘and even though the farmhouse feels quite isolated, it’s only a five-minute walk to the town to buy croissants in the morning. In fact, we like it so much here we come in the summer as well as during the skiing season. It’s the perfect place to celebrate Christmas with our family.’

LIVING AREA Lucy enlisted interior designer Tor Vivian and together they created an uncluttered space, with the warm wood complemented by rich-red upholstery. Canterbury footstool, £319, Footstools & More, is similar. Blenheim coffee table, £650, Neptune, would work here

KITCHEN Tor improved the lighting in this compact tucked-away area to make it more practical. Similar Lacanche Cluny range cooker, £4,300, Range Cookers. Lakeland’s Hahn Metro kitchen rail, £32.99, is a good match

HALLWAY ‘Red is a colour that’s traditionally used for decorating chalets,’ says interior designer Tor. Try the Calabash Venetian Red table lamp, £175, Oka. Edinburgh large console table, £1,250, Neptune, would work well here

DINING AREA Smart contemporary chairs and animal print upholstery bring a sense of fun to this space. Julian Bowen Jazz stacking chairs in Red, £69.95 each, Ascendi, are a good match

MASTER BEDROOM A fur throw, wool curtains and a luxurious rug give this bedroom a cosy yet tranquil feel. An elegant bureau (left) provides a space for Nick to work. Try Jonathan Charles for a similar mahogany bureau for around £3,500. Bespoke leather trunks, from £850, Brownrigg Interiors

EN SUITE Simple basins on a wooden vanity unit give this bathroom the traditional feel Lucy wanted. Crosswater Castellon round basin, £569, Drench. Soho teak vanity cabinet, £999, Tikamoon, would work here