Hubert Bonnet, creator of the CAB art foundation in Brussels, has lived in the mountain resort town of Verbier, Switzerland, since 1999. There, Bonnet has lots of space that is “more about design, with lots of [Jean] Prouvé,” he says. Always interested in architecture, he was looking for another residence in Geneva with an interesting profile. So a friend who was helping with the patient search finally brought him to a colorful hillside house on the far side of town. "I said this was too far from Verbier, but we went to see it anyway," Bonnet recalls. "We arrived and I couldn’t breathe. It was a ruin, but I made an offer and got it.”

A view of the outdoor terrace with an original sculpture by a local artist who was a friend of the previous owner. He worked in aviation, hence the name, Les Ailes ("The Wings"). The outdoor furniture in the background is by Walter Lamb.

What Bonnet saw and bought on the spot was a villa, named Les Ailes ("The Wings"), with spectacular views overlooking the lake. Built in 1932, the perfectly proportioned house has three levels including an underground garage. After securing architect Antoine Ris, Bonnet commenced a two-and-a-half-year renovation with an eye toward restoration, keeping everything as it was originally intended—the wall colors, the floors, even the windows.

For the interiors, Bonnet called on designer India Mahdavi, who was recommended by his friend, the art dealer and curator Edward Mitterrand. “She’s a magician and understood the house immediately," says Bonnet. "India got the idea in two minutes and provided all of the new furniture.” In harmony with the home's architecture, Bonnet asked Mitterrand to help with the art. The group ultimately resolved to select works exclusively by Swiss artists from Bonnet's private collection.

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Preferring to spend his summers at the five-bedroom, four-bath villa, Bonnet installed a pool, beneath the watchful gaze of a winged figurehead sculpture preparing to take flight. “The view is beautiful and everything looks out—the house is long and narrow like a boat,” he says of the home's setting, before a contemplative pause. “But I'm dying for a new project.”