New York-based interior designer Billy Cotton has completed the redesign of a family chalet in Gstaad, Switzerland, marking his first project in Europe. Known for his eclectic and layered aesthetic, Cotton was chosen for the commission by the family’s longtime art adviser, Sibylle Rochat, who was drawn to his work on homes for artists such as Cindy Sherman and Lily Allen.

The four-story chalet, originally built in 1959, features a wooden exterior adorned with painted red flowers and carved hearts, elements salvaged from an older structure in the region. Prior to the redesign, the interiors reflected outdated tastes from the 1990s, showcasing orange leather sofas, purple chairs, terra-cotta floors, and LED lighting—decor considered out of step with traditional Swiss chalet style but not uncommon in Gstaad, where some properties have taken on nightclub-like or minimalist gallery aesthetics.

Cotton’s redesign aimed to create a warm and intimate environment suited for family life, emphasizing handcrafted details, antiques, and vivid colors set against wooden paneling. Upon entering the chalet at ground level, visitors pass a small bathroom featuring hand-painted local mushroom motifs, a tribute to the homeowner’s interest in foraging. A former carnotzet—a traditional chalet room for family gatherings—has been transformed into a playroom and reading area furnished with a foosball table and custom low wooden furniture designed for children.

Upstairs, the living room centers on a notable William and Mary mantelpiece carved in pine, dating back to 1775 and originally from Claydon House in England. Cotton sourced the piece at an antiques fair in the United States, despite initial reservations from Rochat and the family. The room’s design contrasts jewel tones, incorporating a sapphire-blue Loro Piana sofa, a vibrant fuchsia wool Rug & Kilim carpet, and a beaded mosaic coffee table with a gilt frame. Artwork by German painter A. R. Penck adds further color with an emerald green hieroglyphic figure displayed behind the seating.

Adjacent to the living room is a formal dining room featuring a painted boiserie believed to have come from a French castle. The space includes mahogany chairs, a marquetry console table, and a 20-arm bronze chandelier typical of the Second Empire era. Nonetheless, most family meals take place in a breakfast room at the front of the house, where Cotton opted for a traditional Swiss look with vintage Alpine wooden chairs, 18th-century farm tables, and batik-print upholstery on an L-shaped banquette. A collection of 18th-century Dutch and English plates decorates the wall.

The chalet contains nine bedrooms spread over the upper floors. Each room integrates wooden paneling with bold textiles, such as the primary bedroom’s emerald green carpets, curtains, armchairs, and built-in sofa, creating a "festival of wood," according to Cotton. The third-floor den, used for family leisure activities, is covered entirely in an eggplant purple fabric, introducing a whimsical element that pays homage to the property’s more flamboyant previous decor.

Cotton described the project as striking a balance between simplicity in architecture and creative, playful decoration. The redesign reflects a return to the chalet’s role as a lived-in family home rather than a showpiece, highlighting a fusion of traditional Swiss design with the homeowner's artistic sensibility.