Celebrating Christmas with Mimi Thorisson at home in Turin
Behind the tall doors of an 1870s palazzo in an elegant corner of Turin, French-Chinese cookbook author Mimi Thorisson has found what she calls her ‘true home’, which she shares with her Icelandic husband, Oddur, her eight children and two dogs. Her bond with the city began unexpectedly while she was working on her book Old World Italian, published in 2020.
‘We were living in France, but I really needed a base in Italy, so we began taking road trips all over the country,’ she recalls. ‘One day, while I had flown back with the little ones, Oddur took a different route and ended up in Turin almost by accident. He called after lunch and said, “This city is incredible, we’re coming back.”’ Within two weeks, they were in Turin again, beguiled by the city’s discreet charm, with its distinctly French flavour.
After six years in a rented flat, the Thorissons decided to buy a permanent home, and the search was remarkably smooth. ‘It was the first place we saw, and I knew it was the one as soon as I set foot inside,’ Mimi says. ‘I do believe that you don’t find the right home – it’s the home that finds you.’ Overlooking a tree-lined boulevard, the sprawling abode enjoys distant views of the Alps and generous proportions. ‘It’s large and bright, but what’s so wonderful is that nothing has been modernised. It feels lost in time, and we feel so lucky to live here.’
The apartment is reached by a wrought-iron lift, more than 100 years old, rising slowly through the centre of a sweeping stone staircase, its metallic rattle heightening the drama of the ascent. Inside, the layout unfolds with a measured formality: a gallery-like entrance hall forms the backbone from which an enfilade of main rooms opens towards the front of the building. Yet for all its architectural grandeur, the apartment carries a disarming warmth – felt most immediately in the kitchen.
Located just off the entrance and facing an inner courtyard, the room’s unexpectedly rustic atmosphere was one of the flat’s greatest pulls. ‘I was so happy when we found it, because it feels like a country kitchen – it’s just perfect for me.’ The cupboards and fittings, painted in a earthy hue that complements the original white tiles, were designed to suit the space’s distinctive character. ‘I really love old kitchens. I can’t function in modern ones; I need fire and light,’ Mimi explains. ‘We worked together with Tuscan cabinetmakers Homewood Bespoke to make it look as if it had always been here.’
When it came to the design, she had very clear ideas. ‘I think a central island takes away a kitchen’s soul,’ she explains. ‘A kitchen deserves a real wooden table, full of life and stories.’ Hers is unsurprisingly filled with an abundance of fresh vegetables, flowers and the ingredients she buys at Turin’s markets. ‘They’re my palette. I love sitting here in the calm, surrounded by their colours. They spark new ideas and twists when I’m writing recipes.’
While the kitchen is very much Mimi’s realm, the decoration of the rest of the apartment reflects both her and Oddur’s varied backgrounds and shared aesthetic instincts. ‘Our inspirations are shaped by where we come from. I’m romantic and drawn to the gentle forms of period furniture, while my husband is attracted to the simplicity of Nordic minimalism,’ she says with a smile. ‘I always joke there’s a little conflict, but it’s like a marriage – we find balance somewhere in the middle.’
Nowhere is this clearer than in the contiguous dining room and study. Linked by a grand archway, the space feels, in Mimi’s words, like ‘two worlds in one’. The dining room reflects her love of old-school decoration, with silver pieces and an old Ginori porcelain service displayed in the niches, while a 1930s Gio Ponti desk sets the tone in Oddur’s workspace, its disciplined lines in quiet counterpoint with the rustic 19th-century dining table.
The sun-splashed living room sits between the dining room and the primary suite, with tall French windows opening onto Juliet balconies that pull the eye outward. ‘The light here is beautiful – a bright, uplifting space, filled with energy.’ The walls are painted in a rich cream that catches the daylight and provides a warm yet neutral backdrop where Piranesi prints and 18th-century Piedmontese antiques coexist with pieces by 20th-century masters such as Arne Jacobsen, Pierre Jeanneret and Gio Ponti. ‘I think it’s so important to mix modern with old, to find that balance and harmony,’ Mimi says. ‘I love Italian design – it pulls everything together and makes it look effortlessly chic.’
A favourite corner is the chaise longue by the fireplace, where she curls up with a book beneath her portrait by the Roman artist Andrea Ferolla – a gift from Oddur for her 50th birthday. ‘I couldn’t believe it when I saw it; it was such a surprise. It really captured a moment in time, and having it here means a lot.’
A pastel blue hue forms the leitmotif of the adjoining primary bedroom and bathroom. Set against the natural brown of the wood furniture and the honeyed texture of the jute upholstery on the bed and armchair, it carries a subtle echo of Mimi’s food sensibilities. ‘Blue and brown is such a delicious pairing,’ she notes. ‘It feels sweet and comforting and reminds me of sugar-coated almonds.’
At Christmas, the apartment fills with decorations, music and, of course, cooking. ‘We’re a large family, which makes the season very special. We spend time doing arts and crafts to Nat King Cole and watching old Agatha Christie films. It’s all about sharing and blending the traditions we come from.’ Alongside France and Iceland, other places have left their mark on Mimi’s celebrations. ‘I grew up in Hong Kong in the 1970s, and I’ve kept many of the British touches popular there, like making mince pies and hanging stockings on the fireplace. And now I’m so happy to have added Italian to the mix – there’s nothing better than tortellini in brodo for a Christmas meal.’
Her Christmas menu reflects this variety and culminates in a chestnut cake tied to childhood memories. ‘When I was at school, I used to have a little tube of chestnut and vanilla paste that looked like toothpaste. I’d squeeze it onto little buns and eat them after class.’
For Mimi, food and family are inseparable. ‘My father adored food,’ she says. ‘He taught me to find the best flavours – the perfect duck, the best tripe – always as an expression of love. Cooking is how I express my affection and my memories. It all comes from the heart.’
Must read: Mimi Thorisson’s favourite Christmas recipes from her new cookbook, A kitchen in Italy
Mark Anthony Fox1/19Winter light filters into the apartment's entrance hall, softening the grandeur of the building’s 19th-century architecture. Mimi’s fox terrier, Vita, peers through the textured glass of one of the original French doors.
Mark Antony Fox2/19Mimi wrapping Christmas presents in the living room while her daughter Gaïa adds the finishing touches to the tree. ‘Before Christmas, we have a little ritual of wrapping presents around the tree, secretly, with ribbons everywhere. We put on Christmas music – I love Nat King Cole – bake cookies, and it’s always so cheerful.’
Mark Antony Fox3/19Mimi’s son, Lucian, playing with the family’s Welsh Terrier, Henri.
Mark Anthony Fox4/19A cheerful family moment while setting the table for an abundant Christmas feast. ‘I grew up as an only child, but over time my family became very big – now I have eight children, their partners, my husband, everyone. We love entertaining. I love a big table, and I’m quite at ease cooking for sixteen people.’ The chairs are Gio Ponti’s Superleggera, upholstered in black leather, with 19th-century prints on the walls.
Mark Anthony Fox6/19‘One of my favourite Christmas traditions in Turin is the nuvola – a cloud-like cake, similar to pandoro and covered in vanilla icing and sugar. It only appears in the winter months, and people queue for kilometres to buy one. Christmas simply isn’t Christmas without it.’
Mark Anthony Fox7/19In a corner of the dining room, a 1950s French butcher’s table topped with marble, silver pieces and an old painting creates a tantalising still life. ‘I’m very romantic and drawn to everything that feels old world,’ says Mimi.
Mark Antony Fox8/19A view into Oddur’s study from the dining room. A vintage globe from Milan’s storied stationer Pettinaroli rests on a 1930s bar cabinet by Guglielmo Ulrich, while the desk on the left – also from the 1930s – is by Gio Ponti.
Mark Antony Fox9/19The living room during Christmas arts-and-crafts preparations. Above the fireplace hangs Mimi’s portrait by the Roman artist Andrea Ferolla, a gift from Oddur for her 50th birthday. The chaise longue is from Square Garden Conservatories in Milan, while the Florence sofa is by Knoll.
Mark Antony Fox10/19In the primary bedroom, the bed and antique armchair are upholstered in humble jute that pairs gently with the pastel blue walls. The 19th-century bedside tables are likely French, while the ostrich wall lights are by RAW Milano.
Mark Antony Fox11/19‘When we first saw the bathroom, we couldn’t believe how big it was – and how perfectly intact. The tiles and floors are original, all in beautiful shades of blue, and the window panel is just magical.’
Mark Antony Fox12/19Another view of the ensuite bathroom, with its original blue tiles and beautifully preserved late 19th-century details.
Mark Antony Fox13/19Gaïa and Audrey’s bedroom, where soft colours, simple linens and vintage details give the space a serene, cocooning feel.
Mark Antony Fox14/19From the balcony, the tree-lined boulevard below feels almost Parisian. ‘It’s a very elegant apartment, just like Turin itself. For me, this is the most elegant and discreetly beautiful city in Italy.’
Mark Antony Fox15/19Gaïa holding a bunch of fresh flowers on the apartment’s landing.
Mark Antony Fox16/19The building’s century-old lift, rattling softly through the stone staircase, was one of the first details that made the palazzo feel irresistibly timeless to Mimi and Oddur.
Mark Anthony Fox17/19Another view of the century-old lift, with its perfectly preserved wooden cabin and iron frame.
Mark Antony Fox18/19‘One thing I love to do in Italy is slip into old buildings, just to see what’s inside. One day we wandered into this palazzo, and found the apartment that would become our home.’
Mark Anthony Fox19/19Wintry light drifts through the porticoes outside Mimi’s apartment – a hallmark of Turin’s architecture.
