Chalet Style: Andrew Laughland

Andrew Laughland is, by his own admission, a “ski bum” – he met his wife, Martine, 30 years ago while washing plates at The Farmhouse in Morzine. He set up his own interiors practice in 1998 and was joined by architect and design director Russell Jones in 2005. Laughland Jones has now grown into a 25-strong team. With clients including the Guinness family and Richard Branson, they are the go-to practice for mountain homes.

How much time do you spend in the mountains?
We’ve spent the past 15 ski seasons renting apartments in various resorts across France and Italy. It’s in the blood. My wife skied “bumps” [moguls] for the British team, and both our sons race – the elder is a British under-21 downhill racer who tries to be on skis 12 months of the year. The younger is similarly obsessed – he’s still at school, but is part of the Scottish Alpine ski team.

What’s different about property design in the Alps?
When it comes to clients, it’s by no means their first rodeo. By the time they’re buying a high-end property in the Alps, it’s likely to be their third or fourth home. Their radar is trained on finding someone who will deliver consistently. To win and maintain the trust of a discerning clientele, you have to work extra-hard. Then, of course, there are logistical challenges such as winching furniture over balconies in blizzards, or transporting materials up mountains or across red runs. Planning is essential so that you can deliver as much as possible in one go. Logistics in the Alps are tricky and, by default, expensive, but these issues are rewarding to resolve.

What are the most fun features you’ve created?
We designed a slide that travels down five floors of a chalet. At the press of a button, it sends the occupant one of two ways – into a ball pit or the swimming pool. It’s a fun after-dinner jape. In a chalet that was ski-out but not quite ski-in, we designed a mini button lift through the trees to take clients to their front door after a day on the slopes. We’ve also built a subterranean golf simulator in St Moritz, and positioned a handmade boat in a glass roof, so the client could enjoy stargazing.

How do you approach a project?
We do two things. The first is that we act as a single point of contact for projects, managing the team so the client doesn’t need to visit the site for every meeting – which isn’t always easy in the Alps. The second is being transparent. People want to know where their money is being spent. We keep our clients from being caught up in any opportunistic local charging. It’s never really about affordability, it’s a matter of value. Our costs and margins are all itemised. That’s probably why our order book is made up of 70% repeat business.

What about the design?
The aesthetics and design decisions are the easy bit. It’s about reading the client, understanding the geography of the location and knowing the architecture. Then it’s a question of presenting our ideas so that the client can make their preferred choices. We know what’s feasible and which materials stand up well at altitude. For example, stone floors are beautiful, but they can take a bashing from ski boots – particularly in a property that is rented out. We’ll advocate for ceramic tiles in that case.

It’s also about being clever when it comes to sourcing materials. Instead of going to showrooms, we buy fabric direct from the mills in Belgium. Over the years, we’ve established a group of preferred suppliers we know and trust.

What mistakes are commonly made?
A big learning curve was understanding that contractors work differently in the Alps – you have to agree to go along with their way rather than trying to impose a different system. Detailed preparation and having the right team around you are key. Doing this sort of project without the necessary knowhow and the right people in place will take twice as long and cost twice as much.

laughlandjones.co.uk