A festive fairy tale
It’s easy for Cathrina and her family to get into the Christmas spirit, as their charming Danish farmhouse provides the perfect setting
Celebrating a magical Christmas in a Danish farmhouse on the edge of a forest
Set on the edge of a forest, surrounded by the tallest of trees, and with its thatched roof and half-timbered walls, Cathrina Espeland’s home is the ideal place to spend this time of year. ‘The house really comes into its own at Christmas,’ says Cathrina, 36. ‘When it’s snowing and the trees are all white, it looks like an old Christmas film!’ The former farmhouse and stable dates from 1831 and was actually first discovered by Cathrina’s husband, Nikolaj Steenberg, 47, while he was travelling in that part of
Denmark 11 years ago. ‘At the time, it was a ramshackle old building, and after asking around, I discovered it had a history,’ he says.
‘It had been the official residence for the ranger of Lokkerup, a village in North Zealand, but had been left empty for many years.’
Nikolaj was so charmed by it that when he and Cathrina later married and were looking for a new home for them and their children from previous marriages, he remembered the old house. Cathrina loved it as much as he did and so five years ago they bought it. Although the property needed a complete renovation, they could see that it would be a wonderful family home for children Josephine, 20, Arthur, 13, and little Louis, who arrived just two years ago. They decided to turn the buildings into one large property, but the couple wanted it to