Tyrol chic can have a playful appeal beyond the Alps

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I recently stayed in a chalet in Tyrol. Any thoughts on how I can bring the character of the region home?

There is plenty of inspiration to draw upon in Tyrol — and actually that applies whether you are decorating somewhere locally or further afield. The region has a history of producing wonderfully decorative furniture. The Tyrolean Folk Art Museum in Innsbruck is on my list of small museums to visit for its collection of cultural treasures including handicrafts, traditional costumes, glass, pottery and furniture spanning several centuries. I suggest a visit, if you can manage one.

Of all the chalets I’ve seen in recent years, my favourite was created by the interior designer Tino Zervudachi and architect Peter Helletzgruber. Nestled in the Austrian Alps, its interior is layered with many gemlike details. Wood, naturally, features everywhere: gloriously wide panels stretch across walls (sometimes horizontally, sometimes vertically), floors and ceilings. The types and stains differ between rooms; the overall look is patchworked and non-uniform. The upholstered furniture is mostly traditional in shape, with a charming mix of prints and weaves in earthy greens and reds. Painted animals dance across lampshades.

There are many traditional elements to pick up on. Kachelöfen feature throughout. These tiled stoves come in many shapes, sizes and colours; the ones in this chalet are antiques. There’s an array of shops and websites dedicated to wonderful old stoves produced in central Europe. Förster is a 121-year-old company that stocks pieces from various periods. Current showstoppers include a tall Art Nouveau number in amber tiles decorated with flowers, typical of the movement, and a beautiful round version in turquoise ceramic ringed with swagged garlands and topped with an urn.

Each Alpine valley had its own characteristic way of painting furniture, with distinct colours and subjects

In the Zervudachi-designed chalet, a pair of beds is painted with brightly coloured flowers and religious scenes, which brings me to the fantastic furniture of the region. Tyrolean furniture is mainly characterised by the use of paint. Each Alpine valley had its own characteristic way of painting furniture — usually made in local soft woods such as fir or pine — with distinct colours and subjects. It’s a way to keep a strong connection to the magical heritage of the setting — but it also looks wonderful out of a mountain context.

Antiques marketplace 1stDibs has many charming examples of Tyrolean painted furniture. A dealer in Italy is selling a c1770 painted wardrobe decorated with bouquets of flowers tied with ribbons. It also features an original working lock, and is priced at €5,500.

I’m a fan of Tyrolean chairs, also known as Swiss mountain chairs. Dating from the 19th century, chairs of this kind were carved in various regions across the Alpine areas of Austria, Germany, Italy and Switzerland. They tend to be characterised by their whimsical shapes, with cut-out details in their backs. There are many sets to be found, some much older and more expensive than others, but one Italy-based dealer is selling a rustic set of four chairs on Pamono for £868 that caught my eye — made from pine in the 1960s, I like the patina.

Taking a cue from Tyrolean tradition, I’m reminded of a family retreat in Wisconsin, consisting of several cabins and outbuildings, recently designed by Emma Burns of Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler. As expected from a British designer and an authority on English country house style, the overall look is layered and eclectic but at the same time rooted in the camp’s location. She tells me: “One of the most enjoyable parts of this project was curating and collecting furniture and objects from all over the world.”

Burns amassed a huge quantity of vintage furniture, from Scandinavian painted pieces to 1950s lamps from the Puces de Paris Saint-Ouen flea market. She sought out textiles from Istanbul to Texas, yet unifying elements such as birch bark, twig work (decorative motifs made from twigs and branches) and the “tramp art” style of woodworking anchor it in the sense of place. The mix is key.

So while it’s a joy to revel in the local materials, antiques and furniture particular to Tyrol, let your eye wander and mix the style with contrasting yet complementary pieces.

If you have a question for Luke about design and stylish living, email him at [email protected]. Follow him on Instagram @lukeedwardhall

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