Escape to Switzerland in This Fairy Tale-Inspired Cincinnati Chalet

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A lucky buyer will be living her best fairy-tale life in this enchanted Swiss chalet–style mansion in Cincinnati.

Listed for $549,000, the 4,407-square-foot, three-bedroom home was sold in a matter of days—and it’s easy to see why. The exterior is jaw-dropping: decorative pink, yellow, and green banding and the white-outlined brackets stand stark against a dark background.

But it’s the interior that truly feels fantastical.

“It’s probably the most unique home in the city,” says listing agent Connie Greene. The spacious foyer with its swooping staircase is deserving of Rapunzel. A curvaceous balcony rings the foyer’s second floor, and the box-beam ceiling makes the expansive space cozy. Even in summer, you’d be forgiven for thinking you’re at the top of a snowcapped Swiss mountain.

Front door

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Staircase

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Snow White would also feel right at home here, on the roomy wooden balcony with a unique black lattice railing. One bedroom features a purple baseboard and matching fireplace mantel—all it needs now is a four-poster bed and a killer chandelier for a fairy-tale ambiance.

But despite the home’s many excellent features, the space desperately needs an update. The interior decor appears dated. Red tile floors, wooden walls, and blue-laminate countertops make the kitchen feel dowdy. The bathrooms look like they haven’t been updated since the ’80s. Small, cosmetic details like scratched wood floors and dirty fireplaces are hard to ignore.

Interior

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Back of the house

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The backyard pool is currently in shambles—peeling liner, fallen leaves, and all—but a makeover would transform the yard into a gorgeous entertaining space. A grove of trees offers privacy, and the sizable stone patio could easily accommodate lounge areas.

Cincinnati architect Lucian Plympton, who was instrumental in bringing the Swiss chalet style to the city, designed the home for a love-struck couple.

“They went to Switzerland on their honeymoon, came back, and then commissioned [Plympton] to build this home as a reminder of their trip,” says Greene.

Instead of traditional nail-and-wood construction, the upper stories are built of thick timbers and joined by 3,000 pegs—all of which were handmade.

“The woodworking is like none other,” Greene says.

The distinctive home was featured twice in Inland Architect and multiple times in the Cincinnati Enquirer. With some tweaks, this Ohio masterpiece could be a modern Swiss chalet worthy of being in today’s best architectural mags.

After a few updates, all a new owner will need to feel entirely European is snow, a steaming cup of hot chocolate, and the collected works of the Brothers Grimm.

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