Friday Cabins #17: Ancient Alpine Huts
Hella old mountain huts in the Italian (and French) Alps, far, far away from here
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It's been another tough week considering the news, but we made it to Friday and that, at least, is cause for mini-celebration. Every week, we bring you Friday Cabins c/o Cabins Etc, a round-up of some of our fave cabin projects from the pages of Field Mag, the internet's go-to source for all things outdoors and design.
This week, we're headed far, far, away to the Italian Alps, for some good old-fashioned mountain huts. Originally built decades ago, these stone outposts are a welcome refuge for hikers and vacationers, some renovated in the fashions of today.
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⛷️ In the Italian Alps a Classic Chalet Sees a Modern Update
Perched on rolling hills overlooking a ski village and the Italian Alps, this mountain chalet was given a modern revamp by Luconi Architetti Associati. Hoping to preserve much of the character of the exterior, the team focused their efforts on updating the interior with custom wooden furniture, a woodstove, and, a full kitchen.
An expansion to the lower level hosts a new master bedroom and kid's bunk room, designed to be more cavelike than the open floor plan with panoramic views above.
🌋 How to Visit Refuge Charpoua, the Century-old Mountain Hut of Chamonix
In this photo essay, Writer Zeger Dox details his experience journeying to the Charpoua Refuge, an Alpine hut perched on a rocky spur and surrounded by sharp granite peaks. The hut has served refuge-seeking alpinists since 1904, when locals from the surrounding village carried materials to the site on their backs.
Much the same as it was more than a century ago, the hut sleeps 12 people and features a stove, small kitchen, and unbeatable views.
🌓 This 1960's Chalet in the Italian Alps Proves Cabin Culture is Timeless
While there are a plethora of modern cabins these days, projects of old carry a certain effortlessness and charm. Casa Garelli by architect Carlo Mollino is one of those, a 1660's mountain hut renovated two centuries later with mid-mod detailing and cheeky touches.
Mollino was a unique character, and his personality can be seen throughout the storage barn-turned country escape. Biomorphic design elements like antler-inspired chair-legs and a lampshade of butterfly wings, combine with wooden furniture and a three-story green-tiled furnace for a space that's a touch whimsical, but as always with cabins, undeniably cozy.
Talk soon,
-ee