Before & After: A Dated Danish Home Gets a Fresh and Vibrant Makeover

Often when you look at pictures of interiors the design looks so effortless, almost as if someone has waved a magic wand and everything has just fallen into place. Anyone who has carried out a makeover by hand will know this is far from the truth (the sheer labour of love that went into our cottage bedroom this winter remains etched in my mind!). Halfway through you might wonder why on earth you've taken the project on, and the result might not always be perfect (speaking for myself here!) but the connection you feel with your home afterwards makes the work feel completely worthwhile!

Artist Katrine Brandt and her husband bought an early 20th century brick house (known simply as No.14) in Skanderborg, near Aarhus Denmark six years ago and have taken on the task of updating it by hand. Starting many of the rooms again from scratch, the pair have been busy installing a kitchen, transforming a laundry room into a light-filled workspace and giving the bathrooms a fresh update. The rooms have been mainly furnished with second-hand finds and many of Katrine's own artwork can be seen on the wall. Here are some before and after pictures so you can witness the renovation first hand! 

Kitchen - before

The IKEA kitchen was in need of a fresh update. Katrine installed new units in blue (a theme you'll see throughout the house) and sanded down the wood floor in order to remove the varnish which had turned yellow with time. The ceiling has also been plastered and painted - with spotlights added. 

Kitchen - after

Sitting room - shelving before

In my experience, Danes love to create wall-to-wall bookshelves around a doorway - which is a great way to create space for plenty of books! Katrine and her husband built these shelves and cupboards by hand. You can find more details - including step-by-step pictures and measurements in this instagram post. 

Sitting room shelving - after

The result is simply beautiful! It's also provided plenty of coveted open and closed storage. Note the ceiling lamp from one of my favourite Danish brands - Le Klint! 

The walls have been painted in Jotun 'Gullhår' and the curtains are simple ones from IKEA. The chair was found in a friend's loft and given a new lease of life with a set of new cushions. 

A 'kakelugn' (tiled masonry oven) is in full working order and perfect for colder days! 

The art on the wall is by Katrine and can be purchased via her online shop Made By Brandt. Note how the shelves have been painted the same colour as the wall for a smart, seamless affect. 

Utility room - before 

I know a thing about making over laundry rooms - except this one is different. Recognising the beauty of the room and how much natural light it has, Katrine and her husband decided to transform the space into a light-filled workspace.

Utility room - after

A simple, DIY make-over, the pipes are still in place under the desk and a built-in desk has been added over the top. Dark red drawers and a blue chair add a touch of colour to the space. 

Downstairs toilet - before

Bathroom make-overs can be eye-wateringly expensive and tiling etc requires a lot of skill. But sometimes a simple refresh is all that's needed (just as we did with our downstairs loo) - a lick of bathroom-friendly paint, a new cabinet and sink and a shelf was just what this 'powder room' needed, and no doubt saved gazillions of Danish Crowns in the process! 

Downstairs toilet - after

I love the mood lamp in the corner. If you look closely, you'll spot various forms of ambient lighting throughout the entire home - all of which help to create the cosy 'hyggelig' feel the Danes are so good at. 

Bathroom - before 

The bathroom featured a separate bath and shower before being reconfigured. Opting for just a shower has made it so much more spacious and touches of blue (code S 1515-R90B) ensure the room remains in keeping with the look and feel of the rest of the house. 

Bathroom - after

Such a lovely transformation - I love the subtle pastel shades throughout, adding a hint of colour and interest without feeling overbearing. There are also some lovely details throughout - including lamps, ceramics and art. 

The house is still very much a work in progress. If you'd like to follow their decorating journey, check out @nr.14a. 

Is there anything that stood out to you about Katrine's home? 

If you love a before and after as much as I do, check out:

Makeover: a dark house becomes and fresh and bright home

A Copenhagen home is transformed into a fresh family home

A dated house becomes a vibrant summer cottage

Stor kram! 

Niki

Photography by Katrine Brandt, shared with kind permission. 

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Timeless Charm and Dark Blue Walls in a Small Swedish Apartment

While colours in the fashion and interior design world come and go, there is always one that remains: dark blue. It's timeless. And I'm a huge fan. 

Softer than black but still striking, dark blue is a stalwart in the world of interiors and adds a cosy, cocoon like feel to a room. Combine it with fresh whites and warm earthy tones for a soft, elegant look, and throw in lots of natural materials in the form of wood, rattan, cane, linen and wool for a look that's bang up to date! 

This beautiful apartment in Gothenburg is a fine example of dark blue done right! Oh, and it's also great inspiration for anyone who has their bedroom in the living room too! Välkommen in! 

The Flos Sarfatti ceiling light is a design classic which you'll find in many Swedish homes. 

I don't think I'll ever tire of linen bedding - it's practical, catches the light in a beautiful way, and the more you wash it the softer it gets. Try Wonder Linen on Etsy* for similar! 

*affiliate link

Wooden hooks from Norrgavel are a Swedish bedroom essential! 

Contrast is continued in the kitchen with black units and off-white walls. Notice the copper piping, cabinet and painting too! 

Swedes are going crazy for range ovens right now! They're more widely available these days as you can get them in both gas and electric induction versions. 

Rule break alert: the rug version of 'messy hair, don't care'! I kind of like how this one extends onto the wood floor. It's a little like rolling out the red carpet - everyday!

A jute rug adds a softness to the black and white bathroom. We've also added one to our downstairs loo and it makes the world of difference! 

Such a lovely home full of contrast! Interestingly, the estate agent have presented two versions of how to divide up the sitting room / bedroom area - one open-plan, and one divided into two separate rooms (vardagsrum - living room, kök - kitchen, sovrum - bedroom): 

Which do you prefer?

Also, would you consider going for a dark colour in your home? In Albin's room we've painted two of the walls in dark blue, but I've always regretted not going for the entire room. Next project? 

Not quite convinced with the dark blue? See other homes with this feature here: 

A striking small Stockholm space in dark blue

5 ways to rock the dark blue and beige look

A stunning Norwegian home in many shades of blue

And for those of you planning a small space, here are some great examples of Scandinavian style studio apartments: 

An elegant Swedish 'ettan'

A small Swedish apartment packed with charm - and sunshine!

8 essential items for a Swedish studio apartment 

Happy Monday friends! 

Niki

Styling: Emma Fischer & Annica Clarmell

Photography: Walti Hösli

For sale via: Entrance

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A Beautiful Swedish Home in Beige and Klein Blue!

Why, hello there! Thank you for all your positive comments on my Malmö guide which I posted on Friday, it's always so fun to photograph and writer about my city! Today on the blog, we're heading a little further North to Stockholm. 

The open-plan apartment uses beige as a canvas and then wonderful elements including classic designer furniture, fluffy rugs and fabulous lighting have been layered over to create oodles of interest. But what I like most of all, are the on-trend pops of colour seen in the cushions on the sofa (lavender, orange, sky blue, green) and bed (Klein blue and cinnamon). 

There's been a lot of chatter lately about the lack of clothing seen in these Scandinavian homes, so I was excited to see that this apartment has a nicely filled walk-in-wardrobe - or at least plenty of space for clothes! It also gives a hint to the type of person that lives here - quite cool by the looks of things! 

Let's crack on with the tour!

The wall between the kitchen and sitting room has been removed to create a sociable living space. An well placed island works as the in-between. 

The marble backsplash is fabulous! I love that it goes all the way up to the shelves, creating a dramatic effect! 

Floor to ceiling sheer curtains allow a calming diffused light to enter the space and add softness to the room. 

Here you can catch a glimpse of the wall hung flat screen (not often seen in these tours!) and the hallway which enters straight out into the sitting room. 

If you're colour shy but love to stay on-trend or dabble with bright tones - bedding is a perfect way to add vibrancy! The Klein blue linen bedding breaks away from the sea of beige and looks fabulous with the dark brown wall! 

This Etsy store sells a similar duvet cover* and flat sheet*. 

When adding colour in this way, balance the look by adding another item in the same colour (in this instance a glass candle holder!). 

How pretty is the antique bedside table? 

Long rails provide plenty of hanging space for clothes. I would love to see some shelves and drawers here too - perhaps they are in the cupboard? 

I absolutely love this chair (any idea of the name?) - it's so decadent and raises the status quo from ordinary wardrobe to luxurious walk-in-wardrobe! 

I hope you enjoyed the tour of this beautiful home in the Swedish capital! Is there anything that stood out to you? 

Would you like to see a few other homes today? Check out this archive! 

Have a fabulous start to the week friends! 

Niki

Photography: Mia Borgelin

Styling: Petra Yngfalk

For: Historiska Hem

*affiliated links

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