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Christmas arrives early in the household of Danish fashion designer Kathrine Hviid. Decorations go up at the start of Dscemberand stockings filled with tiny gifts are laid out for the children every day The high point is Christmas Eve - Juleaften, "Its a big thing for us," says Kathrine. "The children get so excited." Ju3t before four in the afternoon, the family troop across the snowy fields to church. Later they dance round the tree to Christmas songs and open presents, before sitting down to a big family dinner. "My in - laws are coming this year," says Kathrine. "Well cook roast duck with apples and prunes."
Home is a 1950s English - style cottage, just north of Copenhagen, surrounded by woods of beech and cherry plum. Kathrine and her doctor husband, Вэ Been, have lived there for the past six years with their three children, Benjamin.12; Bertil, nine; and Cecilia, two. In decorating and caring for the house, Kathrine says: "My husband dees the technical stuff and leaves the artistic side to me.
As chief designer for the Danish clothing label Rosemunde, Kathrines style is understated and elegant and this Nordic design ethos is reflected in the cool, contemporary interior of her home. Light and space are maximised, thanks to pale walls and floors, furniture is kept to a minimum and clutter is hidden away "I like things to be simple, modern and functional." she says.
At Christmas time the house is warm and inviting. Neutral backdrops are punctuated with splashes of vibrant colour in the form of textiles, decorations and cut flowers. Candles are lit in every room, while old - fashioned decorations, hung from ribbons in the windows, add a playful note. "We make our own decorations," says Kathrine, who finds lovely ingredients on market stalls in Italy and I long Kong. "We string them on to wires, adding new things every year."
Her creative flourishes are visible throughout the house. Pine, brought in from the forest,is used to make wreaths, fill vases and wrap around candlesticks. Handmade stockings are numbered for each day and tied with ribbon, while a tall faux Christmas tree, cannily slender, sparkles at the entrance to the living room. Comfort is a priority and reindeer and sheepskin rugs, draped over sofas or piled in wicker baskets, add a note of luxury.

Cool comfort


At this time of year it is the living room that undergoes the greatest transformation. "I dress it up for Christmas." says Kathrine. Candles and tealights flicker from windowsills and silver trays. Si.k and velvet cushions in soft pinks and purples are artfully arranged, their colours echoed in the kelim spread over the stone floor.
A restrained collection of flowers and decorations appear in the hub of the house, a kitchen - dining room that was created by knocking two rooms into one. On the whole, however, i: retains its sleek feel with white walls and cool stone f.oors softened by beech cabinetry. Arne Jacobsen chairs and an antique kelim. "I love the mix of Danish antiques and modem pieces." says Kathrine.
whose favourite possessions are a blend of flea market finds and family heirlooms. "It brings a personal touch."
Here the family will gather on Christmas Eve. While Bo prepares a succulent slow - cooked duck and Bertil plays Christmas songs on the piano. Kathrine will make riseng0d, a Danish rice pudding spiced with cinnamon and sprinkled with sugar. "The children love it," she says.
Kathrines decision to forgo any window dressings means that light floods the rooms and the eye is drawn to the snowy, blue - tinged scene outside. "We dont need curtains because there are no houses in front - just views into the rorest," she says.
Upstairs, the views are even better and the mood is joyful Family photographs line a wall here, while butterflies dance above Cecilias cot and crochet bedspreads and American patchwork quilts add to the homely mix.
The most a;tractive spot, however, especially at this time of year, is outside in the loggia where the firewood is stored. Here guests sit under reindeer rugs, sipping mulled wine and gazing out at the snow - covered landscape. It is rich in what the Danes call hygge, a word that has no direct translation in English but, loosely defined, is all about sitting together with candles lit on cold winter nights, feeling warm and cosy. And Christmas in the Hviid household is, of course, all about hygge.
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