NORTHERN LIGHTS

EVERY CHRISTMAS, JULIA VON HÜLSEN DECORATES HER HOME IN GERMANY WITH FAMILY HEIRLOOMS AND FLICKERING CANDLES.

THE HOUSE IS SCENTED with fir and freshly baked cookies, the fire crackles in the stove and candle flames flicker gently. Julia von Hülsen’s warm, inviting home is a true feast for all the senses, and whisks its guests back to 18th-century Sweden.

“I usually like quite muted tones for my interiors,” she says, “but at Christmas time I like to add strong red accents, and decorate everything with green fir. For me, the fragrance of fir is part of the Christmas season.” She changes out the everyday white candles for red ones, and takes red tableware and a matching tablecloth from their place in the cupboard. Julia isn’t one to chase new trends: every year, she brings out the same beloved Christmas decorations, many of which have been in her family for generations. The most crucial elements? The wooden deer that stand on the windowsills and the tree- and starshaped fabric ornaments that hang above.

Connection to family is vital all year round, but particularly now, says Julia. “For me, Christmas is a wonderful time to be with my family. We are all together for a few days, taking time off, resting, taking long walks and sitting in front of the fireplace.”

And her house is all in the family, too: she lives in the former stables of Hohe Buchen, a country house her great-grandfather bought in 1918 that she and her father now run as a bed and breakfast. It’s idyllically located near the town of Plön, which sits among lakes and forests in the German state of Schleswig-holstein, on the border between Germany and Denmark.

After living in the bustling city of Hamburg, 15 years >

Julia loves traditions: every December, she decorates the window with wooden deer and fabric pendants in the shape of stars and fir trees. FACING PAGE A decorative trumpet wreathed in greenery welcomes guests.

CLOCKWISE, FROM ABOVE Julia inherited the Christmas angels from her grandmother; furs add a cosy touch; cypress, juniper wreath and ivy adorn a workbench; fir adds a Christmassy accent to candleholders. FACING PAGE, FROM TOP The antique candlesticks come from Scandinavia; Julia and her dog Tipsi.

The interiors are cosy and warm, with striking half-timbered walls. Most of the furniture is painted in chalk colours in keeping with the age of the home. The bookcase – an heirloom from Julia’s great-aunt – is still in its original condition.

The antique cast-iron stove from Norway makes the home warm and cosy. The stencilled chimney visually separates the open living space. FACING PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP Simple yet atmospheric: a small pine tree in a pot is decorated with three gold baubles and a golden candle; the kitchen table is used for baking cookies; a portrait of Julia’s great-grandfather adorns the dining area.