Danish interior design shop owner Ann-Sophie Ulka’s home is decorated in colours that give lots of positive energy. Come December she dials up the festive cosiness factor with beautiful and feminine pastels
Meet & Greet
Ann-Sophie Ulka Faust (entrepreneur and owner of the interior shop Fabrek), her husband Kasper (CEO of Fabrek) and their sons, Karl Oskar, eight, Pelle August, five, and Alfred Emil, two.
The Property
119sqm 1925 villa in Odense, Denmark.
Christmas in Odense on the island of Funen in Denmark, where Ann-Sophie Ulka lives with her husband and their three sons, is a happy occasion. The snowy landscape is picture-pretty, embracing the old masonry villa the family calls home, and you can’t help but feel the sense of peace emanating from the colourful property.
Ann-Sophie loves Christmas and everything to do with the traditions so much her family starts decorating for the festive holiday in November. “I love the Christmas days and watching the children playing with their toys while eating delicious marzipan,” says Ann-Sophie, who cherishes this special time.
“We celebrate Christmas Eve every other year at home, and I love hosting and creating my own traditions,” says Ann-Sophie, who likes to host Christmas parties and family get-togethers during December.
Ann-Sophie is always full of new ideas and has a special talent for putting together colours and different materials, which is important because that’s what she does for a living. The owner of a popular interior store, she has created a fantastic pastel universe with unique products for the home.
When entering her family villa, you are immediately greeted by a host of happy colours that fill you with good energy. And, although it’s a house of many colours, they are carefully used so that they do not seem disturbing to the eye. Larger furniture is in muted shades and Ann-Sophie allows decorations, soft furnishing and art to stand out, thus creating a balance and tranquility in the decor. “If you need to rejuvenate a home, you can always change cushions and posters to create a new energy in the room,” says Ann-Sophie.
Ann-Sophie’s passion for colour is repeated in her Christmas decorations, which she adds to every year and are found at Christmas markets or in specialised shops. When it comes to gift wrapping, nothing is left to chance. “I love to wrap gifts, preferably with nice bows on, and each package is uniquely wrapped,” she says, clearly finding peace and satisfaction in pampering her loved ones with beautifully presented gifts.
When she decorates, it is often with a mix of vintage and contemporary, and the same applies to the Christmas traditions, there must be room for both old and new, and should bring her entire family together.
Ann-Sophie really gets into the Christmas spirit when they celebrate Advent (the fourth Sunday prior to Christmas Day), which includes cutting down a Christmas tree in the woods, usually with her mother. They end the day by making confectionery and Christmas baking, then dance around to Christmas music in the living room.
Traditions are important to this family, it helps to create a festive atmosphere and sets the framework for a happy and cosy Christmastime. “I love to go to church on Christmas Eve, this is where Christmas peace and tranquility prevails,” says Ann-Sophie, as she gets ready to celebrate her favourite holiday with all the special traditions that come with it.
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