When Home Feels Like a Warm Embrace
Photo: Birgitta Wolfgang
Andrea Elisabeth Rudolph is known as a journalist, radio and television host, and the founder of the B Corp-certified beauty brand Rudolph Care. In Andrea’s historic villa, colourful walls, art, family heirlooms and everyday life come together in a home that feels both vibrant and deeply personal. The latest additions are curtains in the living room, dining room, kitchen, bay window and bedroom, featuring textiles by Yvonne Koné and curtain rods from Stilling®.
We visited Andrea Elisabeth Rudolph to talk about curtain solutions, personal interiors and making responsible choices.
MOVING INTO A DREAM
Andrea lives with her three children in a large, beautiful villa in the historic Carlsberg district of Copenhagen, one of Denmark’s most architecturally distinctive neighbourhoods. It is an area she had dreamed of living in ever since moving to Copenhagen 30 years ago to work for the Danish Broadcasting Corporation.
“I loved cycling around Søndermarken and Vestre Cemetery. That’s when I discovered the old Carlsberg district, a hidden gem with historic villas, lush gardens and towering trees.”
“It gave me a feeling of being in the countryside, a sense of being in Jutland, right in the middle of Copenhagen. I dreamed that one day I might get the chance to live here.”
In 2018, that opportunity arose.
“At the time, I moved in with my former husband and all our children. Today, it’s Alfred, Arthur, Isolde, Miss the cat, and I, who call this place home.”
Portrait Andrea Elisabeth Rudolph / Photo: Birgitta Wolfgang
NOT A PICTURE-PERFECT HOME
Stepping into Andrea’s villa, you are immediately struck by the feeling of a home that is truly lived in: children, adults, art, furniture, rugs, plants, colours and an abundance of cherished objects. In many ways, it feels like a warm, human embrace. That is, of course, a reflection of Andrea’s personality, but also of her eclectic approach to interior design.
“I certainly don’t have a perfect home,” Andrea says. “You could probably describe my style as creative chaos. I don’t live in a home that looks like it’s straight out of a magazine. ”
Instead, Andrea Elisabeth Rudolph surrounds herself with things that hold meaning.
“I have things that I love and that tell a story. There are pieces made by my mother, my father or my sister. Things I’ve inherited from my grandparents. Gifts I’ve received. Things my children and I have picked up on our travels. It’s a bit of a beautiful mix of everything, but it all means something to me. And my guests always say they love coming here.”
A COLOUR SHOULD FEEL LIKE A WARM EMBRACE
The home’s inviting and cosy atmosphere is also rooted in Andrea’s approach to colour.
“My friend Yvonne, who, by the way, thinks I own far too many things, has an incredible eye for colour. She says that when you step into a colour, it should feel like a warm embrace. I’ve thought about that a lot. Yvonne is a huge source of inspiration to me, and I’ve really come to love colour. I’m not afraid of using it. After all, I can always repaint the walls.”
HS 2000 Prestige / Burnished Brass
THE SENSORY APPEAL OF TEXTILES
“I love the sensory quality of textiles. My sister is a trained textile designer, and she designed the rugs on the staircase and in the living room. She has also created several of the prints we use for Rudolph Care. Even the lampshades are her designs. I simply love her work,” says Andrea.
In the two interconnected reception rooms, daylight streams in from the garden. The living room features a charming bay window filled with lush green plants, while the dining room serves as the heart of the home, centred around a large table that brings family and friends together. From here, a small conservatory opens onto the expansive, mature garden.
Just as the rugs enhance the sensory experience of the rooms and help soften sound, the new curtains add another dimension to the space.
“The curtains add an extra layer of texture, and I love the weave of the fabrics. They also improve the acoustics in these large rooms,” says Andrea.
CURTAINS THAT ARE TOO LONG
Andrea has chosen a combination of Roman shades and light, floor-length curtains for her living rooms and bedroom. Made from airy, cream-coloured textiles, the curtains are designed with generous lengths, allowing the fabric to pool elegantly on the floor.
“I love that they’re too long. It’s completely intentional. I think it’s rather extravagant. ‘Less is more’ definitely isn’t me,” Andrea says with a smile.
The fabrics come from Yvonne Koné, and they are more than just an aesthetic choice. They also tell a story about giving existing materials a new and beautiful purpose.
“Yvonne discovered the fabrics in old surplus stock warehouses in Italy. They were then made into curtains here in Denmark and hung from some extraordinarily beautiful curtain rods.”
CURTAIN RODS ARE AN IMPORTANT DESIGN CHOICE
The long curtains are mounted on elegant curtain rods in burnished brass, adding a subtle sense of weight and timeless character to the rooms without overshadowing either the textiles or the architecture.
“My mother has always been very particular about curtain rods. A curtain rod can’t just be an afterthought. It simply doesn’t work that way. So for me, choosing the right curtain rods was actually very important,” says Andrea.
“But it wasn’t easy to find beautiful curtain rods. Before discovering Stilling, I had looked at all sorts of other options.”
BURNISHED BRASS RODS
Andrea had originally envisioned curtain rods in polished brass, but ultimately chose our HS 2000 Prestige in burnished brass.
“They are such a perfect fit for this old house and for my door handles. I think they’re absolutely beautiful. They’re so simple, yet elegant and incredibly timeless. My own style is quite classic too. There aren’t many dramatic changes. I simply love good quality.”
“My mother is very fond of the curtain rods as well. She thinks I made an excellent choice there,” Andrea says with a smile.
”A curtain rod can’t just be an afterthought. It simply doesn’t work that way.”
BEAUTIFUL ROMAN SHADES
In Andrea’s bay window, lush green plants meet the light streaming in from the garden, blurring the line between indoors and out. Here, as in the two living rooms, AP 8900 Roman blinds have been fitted in beautiful light-coloured fabrics, though in this space they stand alone.
“To be honest, I never thought Roman blinds were particularly attractive, so I certainly didn’t expect to have them in my home,” says Andrea.
“But now I absolutely love my Roman blinds. They work so well in this old house and complement the other curtains perfectly. I love having both the long curtains and the Roman shades together. I love that sense of layering and abundance.”
A CREATIVE KITCHEN SOLUTION
In the kitchen, Andrea created her own solution, using curtains to conceal the open shelving beneath the countertop. Here, the curtains are mounted on Stilling® Bistro curtain rods in Matte Steel, complementing the statement range cooker that forms the heart of the kitchen. The solution reinforces the relaxed country kitchen feel while adding a more personal and lived-in expression than traditional cabinet doors.
The same Stilling Bistro curtain rods are also used in a more traditional way in the kitchen window, where Andrea chose them in Polished Brass.
The curtains are once again by Yvonne Koné. In the window, crisp white café curtains with subtle texture and gathered headings filter the daylight, while the curtains beneath the countertop are made from a soft, muted orange fabric that echoes the colour of the kitchen tiles.
The curtains bring softness to the kitchen’s hard surfaces, balancing practicality with a sense of warmth and poetry.
GREAT CURTAINS ARE ALMOST ALL YOU NEED
Andrea hadn’t felt she was missing curtains until they were installed, but they have transformed both the function and atmosphere of the high-ceilinged rooms.
“I hadn’t actually realised I was missing curtains until I got them. There’s no one looking in from nearby buildings, but the curtains have given me a sense of cosiness and privacy, even though they’re so light and airy.”
“I don’t think I fully understood how important they would be until they were up. And now the kids no longer have to wear sunglasses at the dining table. They’re incredibly practical, but above all, they’re simply beautiful,” she says, before continuing:
“The light in the living rooms is constantly changing. I can completely lose myself in how beautiful it is when the sun streams through the old window panes and the curtains, almost creating artwork on the walls.”
THINGS THAT LAST
For Andrea, it is important that the things she chooses stand the test of time, both functionally and aesthetically.
“Stilling and Yvonne Koné have something in common: they both strive to create things that are timeless. I really appreciate that. These curtain rods and curtains will last forever. They’ll move with me wherever I go. I absolutely love them. They bring me so much joy.”
Andrea is already dreaming of adding even more curtains throughout the house.
“I’ve realised that you can have very little furniture and still create a wonderful atmosphere with good curtains. There’s something incredibly appealing about that.”
WHO’S BEHIND THE PRODUCT?
When Andrea invests in something that will become part of her home, she is also interested in the people and values behind it.
“I think Stilling creates beautiful, well-crafted products. But one of the things that really appealed to me was that it’s a family-owned company with Danish production. And then there’s your inclusive production initiative, which I think is fantastic.”
“Of course, it also means something that Stilling is B Corp certified, just like we are at Rudolph Care.”
B Corp is an international certification awarded to companies that meet high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability.
A HOLISTIC APPROACH
Rudolph Care became B Corp certified in 2021 and was recertified in 2024.
” The B Corp certification is a tool that helps us keep improving. It’s not just about what we produce, but also about how we run our business, work with our partners, treat our employees and take responsibility for our climate impact,” Andrea explains.
“Rudolph Care has always worked with holistically certified products, and B Corp reflects the same mindset at a company level.”
A STRONG COMMUNITY
Andrea Elisabeth Rudolph also sees B Corp as a strong community, characterised by a genuine willingness to support one another.
“There’s a unique openness when it comes to the dilemmas and challenges we face. You don’t have to have all the answers yourself.”
She also points out that running a business with high ambitions for both quality and responsibility requires significant resources.
“It’s not always the fastest or the least expensive choice. But it’s a choice with a different kind of longevity. Of course it costs more. Fortunately, there are people who recognise the value in that. People who have the means, and who actively choose responsible products and companies they trust.”
KNOWING WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU STAND FOR
Andrea Elisabeth Rudolph’s home is beautiful, vibrant and deeply personal. It reflects the same philosophy that guides her work with Rudolph Care. A philosophy in which every choice matters, whether it concerns what we put on our skin, what we surround ourselves with in our homes, or what we bring into the world.
“I don’t feel the need to keep buying new things all the time. The same goes for the products we create at Rudolph Care. I’m not interested in putting more products on the market than are actually needed. It’s about staying true to what you do and having the confidence not to reinvent yourself all the time. About knowing who you are and what you stand for.”
ABOUT ANDREA ELISABETH RUDOLPH AND RUDOLPH CARE
Andrea Elisabeth Rudolph (b. 1976) trained as a journalist and first became known as a radio and television host, working with leading Danish broadcasters including DR, TV 2 and Radio 100 FM. Today, she is an entrepreneur and founder of the beauty brand Rudolph Care.
The idea for the company emerged during her first pregnancy in 2006, when a blood test revealed traces of unwanted chemicals in her body. The experience sparked a search for skincare that combined efficacy, sensorial appeal, aesthetics and ingredients she felt comfortable using. When she could not find what she was looking for, she decided to develop the products herself.
Rudolph Care was founded in Copenhagen in 2009 with eight products based on the açaí berry. Today, the range includes more than 40 skincare, sun care, hair care and fragrance products, the vast majority of which are certified with both the Nordic Swan Ecolabel and Ecocert COSMOS Organic.
The company became B Corp certified in 2021 and achieved an even higher score upon recertification in 2024. Today, Rudolph Care is working towards certification under B Corp’s new standards and was also a co-founder of the B Beauty Coalition alongside companies including Davines, The Body Shop, Rituals and Dr. Bronner’s.
THE B CORP MOVEMENT
B Corp is an international certification for companies that combine business success with responsibility towards people, communities and the environment. Administered by the non-profit organisation B Lab, the certification sets high standards for areas including climate action, working conditions, human rights, transparency and ethical business practices.
The B Corp certification demonstrates that a company meets rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency. As part of the global B Corp community, certified companies are working together to demonstrate how business can contribute to a more equitable, inclusive and regenerative economy.
There are more than 195 B Corps across the Nordic region and over 10,780 worldwide. Stilling became B Corp certified in 2022 and was recertified in 2025, becoming the first, and still the only, manufacturer of curtain hardware in the world to achieve B Corp certification.
