A Danish Artist's Beautiful And Inspiring Copenhagen Home

God morgon! Oh, have I got a beautiful home tour for you today! Located in Østerbro, Copenhagen, the Danish home of Marie and Jacob is full of everything I love: sun light, mid-century pieces, Danish design, art, and a very handsome furry friend! Twenty-eight-year-old Marie works as an information security consultant and loves to paint in her spare time. Her paintings can be seen throughout the 100 square metre space - and are part of what gives their home a wonderful, unique and personal touch. The recently renovated space also features beautiful second-hand / vintage pieces as well as statement lighting and soft serene shades. Velkommen!  

An IKEA kitchen has been combined with a natural stone worktop from Zurface, giving it a luxurious finish. 

Marie and Jacob have made the most of a wide windowsill - turning it into a space to sit with a coffee, soak up the sunshine and watch the world go by. 

The chairs and table were picked up second-hand online and a Drop Chandelier from 101 Copenhagen hangs overhead. 

A painting by Marie takes pride of place in the sitting room - adding a wonderful element of colour. The seating is from the Sofa Company. 

I love how Marie and Jacob have made full use of the windows in every room. In the sitting, a Coventry chair and Arum table lamp* have been combined to create a perfect reading corner. 

In the spare room, the couple have capitalised on the natural light to make a home office. 

I love this rack (source a similar solid oak rail here*) - we could really do with this many hooks in our bathroom (there are always about 15 towels on the go - it drives me nuts!). I'm also itching to put up some art but Per is not happy about drilling into the tiles. What are your thoughts on this? Is it a bad idea? Or should we just go for it? 

How lovely! 

I especially appreciate how Marie and Jacob have added just the right amount of furniture to fit their needs and nothing more! It strikes that perfect balance - pared-back yet warm, something I talk about in my Lagom book.  

Is there anything that stood out to you? 

See more pictures of their lovely home - and keep up to date with Marie and Jacob's latest renovation projects over at @strandboulevardan.  

Shall we take a peek inside homes of a few other artists today? Here are a few I love: 

The cosy vintage inspired home of a Swedish artist

A relaxed Danish artist's cabin in Copenhagen

The charming creative home of a Polish artist

The lovely home of a Danish artist

Do you have a lot of art in your home? 

Niki

Photography courtesy of @strandboulevardan shared with kind permission.

*This post contains affiliate links

READ MORE...

6

Danica's Delightful Danish Home In Cotton Candy Shades

New York Fashion week 2020 was a sea of dreamy pastels - a trend quickly adopted by the Danes. Actually, who am I kidding, the Danes have been rocking pastels for years! If there's one thing I've learned living so near the danish border, it's that the Danes are the ones to watch! One of my latest Instagram follows is the lovely Danica Chloe. Danica lives in a 98 m2 (1054 f2) apartment in the Amager district of Copenhagen with her husband, a paramedic, and their two young children Sylvester and Nola. Danica loves to experiment with cotton candy shades including pistachio green, orange sorbet, baby blue and lavender - both in her home and her choice of clothes - giving a sense that spring is just around the corner. Keep an eye out for quirky, on-trend details too! 

Spot the TV? The Samsung Frame never fails to disappoint -  I love the art Danica has found for hers - found on Etsy*! I had no idea Etsy was such a great source for Samsung The Frame art*, did you? Also seen on the wall are pieces from Paper Collective, Sorte Negle, Little Detroit* and Arthus Studio. 

The Muuto stacked shelves system* have become a real classic - I've had a set in my own home for years, although I wish I'd also gone for the ix of white and wood! 

An array of colourful glasses from Karen's Bord and a Hay candle add a pop of pastel in the kitchen.

The handcrafted dining table is from DAYLY and the twirly candles are from HAY (you can easily make these yourself too - check out the simple twisted candle hack I shared last week!). 

A fan from Sakura Copenhagen has been displayed under Swedish string shelves, lined with pretty pastel ornaments. The bed is made with linen from Juna Design. 

Danica also shares a load of style and beauty inspiration on her instagram and blog - and even the occasional trip (not right now though, of course) as well as recipes. I love her style - it involves her signature pastels, over-sized pieces, quirky accessories and lots of layering! 

Sylvester and Nola sleep in a funky bunkbed by danish brand FLEXA. 

My friend Sarah's going to cry when she sees this picture - which includes not one but TWO rattan wardrobes from IKEA - now out of stock with a rapidly increasing secondhand value on eBay! Gaaah! 

Just as I was writing, the sun came out for the first time in days - and I suddenly feel like spring really is just around the corner. Hurray! 

Time to add a few pastels to the home? 

See more pics of Danica's wonderful home and her fab daily outfits over at @danicachloedk and on her blog. 

Shall we take a peek at a few other pastel-inspired homes today? Why not! 

Trend alert: how to rock the pastels

A delightful Swedish family home in a former schoolhouse

A pastel-infused Danish home

By the way - thank you so much for all your tips yesterday about buying / installing / tuning a piano - so helpful! Happy you loved the home tour as much as I did too! 

Wishing you all a lovely day!

Niki

Photography @danicachloedk - shared with kind permission

*affiliated links, which means I might make a tiny amount of money (at no cost to you) if you click on the link and buy something. 

READ MORE...

3

5 Clever IKEA Hacks to Steal From a Danish Home

You might recall the name Puk Munch Sjeldan from my feature about a tiny Copenhagen apartment that's big on handmade design a while back. That apartment is now occupied by her daughter Luna, so the Dane has turned her hand to her own home - transforming it room by room into a wonderful living space. Dating back to 1904, and located in the suburbs of the Danish capital, the family home is full of fun, quirky pieces, pops of colour as well as books and art. But it's Puk's IKEA hacks that really caught my eye! Here are five ideas to feel inspired by: 

1. Designer Table

Puk added a 90 cm x 190 cm sheet of plywood (painted white) over an existing GÖRAN table using angled metal brackets to transform a budget fold-away piece into a sturdy designer table! 

I couldn't see any hacks in the sitting room area - but knowing Puk there are no doubt some lurking somewhere. I couldn't resist sharing a couple of pictures all the same, as it's so unique! Love the blue 'bold stool' by Moustache in particular, how about you?

2. PAX wardrobe with customised doors

A friend of mine pointed out that the issue with IKEA wardrobe doors is that they never extend all the way to the floor (which would give them a much cleaner look). Puk solved this by adding her own, longer ones, using plywood cut with a circular saw (you can also ask your DIY store to do this for you). She matched the holes with the original PAX wardrobe doors so that she could reuse the hinges. See more details about the hack here. 

It may not be an IKEA hack - but I can't tell you how important it is for your neck and back to ensure your screen is at the right height when you're working from home. I love how Puk has used a stack of books to give her laptop a lift! 

3. Striped stool 

Puk took 30 minutes to transform a little FROSTA stool into a designer seat using a layer of foam / polyester batting, fabric and a staple gun! See all the steps in her Instagram 'DIY' highlights on instagram if you'd like to know more.  

4. Bed with storage

Puk and her beau used the IVAR 3-drawer dresser to create a bed with oodles of built-in storage. Looking at the DIY steps in her Instagram highlights (you can also find a tutorial on YouTube here), it's one for the more hardcore DIYers among us, but it's fun to know it's possible with a little work! 

No DIY hack to be seen here in the bathroom (that I know of), but it's always nice to share more of someone's home for inspiration! 

5. Hallway storage

I spy a set of four MOPPE storage chests mounted on the wall to create a larger storage unit that's also slim enough for narrow spaces. Perfect for all those bits and bobs like keys, wallets etc! You could also paint them to match your walls so they really blend in. 

Did any of these DIY IKEA hacks catch your eye? 

I love the table - GÖRAN is only around 40 euros and a piece of PLYWOOD / MDF is also very budget friendly. Such a great idea! 

You can see more of Puk's home and discover more IKEA hacks / DIY ideas over on her instagram. 

Feeling creative? Here are a few other ideas: 

5 DIY Projects to try during quarantine 

Before and after - a Swedish kitchen gets a DIY make-over

A cosy autumn trend and the world's most simple DIY IKEA hack! 

Vi ses imorgon! 

Niki

Photography: Puk Munch Sjeldan

READ MORE...

7

A Copenhagen Family Home In Soothing Light Tones

Is it just me or was the weekend a case of Friday... blink.... Monday? And then to add to that I had a phone meeting with my bank at 8 am this morning to discuss pensions (remembered, with alarm at 7.50am) - cue double strength coffee!  Across the bridge in Copenhagen Denmark, the Engell family are also easing into the week - although their household appears a whole lot calmer than ours. That could be to do with Sofie Weinrich Engell's pared-back approach to decorating along with the lovely soothing palette (keep an eye out for the subtle nuances, all of which I've linked to) . Even so, there's plenty of space for her adorable children to play! Ready for a calm tour? Step this way!

Their hair! *heart eyes*. 

I'm in love with this kitchen from Invita Aarhus! Removing top cabinets is a huge trend right now, and works beautifully if you have the space for plenty of lower cabinetry. The simple flowerpot pendants* will add a lovely, warm glow after dark too! 

Those pools of light! If this was my home , I'd grab a book and sit right in the corner, how about you?

Sofie's bedroom wall has been given a lick of paint in soothing Lin by Beckers

The sitting room has been painted in Kliphäll and the children's bedroom in Alvdans, both by Beckers. 

Admittedly, Sofie's children totally stole the show in this tour - aren't they adorable? 

But can we also take a moment to think about the wall colours too? If you're over white but still looking for something calm, subtle nuances like this help to add elegance and depth while maintaining a feeling of calm. 

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

Looking for a little more inspiration today? How about wondering over to the Danish home archive. It's a real goodie - but comes with a word of warning - you might get held up there for hours! 

Wishing you a wonderful start to the week friends! 

Niki

Photography: Sofie Weinrich Engell's - shared with kind permission

READ MORE...

3

Charming Details In a Danish Allotment Cottage

'God morgen' as they say in Danish! How was your weekend? I read that today is referred to as 'blue Monday' - considered by some the saddest day of the year. Apparently, it's down to a number of factors including bad weather (check), long nights (check) and of course this year, a certain word beginning with C! Well, not on my watch friends, because we're going to be wrapped in a warm bubble of 'glæde' as we tour a charming kolonihavehus (allotment cottage) in the Danish countryside! It may be pared-back - but it's also full of warmth thanks to the carefully selected vintage furniture - as well as the small, joyful details which give this little space, a big heart! Welcome to Danish knitwear designer and interior stylist Gaia Brandt's world!

Are you familiar with the 'kolinihave' concept? These little Scandinavian cottages are built on allotments - and were originally designed to provide shelter in between toiling the soil. These days, they have become a picturesque summer holiday retreat for many city dwellers. I've shared more details about this type of Scandinavian housing here. 

Usually, there are tight restrictions on how many days a year you can stay - and the water is turned off between Autumn and springtime. But come summertime, these little cottage communities come alive and provide a perfect summer oasis! 

As with most Scandinavian summer cottages, the look here is simple, with a focus on bringing the outdoors in. 

Look closely though, and you'll spot lots of wonderful details - a unique pot here, a wall-mounted dolls house there, and lots of mobiles, which draw the eye upwards. 

A simple Danish rag rug helps to protect the wood floor in the kitchen. 

Playing with over-sized items helps to bring the living room area alive! 

Could that be a TV behind the sheet? 

An otherwise disused corner of the room has been transformed into a display area for a vintage collection of hearts, dried flowers and other ornaments. 

On warm summers day, the doors are thrown open so Gaia and her children can flit between the outdoors and inside. 

I bet many a strong coffee has been enjoyed right here!  

So lovely, don't you think? 

I can practically feel the warmth on my skin from the pictures (taken by Gaia's sister Kira Brandt - a talented photographer - for Danish magazine Boligliv. 

I'm also finding this tour so inspiring for the tiny cabin Per and I are planning to build this year (more to follow very soon!). 

Did you get any ideas for your own home? 

I forgot to mention that Gaia is a real dab hand at DIY / crafts. Check out her styling work for magazines here and see pictures of her latest home over on her instagram feed. 

And - for more inspiration to brighten up the start of your week, you might like to check out: 

A charming little allotment cottage in Malmö

A danish artist's relaxed allotment cottage

An idyllic Swedish 'kolonistuga' 

Blue Monday? What blue Monday! 

Niki

Photography: Kira Brandt / styling Gaia Brandt for Boligliv - shared withy kind permission. 

READ MORE...

19