Twinkle TWINKLE

Cosy textures and eclectic vintage accessories are the hallmarks of Rune Wold’s warm and welcoming home

It was definitely not a case of love at first sight for Rune Wold when he first saw the Rochester home he now shares with his husband Hendrik. ‘It was a wet, miserable day, and I really didn’t like it,’ says Rune. ‘But Hendrik had the vision of changing the house completely and after a few drawings and a second viewing, I agreed to go for it as it was also affordable. Of course, he was right.’

The house was dated, featuring 1980s decoration, old carpets and artificial timber flooring everywhere. Children’s bedrooms were themed and very colourful. ‘The property had lots of original features and I began to see that it could be a really beautiful home,’ reflects Rune.

Work on the house began five years ago and, apart from the roof, which had to be replaced, the structure of the house was good, so it simply entailed cosmetic improvements. ‘Hendrik is very good at building work so we tackled a lot ourselves,’ says Rune. ‘We removed wallpaper, carpets and flooring, then sanded, bleached and sealed all the timber floors. We replaced the kitchen and sliding doors leading to the garden, created a new bathroom and wet room, installed rooflights over the loft, stairs and hall, redecorated the whole house, and remodelled the garden.

Rune runs two businesses across Kent and beyond, ‘Norse Vintage’ and ‘The Norse Baker’, both of which are operated out of the couple’s home. ‘My vintage stock is kept in the house which means things are ever-changing and often quite quirky,’ he says. ‘ When friends visit, the place never looks the same as before.’ Rune’s baking business necessitated a remodelling of the kitchen. ‘It was a 1970s disaster with one very old small oven,’ he says, ‘so we ripped the whole thing out and installed stainless steel worktops, glossy white cabinets with white tiles and two ovens.’

This space is now perfect for hosting guests, something Rune and Hendrik particularly enjoy at Christmas. ‘Lots of people find winter really tough,’ says Rune, ‘ but as a Norwegian, I grew up with the concept of hygge, which is a feeling of wellbeing, relaxation and familiarity particularly associated with winter. It’s all about sitting in our festively decorated kitchen, candles lit, a cup of fresh coffee and plenty of homemade sweet treats.’

For Rune and Hendrik, Christmas is the pinnacle of the Yuletide season. Candles are lit every morning until the gloom fades, and sometimes all day if it doesn’t. Twinkling lights are added to every room, blankets are piled on every chair and bed and, unsurprisingly, there is almost always something delicious baking in the oven. ‘When midwinter is at its darkest, and a lot of our time is spent inside is when hygge really becomes part of our daily routine,’ says Rune.

Making simple decorations, choosing the tree, eating comfort food and inviting friends and family over are all ways the couple create their own winter magic. I’m so glad that Hendrik persuaded me to take another look at this house,’ says Rune. ‘ We’ve created a very special home here – I I couldn’t imagine being anywhere else.’