Welcome to Alina Bechtel's Christmas home. The influencer, Denmark lover and mother of three takes us inside her enchanting house, where she lives with her husband, their three children and their cat, Herr Ruminski. Her early Christmas present to us: a few decorating tips on Nordic cosiness – for Christmas and beyond.
Light colours, wood, lots of natural materials and clean lines – your love of Scandi style couldn't be clearer. Why do you like Nordic style so much?
Life in a big family is colourful and can get loud. That makes a calm feel at home all the more important to me. When I was an au pair in Denmark at 19, I fell in love with Nordic interior style and got to know the great brands even back then. I love its natural simplicity, which is still so cosy.
You mention the great brands. Which ones appeal to you most?
It's hard to choose. I love the furniture from Carl Hansen and Andersen Furniture. I also love the beautiful accessories and small furniture from Skagerak. When it comes to lighting, I'm a big fan of Louis Poulsen and Flos. For decorative pieces, I especially like Ferm Living, Audo Copenhagen and Holmegaard.
At Christmas time in particular, I really like Broste Copenhagen. I love the Scandinavian brand's Advent candles and hanging ornaments. Besides Christmas decorations such as the Pulp garland, the brand can be found pretty much all over our house – our tableware, our cushion covers in the living room and the beautiful oak chopping boards in the kitchen are all from Broste.
You have a wonderful terrace – it's a shame garden season is over for now. Do you have any tips on how we can use our terraces a little longer, or still enjoy a few moments outdoors in winter?
We leave our garden furniture out in winter too (under cover). I keep lanterns outside. With a beautiful fire bowl or a tabletop fire, you can enjoy a cosy cup of tea or mulled wine outdoors even in winter.
Traditionally, we think of Christmas as lavish, nostalgic and colourful. Will we find classic Christmas decorations at your place?
I'm a huge Christmas fan and like decorating festively at Christmas time. But – as always – the decorations aren't lavish; they're natural and more understated. I like nostalgic but still simple window candle arches and paper stars. With Advent candles and beautiful hanging ornaments, there are little details everywhere in our home at Christmas.
How do you create a cosy, inviting atmosphere without it looking overloaded?
Since our living space is completely open-plan and you can always see everything at a glance, I make sure the decorations always go together. I think beautiful, high-quality textiles such as rugs, curtains and cushions create cosiness and a comfortable feel. I have lots of indirect light sources from small lights and dimmed pendant lights. For me, beautiful lighting is the be-all and end-all of a cosy atmosphere at home.
Do you have any special decorating tips that are easy to put into practice and reflect Nordic style?
Candles! Beautiful candle holders everywhere, combined with pretty bowls that you can fill with biscuits or nuts in winter, for example. Beautiful textiles such as linen cushion covers and a snug wool blanket always make things cosy too.
It's true – we see lights or candles in every one of your pictures. What role does lighting play in your Christmas decorations specifically?
Twinkling lights are especially lovely at Christmas time. Right now, for example, we have two window candle arches, which I think always have a lovely, traditional magic. Every room is bathed in cosy, indirect light from small lights, candles and LED candles too.
We all have a deep-rooted need to recreate the Christmas magic we remember from childhood. Do you feel the same? How do you create Christmas magic?
Our children get excited as soon as I start decorating for Christmas, because then they know that Tommte, our Christmas elf, will soon be moving in. On the night before 1 December, Tommte fills the Advent calendars and keeps us company through Advent with lovely surprises and the odd bit of mischief.
The elf door, for example, is also a Scandinavian tradition that I first came across in Denmark. A few years ago it started catching on more and more in Germany too, and now you see an elf door in almost every home with children. I find it so magical, and the children love it.
Do you have any other rituals?
Apart from the elf moving in, we always make a big thing of St Nicholas' Day. The whole family gets together to wait for St Nicholas, who comes in to see us in the evening. On the second Sunday of Advent, we all drive to a Christmas tree farm to choose and cut down our tree together. Our elf Tommte then decorates it for us later.
How do you set your Christmas table? Do you have any tips on how to give a Christmas table a festive touch with just a few simple steps?
I don't think it takes much. A beautiful tablecloth and cloth napkins draped nicely on the plates already create a festive feel. And of course a few beautiful candlesticks and pretty tableware belong on the table. With a few small details, such as hanging ornaments on the table and some twigs, you instantly create a festive mood.
What role do presents play for you?
I love giving presents and making my loved ones happy. I really enjoy choosing gifts, and every year I make a ritual of wrapping them too. With the children, though, we have to make sure every year that it doesn't get out of hand, as everyone in the family wants to give them something.
You put so much effort into all your rituals and decorating – your calendar and to-do lists must be full. How do you stay calm between the children, Advent visits and Christmas preparations?
To be honest, last year I didn't manage it as well as I'd have liked. That's why this year I've decided to cut back on work from mid-December and not sweat the small stuff, so that I can still enjoy the days before Christmas with the children and celebrate the anticipation.
We hope you enjoy it all and wish you a wonderful Christmas with your loved ones!
