Cathrine de Lichtenberg
Home Series are conversations with friends about parenthood, work-life balance and treasured items.
In a house in Frederiksberg, Copenhagen, interior consultant and colorist Cathrine de Lichtenberg lives with her husband and their two daughters, aged two and five.
MT Five years ago, you became a mother for the first time after a challenging period. Please share a bit about that experience.
CL Almost a decade ago, I was sick with PTSD for nearly three years, and during that time, it became so clear to me that creating my own little family was my biggest motivation for getting well again.
As soon as I felt well enough to care for another person, we started fertility treatment. Nothing quite went as planned. My egg extraction made me really ill, and I spent 11 days in the hospital afterwards. Then came a turbulent birth, heavy blood loss, and two surgeries. But despite the crazy process, I felt this huge sense of peace when Leonora arrived, like: we did it. The first months are honestly a bit blurry. We stayed in our little bubble, focused on healing and processing everything that had happened. And Leonora just arrived as this happy little muffin and a good sleeper, which made it all feel manageable.
MT How did that period influence your approach to work and life?
CL My years in PTSD recovery taught me to prioritize and to slow down. And it gave me years of trying to learn the acceptance of not being able to do everything you want, a skill motherhood forces you to understand. On my maternity leave with Leonora, I tried to enforce it, but I also had an extreme eagerness to go “test my new me” as I experienced during the very critical birth, that I wasn't as fragile as I thought my “new me” was. I felt powerful and jumped into a start-up adventure. So basically, I did everything that I planned not to do.
Today, Leonora is 5, Vilhelmine is almost 3, and I have remodeled my work life over the past year. We’re enjoying this last year before school starts, so mornings are slow and soft. The girls play so well together when they wake up, so we try not to rush out the door. I work freelance in the windows between family life, and I love that balance; it makes home and work feel meaningful. But it's an ongoing practice, as I often find myself in a limbo of wanting to speed up and slow down simultaneously.
MT In your work as an interior stylist and colorist, you often discuss color as emotion. How do you use color to make your children feel safe and inspired?
CL Color creates a feeling before anything else, and I realized during my PTSD recovery how much color does for me. So, I choose colors that feel soothing and warm but still playful enough to spark a little joy. I really hope to give this joy for colors to my kids.
Bed Canopy Blue over Leonora’s bed, with Verner Panton’s Ball Pendant hanging from the ceiling
MT You’ve recently been decorating your daughters’ rooms. What has been most important to you when creating a home for them?
CL I want their rooms to feel like a hug: safe, warm, and calm. I also want them to be fun.
You won’t see much white in there because I find white quite “loud.” Instead, I use colors, wood, and lots of textiles to make the rooms feel soft and grounding. And then a little desk with chairs on both sides, because they love drawing and chatting across each other.
MT How did you choose the colors for their rooms, and what guided your choices?
CL The girls recently got each their own room. Leonora chose our old bedroom, the smallest one, because she liked that cozy cave feeling in there. It was already painted brown with a blue ceiling, so we just added small playful details, like clouds on the ceiling and a thrifted cabinet. Every color is a proper match for brown, so moving her old purple drawers and desk just blended in well. Vilhelmine’s room is painted in soft pink and green, with wooden furniture to bring warmth. I always work with contrast. When something feels soft and earthy, I like adding a small bold detail, just enough to make the room feel alive, but still calm, hence you will find a few bold red elements in the room, from the shelf, to a storage box, to my old doll strollers.
MT What kind of emotional memory do you hope your children will carry from the spaces they grow up in?
CL That their home felt safe and fun. That they had space to explore, create, and just be.
MT Looking more broadly at your home, what do you prioritize when decorating?
CL Most of our things are secondhand. I love the thrill of looking for unique pieces and pieces that have lived a little. We mix Danish classics with Italian lamps and random vintage finds from holidays. It’s not a strict style, just items that feel right to us and carry memories.
Built-in cabinet painted green, Montana drawer and vintage IKEA Sun lamp
MT Is there a particular item in your home that holds special meaning for you?
CL So many. Things from the years we lived in Angola and South Africa, small treasures from travels, jewelry from family, pieces tied to specific moments. I love them all, so I can’t choose one over the others.
MT What advice would you give others who want to create a more colorful and inspiring space for children?
PB Many people avoid color because they want calm or think it's too risky to add a color, but sometimes white walls create more visual noise, especially with colorful toys. Therefore, my best advice is to try adding a soft color on the walls; you’ll see how it makes everything feel more peaceful.
Published November 2025
Photography: Katrine Møbius
© Minor Things
