CHRISTMAS AT THE FAMILY FARM

Nature is the inspiration for the holiday season at this happy household.

Nature is the inspiration for the holiday season in this happy household.

Nature is a great source of inspiration when it comes to Christmas decorations at Emma and Anders’ home.

The fragrance of Christmas flowers and fir trees drifts throughout each room and creates a lovely atmosphere on the old family farm. This is where their family gathers to celebrate Christmas. Just where they should, in the countryside.

Driving towards the courtyard, guests immediately sense the Christmas mood. The snow has settled like white powder over the ground. The frost is nipping at the trees. The grand entrance has been decorated with spruce and beautiful wreaths that give a welcoming feeling. The beautiful family farm is a perfect place during Christmas. The rustic atmosphere is soothing. The hyacinths and fir trees spread their lovely scent, and the crackling of the tiled wood stove in the living room creates a homey atmosphere.

The old farm, built in 1850, had been in the family for generations. “It was important for me to keep the country style when we moved in,” Emma explained. “I wanted to keep that old-fashioned country feeling in the house, but at the same time make it ours. We gave it a quick, shallow makeover just by painting and wallpapering. Then we focused our renovations more on the kitchen, which got new cabinets and sinks in the right country style.”

“With us, Christmas leans more towards green, since I use juniper, spruce, pine and garlands festooned with Christmas lights. And I can’t be without lots of nice wreaths and scented Christmas flowers! ”

MISTAKES HAPPEN

But while the new kitchen fittings certainly functioned much better, they didn’t quite hit the spot. After living with them for a few months, Emma felt it was not quite what she had intended. The room lacked a bit of the rustic charm and character she was aiming for. “When it comes to interior design, I can be a little impulsive and act spontaneously when I have a new idea, “Emma laughs. “So, Anders agreed to have the cupboards taken down after some pressure from me. Finally, it felt right!”

HEART OF THE HOLIDAY HOME

The cozy kitchen plays a central role during the Christmas season. It’s here where the family cooks, eats and socializes. For larger dinners, the dining room is used. Here their many guests are accommodated around the large table that Emma and Anders built from solid boards they found in Emma’s parents’ storage room and a set of table legs from Ikea. For a creative soul like Emma, the family storage areas and flea markets have been gold mines for old gadgets and materials. She takes what she finds, then makes something entirely new. It is never more complicated than grabbing old planks, grinding and cutting them and adding table legs.

A rustic table setting makes a perfect place to gather when it’s time to host a dinner party. “However, I don’t think I have any particular style. I love mixing different styles and decorating with things I like,” Emma says. “I draw inspiration for the interior from everything around me. It can be things I see with my friends or family, things in nature, trinkets at a flea market or other places where I find things I like.

NATURAL BEAUTY

“For Christmas, I am not so much for red,” Emma says. “With us, Christmas leans more towards green, since I use juniper, spruce, pine and garlands festooned with Christmas lights. And I can’t be without lots of nice wreaths and scented Christmas flowers!”

Emma’s sense of what works together can be clearly seen in the house, where the bright color scheme runs like a thread through the rooms. At the same time, there are also contrasts between old and new, hard and soft, straight and curvy, which makes the interior dynamic and richly layered. Beautiful details and a lot of greenery are the details that create a calm and harmonious Christmas atmosphere in every room. “I want my home to feel cozy and embracing,” says Emma. “I like to have people around me and want them to feel relaxed in my home. “

Part of the festivities for Emma and Anders is keeping old traditions from their childhoods alive. “I love to decorate for Advent and Christmas. It’s a great time!”

“Something we try to convey to our children,” Emma says, ”is that Christmas is about just being together. The most important thing is not to get a crazy amount of Christmas presents, but to get together, play and just have a good time!”

“I wanted to keep that old-fashioned country feeling in the house, but at the same time make it ours.”

|OPPOSITE| COUNTRY ESCAPE. The road to the family farm looks like a fairy tale, with its snow-covered horizons and frosted tree branches.

ORIGINAL TREASURE. The antique tile stove is used extensively during the winter season, and its crackling creates a wonderful atmosphere on cool days. |OPPOSITE| RUSTIC TOUCHES. Emma’s palette of all white in the living room is underscored by the use of natural textures.

|BOTTOM LEFT| VINTAGE MIX. The handsome rocking chair is a one-of-a-kind bargain that is really comfortable to sit in. With soft pillows and warm blankets, it is a lovely place to relax.

|OPPOSITE| CONVERSATION STARTER. In the living room, Emma chose to place the seating centrally instead of along the walls. The armchair is a flea-market bargain.

SWEET EAT IN. The breakfast nook in the kitchen takes on a light, warm and inviting color palette. The walls are painted light gray for a cool feel. Emma combined tables and a rug from Ikea with chairs that are flea-market bargains for a collected look full of personality.

|ABOVE| CLASSIC CHARM. The kitchen has traditional country style with milled shutters, simple white dishes and a classic cake stand. Emma and Anders have invested in many cupboards and opted for a wardrobe to get an airier feel. |BOTTOM LEFT| UPCYCLED STYLE. Emma placed a simple vintage hutch in the kitchen for a bit of stylish storage. In it she displays a collection of china she inherited from family.

|TOP LEFT| SEASONAL BOUNTY. Beautiful flowers and green fir are musts at Emma and Anders’ house when decorating for Christmas. |OPPOSITE| NEW HEIRLOOM STYLE. The dining room has room for many guests around the generously sized table Anders built from a handmade tabletop with Ikea legs; the chairs are flea bargains.

REWORK IT. The family needed an extra bedroom, so Emma and Anders moved into the large upstairs loft space that was previously used as a TV room. Eventually sliding doors will be installed, but for now, the bedroom has a sweeping curtain of linen fabric for privacy.

|ABOVE LEFT| FEELING LUSH. The bathroom has been decorated with greenery and lanterns, which create a moody glow. The sink, vanity and cabinet are from Ikea, and the throw rug is from HM Home. |RIGHT| FASHION FORWARD. Behind the sheer curtain are clothes and accessories that you want close at hand. The favorite clothes are hanging in front on a coat rack as beautiful eye-catchers.