Taste of Tradition

Decorations from global travels, a lavish tree and age-old rituals sum up the festive season for Terese Gargas and Mads Ulrich

There’s no doubt that the festive celebrations this year will have a very different flavour in Terese Gargas and Mads Ulrich’s household, not least because they have recently relocated from the USA’S west coast to Denmark. ‘It’s true that we’ve gone from sunlight to snow,’ says Danish-born Terese, ‘ but now that we have two young children, we’re very happy to be coming back to our home turf.’

The couple have lived a peripatetic existence for nearly a decade, as work has taken them to destinations as diverse as Paris, London, New York and Los Angeles. But their young family, including Helena, 7, and Winston, 2, prompted a welcome return to Terese’s elegant early 20th-century apartment located in Hellerup, just a few miles north of Copenhagen. ‘We chose to settle here where the children could be close to their relatives,’ explains Terese, ‘and there’s no better time than Christmas to be with those we love.’

Terese and Mads’ first-floor apartment lends itself perfectly to the festivities. Built in 1917, its elegant proportions host a wealth of period features including large windows, cornicing, parquet flooring and original kitchen tiling. At this time of year, the dining room comes into its own with a large Christmas tree and a carefully laid table. ‘We spend most of our time in this room during December,’ says Terese, ‘so I like to have the tree here, decorated simply in silver,

bronze, gold and glass. We choose the tree we want from the local forest and bring it home ourselves, which the children love.’

The couple’s move here involved downsizing, so while some of their furniture is in storage, their favourite pieces are enjoying a new home. ‘ We love Parisian style, so our classic furniture, such as the lamps, console and sofa in the sitting room, reflect that,’ says Terese. ‘But Mads and I are also big fans of contemporary art, so there are works by Andy Warhol and Kaspar Bonnén added to the mix, too.’

A streamlined look is favoured by the family, so high ceilings and bay windows allow plenty of room for these schemes to breathe. The airy layout also helps: an enfilade arrangement leads directly from the sitting room to the study so that even if Mads is working, he can still be part of the action. Because everything flowed just as the couple wanted it to, no major changes were needed, but they did renovate their en suite, opting for a sleek monochromatic scheme, and turning a spare bedroom into a handy dressing area.

For now, the focus is on the forthcoming celebrations. ‘On Christmas Eve, we’ll be hosting dinner for the extended family,’ explains Terese. ‘ We’ll eat slow-cooked duck with plenty of seasonal accompaniments, such as new potatoes glazed in sugar. We’ve gladly swapped the sunshine of LA for the magic of a traditional Danish Christmas – after all, there’s nothing quite like coming home.’

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