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.

before picture of dining room with brown walls and brown carpet

dining room painted brown with brown carpet and iron chandelier

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!

empty dining room with wood floors, white walls and beaded chandelier

empty dining room with white walls, hardwood floors, and beaded chandelier

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.

dining room with wallpaper, oil painting, dining table, and beaded chandelier

  • 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.

hand carved dining banquette in a corner of the dining room with wallpaper and oil painting

  • 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!

dining room with wood planked ceiling, pine hutch, and wallpapered walls

After - Banquette Side

And that brings me to what you came here for...the reveal! Presenting our Swiss Chalet dining room.

dining room with wood planked ceiling, built-in banquette, and long antique dining table

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.

corner of dining room banquette with purple pillow, plaid pillow, wallpaper and oil painting

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.

dining room with dark wood table, black chandelier, wallpaper, oil painting and wood ceiling

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.

banquette seat with pillows, wallpaper and oil painting

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.

dining room corner with cafe curtains, dried hydrangeas, and pillows

dining room corner with wallpaper, pillows, and copper molds on the wall

dining room with green velvet chandelier, cafe curtains, dried hydrangeas, walnut table, and wallpaper

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.

dining table and banquette with cushion

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.

dining room with hand carved banquette and vintage dining chair

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.

dining room with planked ceiling, green velvet chandelier and dried hydrangeas

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.

closeup of green velvet chandelier and oil painting

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.

corner of dining room banquette with cafe curtains and wallpaper and green velvet chandelier

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.

scrubbed pine hutch with dishes

corner of dining room with wallpaper, plates on the wall, and a pine hutch

pine hutch against wallpapered wall with vintage sconce

pine hutch with white scalloped dishes

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.

pine hutch styled with glasses and vintage pottery

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.

closeup of antique pottery, copper pot, and dried flowers in a hutch

closeup of handcrafted drinking glasses in a hutch

Here's one more look at the banquette side of the dining room.

swiss chalet inspired dining room with wallpaper, velvet chandelier, and dried hydrangeas

dining room with wallpaper, black chandelier, oil painting, and dried hydrangeas

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

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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You Might Also Be Interested In:

https://wildflowerhomeinteriors.com/our-brinjal-bathroom-makeover-with-dxv/

https://wildflowerhomeinteriors.com/5-tips-for-blending-modern-and-traditional-bedding/

https://wildflowerhomeinteriors.com/5-reasons-you-should-invest-in-custom-curtains/

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