NEW Nordic
A perfect marriage of Scandinavian style and Scottish tradition, Anna Baltzer’s family home comes into its own at this time of year
Christmas in this East Lothian bungalow has a traditional Scottish flavour with a chic Scandi twist
Christmas is celebrated in both Scandinavian and British style in Anna and her husband Stuart’s idyllic coastal home. Located in a picture-postcard East Lothian village, the house is minutes from the beach, with its view of the island and lighthouse that inspired Robert Louis Stevenson to write Treasure Island.
They moved to the area for Stuart’s job in a golf club on the coast, buying a flat initially but moving to a house with a garden when their children, Mason, five, and Max, three, came along. ‘The house has a good flow: we love the open-plan living space and the generous garden,’ says Anna. ‘It is in a lovely, quiet, leafy spot. We all enjoy being outside, and with two small boys and a dog, we really appreciate the terrace and the lawn.’
When they bought this house four years ago, Anna and Stuart updated the property by pulling up the carpets and painting every possible surface white. ‘It’s probably not the most practical colour with small children and animals, but I crave light,’ says Anna. ‘Stuart and I met in Spain; he’s English and I’m Swedish. We love Scotland, but we do miss the sunshine, so brightening our home was an obvious thing to do.’
A soothing matt white is the ideal backdrop for Anna’s beautifully co-ordinated furniture and accessories, punctuated by artworks and family photographs. The recent addition of striped wallpaper from Ralph Lauren has added a stylish touch. However, there are a few things still on Anna’s wish list. ‘The previous owners converted the loft, so the house is spacious but lacks storage,’ she says. ‘ We need to address that but in the
meantime, we have to be quite ruthless about decluttering.’
The couple also updated the bathrooms and laid wooden flooring. They undertook a lot of the work themselves, as they’re both practical. ‘I love crafting and upcycling furniture,’ says Anna, who has recently launched Pop Create, an interior styling business specialising in children’s rooms. ‘I’m always on the lookout for bargains to update by distressing or painting. It’s amazing what you can do, even on a budget.’
The results are crisp, light and fresh, with a subtle seaside theme. ‘I love stripes, stars and simple graphic patterns. New England style has always appealed to me and I adore coastal shades such as greys, blues and sandy taupes.’
The woodburner is a cosy focal point in the kitchen, the heart of this home. However, the family are rarely to be found sitting down. ‘The boys prefer running around the garden to sitting on the sofa and I am always up to some sort of DIY or crafting project,’ says Anna. ‘And, of course, Scandinavians are experts at Christmas! We start celebrating on the 24th with our own breaded ham, which is a huge tradition in Sweden. We order it specially from the butchers, boil it and bread it with mustard and decorate it with cloves.’
On Christmas morning the family have rice porridge served with cinnamon, syrup and milk, with a blanched almond hidden in the pot. The one who gets the almond ‘wins’ and can make a wish. ‘ We also celebrate British style, with food, presents and all my husband’s traditions,’ says Anna, ‘so at this time of year, you could say that we have the best of both worlds here.’