Alpine Chalet

Dairy farmer Hans’ family have lived in this house and farmed these slopes for generations. When Hans inherited it, he moved in with his beautiful wife Helga and took up the family business. The work is hard, but the payback is worth it. Once a month, Hans makes a journey into the valley to deliver cheeses that his wife makes from the cow's milk and buys whatever they need to survive.

Some would think this life would be lonely. They would be right in saying that, but they like it well enough. It is just the two of them, leading their quiet lives, away from the busy towns below. Hans has his cows and Helga keeps chickens and grows flowers. Their cat, Frank also keeps them company and entertains them with his antics. They like their life and wouldn’t trade it for the world.

The Alpine Chalet is inspired by the popular architectural design that is commonly found in Central Europe in the alpine regions. I have always been a fan of the simple, yet comfortable looking design and I hope that this build really portrays that. Many people (including me) dream of living in a chalet high in the European Alps, with little worry and lots of fresh air. Few are ever able to fulfill that wish. However, if this were to become an official LEGO product, builders could bring the Alpine Chalet experience into their own homes.

The chalet is divided into two floors with an attic bedroom. The ground floor is the sitting area and storage. The second floor is the dining room and kitchen. The attic is the bedroom. There is a front balcony with flower boxes and to the side of the house, under the outside stairway, is the wine cellar and cold room.

This model has under 3,000 pieces, two mini-figures (Hans and Helga), a cow, a cat (Frank), three chickens, and a bird. The levels can be taken apart to access the interior and the back wall can be moved for further accessibility. This is a great play set or display piece for LEGO builders.