Swiss Chalet Inspired Dining Room Reveal
From start to finish, this project clocked in at exactly five weeks. Five weeks! Somehow, in that short amount of time, this space went from a boring box with zero personality to a Swiss Chalet dining room chock full of character and warmth. The only other renovation that came close to this timeline was our powder room, and even that tiny space took six weeks. Needless to say, this transformation blows my mind, and yet, is everything I knew it could be.
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Table of Contents
Before
Let's start by looking back. These pictures were taken on the day we moved in.
And this is how it has looked for the past four years, minus the hardwood floors. Those were installed in December. It's amazing what a new paint color and updated lighting can do for a space!
Swiss Chalet Inspiration
Our last name is Udvarhelyi (ood-var-hay-lee) because my husband's family is Hungarian. And for whatever reason, Jeff and I have always been drawn to arts and crafts, craftsman, and European cottage design styles. So, in an effort to create a meaningful space with a sense of whimsy and history, I landed on the Swiss Chalet as my inspiration. Swiss chalets are characterized by an abundance of wood elements, warm colors, and handcrafted details. This sounded like the perfect combination to me.
After doing a bit of research, I discovered that this type of dwelling originated not only in Switzerland (like I assumed), but also in central Europe, including Hungary. I was thrilled to learn this, as it personalized my choice of inspiration. After I was properly inspired, I got to work.
During
There were three major projects I needed to tackle in order to complete the Swiss Chalet look we were going for in here: wallpaper, corner banquette, and planked wood ceiling.
- Wallpaper - The gorgeous Dard Green Tulip wallpaper was given to me by A. Street Prints and quickly became a fan favorite over on Instagram. It reminded me of the hand-painted flower patterns I've seen on vintage Hungarian plates, which made it perfect for this space.
- Corner Banquette - Woodworking is something I love to do, so I would definitely call this project my favorite. Designing and creating the banquette apron to match the antique table skirt was creatively inspiring for me and a cool feather in my DIY cap. I wanted it to feel historic and charming, like something you would find in a 100-year-old European cottage.
- Planked Wood Ceiling - This might go down as the most frustrating DIY I've ever attempted. Tongue-and-groove is no joke, especially when installing it upside down. I've planked ceilings and walls with shiplap, but trying to put up 12-foot tongue-and-groove boards, essentially by myself, was impossible. And yes, I could have waited until Jeff was able to help me, but I was on a tight deadline and he wasn't available for a whole week (that's an eternity for me). So when an Instagram follower suggested cutting off the back of each groove, I was all over it. To my delight, it worked!
After - Banquette Side
And that brings me to what you came here for...the reveal! Presenting our Swiss Chalet dining room.
After coming off of the most stressful year of nonstop, never-ending renovations, some of which still aren't complete, I'm kind of in shock that I'm writing a reveal post about a space that wasn't even on the radar a few months ago. But here we are, looking at what is arguably the most beautiful room in our home, and I'm feeling immensely grateful.
This is the corner that Jeff and I both envisioned when we first discussed the idea of a banquette. It's cozy, beautiful, and sure to become the coveted favorite spot of everyone in the family.
The antique oil painting I purchased a long time ago, and had no specific place for, was really the jumping off point for this whole room. It was an Etsy find, and I was drawn to the subject matter, but also to the title, "Homeward." I pulled colors from the painting for pillows and accessories, and it became this beautiful moment that I can't stop swooning over.
In the opposite corner of the banquette, I hung three vintage copper molds to hearken back to the bygone era of my grandparents; a simpler time that I so loved and always want to remember.
Banquette Cushion
Let's talk about the banquette cushion and chair pads. That tiny mocha gingham has my whole heart. It was gifted to me by Charlotte Fabrics, and my upholsterer worked magic with it, creating the most charming, overstuffed cushions. This dining area is definitely not lacking in comfort.
Our antique table deserves to be mentioned before moving on to the other side of the dining room. I actually spotted this table in one of my favorite local antique stores four months before purchasing it. Every time I went in, I would admire it, but I always thought it was too big. However, when I measured out the banquette and realized it was exactly the right size, I couldn't get over to the store fast enough. This is the kind of heirloom-quality table I've always dreamed of having, and I'm so thankful Jeff loved it too.
Lighting
I chose the Lenore chandelier from my curated collection with Tuesday Made because I love the juxtaposition of modern and traditional. The curve of the arms is whimsical and the shade shape is unexpected, making this fixture interesting yet understated. In other words, perfect.
Oh, and the olive green velvet shades were a DIY I squeezed in at the very end and haven't even shared about yet. This might be my favorite element in the room...it's that good.
Cafe Curtains
The cafe curtains were another DIY, and I did share all about how to make them on Instagram. I adore the charm and texture they add to this space.
After - Hutch Side
Okay, let's get to the amazing pine hutch that's been sitting silently on the other side of the dining room, waiting for it's moment. This piece is a thing of beauty and fits perfectly into the Swiss Chalet design. Make no mistake though, it's a working hutch that houses all of our new Lenox scalloped dishes, handcrafted drinkware, and precious antique ironstone and pottery that I've collected. I love it when a piece is both useful and beautiful.
Sconces
If you follow me on Instagram, you might recognize the "awful" sconces flanking our pine hutch (full story over on Instagram). These beauties are vintage and completely perfect for this space. They also give off the most soothing ambient light, which makes me love them even more.
Antique Details
This antique ironstone plate is a top contender for my favorite item in the dining room. I picked it up at the store that Noelle works in, called Ford and Elm, and it is the most beautiful platter I've ever seen. I tried searching for more of this pattern because I'd love to have a whole set, but I still haven't found even one piece that looks similar.
Here's one more look at the banquette side of the dining room.
Now that you've seen our Swiss Chalet inspired dining room, I bet you're anxious for some sources. I've got you covered. Keep in mind, almost everything in this space was found on Facebook Marketplace or in an antique store, so I don't have many sources, but I've linked what I could.
Sources
- Flooring - Jasper Engineered Hardwood Provincial White Oak
- Wallpaper - Dard Green Tulip Wallpaper from A. Street Prints
- Paint Color - Sherwin Williams "Creamy" in Pro Classic Enamel Satin
- Chandelier - Lenore from Tuesday Made
- Picture Light - Morrison Picture Light
- Oil Painting - Etsy
- Hutch - FB Marketplace
- Dining Table and Chairs - antique store and FB Marketplace
- Gingham Bench and Chair Cushion Fabric
- Green Pillow
- Plaid Pillow
- Purple Pillow - Harper from Jolie Marche
- Kilim Plaid Pillow - vintage off of Etsy
- Dark Brown Pillow
- Cafe Curtain Fabric
- Cafe Curtain Brackets
- Cafe Curtain Rings
- Sconces - vintage off of Etsy
Cost Breakdown
Throughout this process, I received a lot of questions about the cost of things, so I thought I'd provide a cost breakdown for you. Please note that some items were provided at no cost as part of a collaboration.
- Skim Coating and Electrical - $680
- Wallpaper and Paste - $700
- Banquette - $450
- Wood Ceiling - $700
- Trim - $200
- Paint (Sherwin Williams Pro Classic Enamel "Creamy") - $80
- Fabric - $400
- Upholstery Work - $600
- Sconces - $75 (Etsy)
- Picture Light - $250 (Shoppe Amber Interiors)
- Chandelier - $750
- Cafe Curtains and Hardware - $200
- Dining Table - $900 (antique store)
Full Price Total: $5,985 | Our Actual Total: $4,135
I didn't include the cost of the hutch, chairs, or most of the decor because we had all of that long before beginning this renovation. If I had purchased all of those items during the time frame of this project, it would have added an additional $900 onto the price tag. Still not bad for an entire room renovation! I can't imagine how much more it would have been if we had hired out the wallpaper, ceiling, and banquette build.
Thank you to everyone who cheered me on and shared in the excitement of our Swiss Chalet dining room renovation. Whew! It was fast, fun, and so much better with you following along.
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