The shores of Switzerland’s Lake Geneva are flecked with magnificent estates, none more timelessly elegant than No. 3 Chemin des Tattes in Bursinel, just a 30 minute drive from the beautiful city that shares the lake’s name. Our partners at InHous have provided us with September’s ‘property of the month’ from their Art of Living series.
The shape and style of the house pays homage to its beautiful natural surroundings. The banked lawns that lead up from the water’s edge to the house with its pitched, terracotta tiled roof reflect the Alpine peaks that surround the lake. Mont Blanc is visible in the distance over the shimmering water.
Comprising six spacious bedrooms – the master with a luxurious en-suite – a library, zen room, fitness suite and sauna, parking for nine cars and an orangery with Versailles bow windows and a television that rises from the ground; this property is a seriously impressive bolthole.
With grand fireplaces in every room and combination of stone and wooden floors, this estate is cosy in the winter months and cool when the mercury rises. The parquet flooring of the living room is inspired by a ship’s deck and its earthy-coloured walls are calling out to be adorned with artwork.
The kitchen’s centre-piece is the classic AGA cooker and the dining hall, with space for ten to sit, has floor-to-ceiling French windows that lead to the garden.
A graceful mixture of French and Italian inspirations, the interior design was led by Axel Vervoordt and the landscaping by Martin J. Hallinan. The two award-winning and highly sought-after designers seamlessly blend classical elegance with contemporary touches. Each room boasts a different style and feeling, but each is linked with the clever use of related materials from one room to the next. Vervoordt’s clients include everyone from rock stars to royalty, and his style focuses on Zen. Every room has been designed with calmness and space in mind.
Hallinan’s high-tech garden includes a speaker system that runs from the house to outside, a summer kitchen beneath a wisteria-lined pergola, heaters in the terrace roof and bird cameras in the trees that link up to a computer indoors. At night the house and grounds are bathed in warm, subtle lighting – the perfect environment for entertaining guests. The house has its own private beach and jetty allowing total privacy and tranquillity. Its boathouse has a winch for parking the motor cruiser.
The climate of the Swiss mountains attracts visitors year-round for the winter’s ski and the summer’s sunshine. Nearby Geneva is famed around the world for being the home of luxury timepieces, intricate chocolate work, and a hub for international relations. Truly a city to see and be seen in. Visitors come to shop and dine, take to the slopes or a jaunt on the water – why not be the envy of the world with an investment in a property that brings all these pursuits in easy reach?
For more information visit www.inhous.com or call the InHous team on +44 (0) 208 7839 522
