Villa Fernblick, Appenzell - Switzerland

For many years our client has been on the search for the right property to develop into a grand, unique villa. Standing on the newly purchased land for the very first time, there was a strong feeling that the grounds needed to be respected and gently curated. Finding the right architectural language was a key point in the development of the property, and a harmonious dialogue with nature was of the utmost importance.

The entire estate is designed to complement the calming, spiritual nature of the land. A truly amazing property in a magical place. This stunning property will feature a private villa with guesthouse and a garden sanctuary with a pool pavilion and naturalistic, outdoor swimming pool that will become the home of dozens of trout.

The interior design responds naturally to the architecture and the landscape by combining a sophisticated interior with a considered, layered, and timeless aesthetic. Our aim was to create, through meticulous space planning and interior architecture, a seamless and soft internal flow of spaces. The Interior was brought to life by layering the most luxurious materials, fabrics, finishes and custom furnishing. These elements together create a refined and striking home that offers avant-garde living.

A natural and warm material palette of beige travertine was combined with three different types of wood - ranging from oak wood in a bone color to a medium oak brown, to darker accents in brown textured douglas fir. To enhance the natural materials, we used the finest bronze finishes on handles and bronze slatted cabinet doors. Everything was custom designed for this stunning villa.

The dining room is anchored by a large Rosie Li gingko leaf chandelier, which sits above our custom designed marble table with bronze legs, made specially for this room.

For the large timber cabinets, we used a special douglas fir that was custom stained for our project by Schotten & Hansen. The structure of the wood is enhanced by a carved surface that reflects the various colors of the wood. Within the cabinets we used intricate bronze lattice doors and ample display shelves.

Our client wanted a cozy, yet highly functional kitchen. The programming of the kitchen design had to offer all of the latest, modern kitchen appliances for fine dining. Since the kitchen was very big in size, we opted to use the same wall paneling as found throughout the villa. The warmth of the wood paneling makes for the cozy feel desired by our client.

To accentuate and focus the family activities in the kitchen, we designed a spectacular marble island, centrally placed in the kitchen. This bold statement piece in green and white stone anchors all of the activities in the vast kitchen. To structure the room, we added three lovely pendant lights above the island, which create a cozy canopy above the dining portion of the island.

Step inside the living room to experience a spacious, inviting lounge area adorned with our bespoke coffee tables, elegant side tables, chic armchairs, and a true masterpiece of a sofa from Giorgetti.

The more private areas of the villa can be found on the top floor. These include two master bedrooms and a vast private closet space which connects them. Once arriving on the top floor, an intricate ceiling structure with various angled planes and a dropped ceiling create an origami-like wooden structure.

Each room on the top floor has this special ceiling structure. All of the ceilings, built-ins, wall panellings and custom pieces were inspired by the world of super yachts.

Based on the idea of holistic health and healing, naturopathy and mindfulness, the spa area creates a space of serenity and wellness, while at the same time, incorporating all of the latest state-of-the-art technology throughout.

Rigorous planning and an imaginative use of space gave us the opportunity to include a 14m long indoor pool, a Finnish sauna, steam bath, various showers, a massage/relaxing room, a tea station, a changing room and a separate fitness area of around 100sqm.

The design for this unprecedented Spa was inspired by the force of nature all around it.

To accommodate friends and family for special gatherings, a comfortable entertainment space with a highend home cinema, a separate degustation room and a wine cellar has been created. A 3m long sea salt aquarium divides the entertainment area from the indoor pool, making for an unexpected visual partition. In the wine tasting room there is a small kitchenette and separate guest toilet. The modern wine cellar gives a nice glow into the tasting room and makes for a unique experience.

On the main floor of the guest house a two-bedroom duplex apartment can be found. Adjacent to this, our client has a lovely office space that has been fitted out with all of the amenities he needs. On the lower level, facing the beautiful garden, a one-bedroom studio has been created. The hotel-like suite has all of the amenities a guest could want. A fully-furnished suite with private kitchen, open living spaces, separate bedroom and bathroom, as well as ample wardrobe spaces, make for the ultimate guest experience. The Skyframe windows throughout the house provide a limitless spatial experience with spectacular views thanks to the threshold-free transition.

The pool house is a sanctuary in its own right. The beautiful structure harbours a lovely place for entertainment with a lounge area and a beautiful Teppanyaki style kitchen that turns into a large dining table. For this table we have used a single oak wood trunk of over 7m long. The exterior kitchen is designed in brushed chrome so to withstand the harsh winters in the mountainous area of Appenzell.

To stay within the color scheme of the house we continued with the same materialization in this building, using the bone colored travertine in the bathrooms. For the wood finishes we took the same outdoor wood as used on the villa‘s facade and lattice structure. The feel of living inside and outside at the same time can’t be more evident than here.

We have furnished the pool house with the most exquisite furniture pieces by Exteta, which we also used around the vast gardens and indoor pool area. The yachting feel from the interior is therefore being carried to the outside.