ON THE COVER HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS A traditional

HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS

A red farmhouse in the snowy Norwegian mountains is as inviting inside as out, with family heirlooms and delicate festive touches

WORDS CHRISTINA B KJELDSEN/LIVING INSIDE | PHOTOGRAPHY INA SKJEFTE/LIVING INSIDE

HOME PROFILE

WHO LIVES HERE Gunn Tausvik. Her three grown-up sons Magnus, Jørgen and Henrik visit often, along with her grandson Jakob THE PROPERTY A farmhouse built in 1929 in the village of Skage, Norway

EXTERIOR

The little red farmhouse is a chocolate-box Christmas scene. The extension on the right was added by Gunn and her late husband when their young family began to grow

his picture-perfect weatherboarded house in the Norwegian mountains is full of precious memories for its owner, Gunn Tausvik. It has been in her family for almost a century, and while its decor reveals unbreakable links with her family ’ s past, some simple style updates have also brought Gunn ’ s own personality into its rooms.

The old farmhouse near Skage has always been a place the family have used for weekends away and summer holidays, but this is the first time Gunn and her three grown-up sons, Magnus, Jørgen and Henrik, plus her grandson Jakob, have celebrated Christmas here. Home for Gunn is usually a far more modern house an hour ’ s drive from here, while her sons have long since flown the nest. ‘I’ m not quite sure why we never spent Christmas here before now, ’ says Gunn. ‘When you ’ re looking out on the snowy landscape, it feels so cosy inside and I’ m loving being here. In fact, the snow can keep falling as much as it wants – we have all we need and each other ’ s company, so we ’ re happy to stay here until the New Year, ’ she says with a smile.

Part of the warm atmosphere is down to the way Gunn has set family heirlooms and some of her more modern finds against a crisp white backdrop. Painted tongue-and-groove boards cover the walls and

EXTERIOR

Opposite Gunn and her sons Magnus, Jørgen and Henrik outside the house; hand-knitted jumpers hang in the hallway

LIVING ROOM

The simply decorated Christmas tree stands alongside a vintage wall clock – a family heirloom

LIVING ROOM

Ikea sofas and a vintage coffee table sit in a space opened up around a renovated fireplace Opposite Gunn found the old oil lamp, among other antique treasures, in the house’s barn

DINING AREA

Opposite A potted baby spruce adds festive charm on top of a timeworn gateleg table, while a simple wreath and a paper star in the window complete the look

pitched ceilings. This traditional method of insulating the house from the harsh weather is mirrored by the property ’ s red exterior. Gunn has also used white paint on the floorboards and the rustic kitchen units, creating a calm, cohesive feel.

Some items of furniture have been in Gunn ’ s family for decades and are pieces she remembers from her own childhood. These include a kitchen chair that belonged to her grandmother, and a rustic carved bed made in 1948 by her grandfather as the couple ’ s marriage bed.

Gunn found most of these interesting items hidden away in the house ’ s barn and boathouse. She dusted them off and cleaned them up and now they add a distinctive vintage charm throughout the

house.

‘My grandparents and parents put away things they saw as old-fashioned. Now I’ ve rummaged around in their hiding places to find them and give them a second lease of life, ’ she says.

Among Gunn ’ s favourite rescued finds are a spinning wheel that is now proudly displayed in a cosy seating area on the landing, which offers fantastic views of the forest. Other prized possessions are a vintage chair upholstered in a traditional floral-print fabric, and a chest of drawers that Gunn repurposed as a basin stand in the

‘I guess it always goes in CYCLES; we see BEAUTY in things previous GENERATIONS thought were old and tired’

KITCHEN

Traditional Norwegian porcelain is displayed above handmade white-painted units, while a chair that belonged to Gunn’s grandmother adds warmth

Pared-back WREATHS, paper stars and sprigs of SPRUCE are all that’s needed in quieter corners

bathroom.

‘I guess it always goes in cycles – we see beauty in things that previous generations thought were old and tired, ’ she adds.

When her children were younger, Gunn and her late husband did quite a bit of renovation work on the house, opening up the living and dining spaces and restoring the exposed-brick central fireplace as a focal point. They also added an extension to one side of the main house, which provided extra bedrooms to accommodate their growing family.

Today, when Gunn and her sons decorate the house for Christmas, she ’ smoreawarethaneverofhowtheyareimmersedinfamilytraditions. She loves delving into boxes of old tree decorations and blending them with newer homemade ones, which include photographs of beloved family members, such as Gunn ’ s late husband, who died three years ago.

‘I’d say that my Christmas style is traditional, neutral and simple, ’ she says. ‘My favourite colours are white, green and dusky earth tones. ’ Pared-back wreaths, paper stars and sprigs picked from local spruce trees are all that’ s needed in the quieter corners of this home, alongside folksy painted furniture and unfussy wooden trunks and tables.

Gunn ’ s love of tradition is also played out in the kitchen, where she uses her grandmother ’ s recipe book to bake things with her grandson Jakob, including cakes, cookies and a gingerbread house that bears an uncanny resemblance to her own snow-dusted home. She likes the idea that she is helping to create a bank of memories for Jakob – and if they can echo her own, all the better. ‘I have wonderful memories of visiting my grandparents and even my great-grandmother here. I can recall harvesting strawberries, tending the potato fields and chopping firewood for winter, ’ she says.

These days, Gunn and her sons enjoy more leisurely pursuits, including skiing, which is possible right from the house ’ s front door. ‘There are several good slopes nearby for ski jumping, sledge rides and snowboarding, ’ she says. ‘When you ski back from the mountain, it’ s wonderful to glide into the village and come to a stop outside our snow-covered house. ’ HB

Opposite, top Gunn’s grandson Jakob helps to make gingerbread biscuits

JAKOB’S ROOM

Opposite, bottom A bureau handpainted with folk patterns is a family heirloom

KITCHEN

On white-painted shelving, an old family photograph takes pride of place amid retro storage jars, silverware and an array of traditional sweet treats

Gunn repurposed a chest of drawers that belonged to her grandmother as a vanity unit

BEDROOM

A crocheted blanket adds homespun charm to a bed carved by Gunn’s grandfather

Gunn is helping to CREATE a bank of MEMORIES for her grandson Jakob

EXTERIOR

The house has a fairy-tale air at any time of day. ‘When we look out on the snowy landscape it feels so cosy inside,

GET THE LOOK

Be inspired by Gunn’s rustic-cottage charm with traditional pieces in muted tones

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1 Louise armchair, £750, Graham & Green 2 Woven rattan chest, £165, Maisons du Monde 3 Rustic garland, £34.99, Lights4fun 4 Aztec Cloud cushion, £32, French Connection 5 Fabrikor glass cabinet, £129, Ikea 6 Beatrice velvet three-seater sofa, £639, Dunelm 7 Natural Star tree topper, £8.50, Hudson Home 8 Black glass Christmas candle holder, £39.99, Quince & Cook 9 Chunky knitted throw, £110, Amara 10 Scalloped-edge Sage chest of drawers, £899, Hicks & Hicks