my scandinavian home: danish home

12 Playful Design Trends in Sussie's fabulous Danish Home

Every time I head over the bridge to Denmark I come back feeling really inspired. I simply love the way people dress, the lifestyle they lead and of course, the interiors in Copenhagen. Last week I felt no different when I returned from Formland - a fantastic Nordic design fair. Researching for my panel discussion about minimalism or maximalism', I learned so much about the latest trends that are rocking the design world and would love to share a few of these with you today!

I couldn't think of a better way to do it, than through the lens of Sussie Frank, an interior designer, photographer and stylist as well as co-founder of paint brand Colour Stories who lives in a beautiful house in Aarhus on the Danish mainland. Sussie's house was built in 1917 and measures a tremendous 382 m2 / 4111 f2 laid out over four floors. Sussie renovated the house for 6 months, while being careful to honour the time and age of the house before moving in in January 2021. Today the family of four enjoy an incredible home that's full of surprises - and a perfect example of what's happening in the Danish design world.

Here are 12 trends I spotted:

1. Anything goes

I bet you weren't expecting the pink stairs. I certainly wasn't!

But why not? I mean we only live once, right?

In fact, this reflects the sentiment of the fashion and design world right now - go your own way, work hard on making your home as personal as possible. Mix and match colours, patterns, shapes and texture to create your own world.

Looking to add joy? Bring in playful touches. Looking for calm? Think about adding soothing tones and furniture with soft round edges.

But above all else decorate for your, and don't worry what others think!

As I write this it feels ridiculously obvious, but I think it's been easy to forget this over the years with so many supposed design 'rules'. It was only during the pandemic where many of us started to think 'hang on, is the decor I want? Are these the colours that make me feel at my best'? Have I surrounded myself with meaningful items? Or can I do more to my home to make it feel personal?

The time is right, right?

2. Eclectic dreams

Every piece in Sussie's home is unique - and this is very much the direction of homes today, as people strive to create a home which is unique and packed with personality.

3. Art is everywhere

Art is everywhere - it's in the furniture which has taken on all kinds of fabulous forms (like the Puffy Chair designed by Faye Toogood), it's in the rugs, lamps and even the staircases, doors and architraves.

4. Folk art

We're bringing more folk art into our homes. Patchwork (like this quilt by Instabydomi) is becoming more popular and a great way too upcycle scraps of fabric. I love the work by Danish brand Jou Quilts.

We're also seeing more embroidery which has a wonderful sense of nostalgia. But forget 'fuddy duddy' - it's all about 'newstalgia' and bringing a modern touch to old pieces.

5. Mix and match pattern

Oh, and pattern. Lots of pattern. Mix and match dots, checks, stripes... anything goes!

6. Upcycling

In the past, some might have seen painting an antique or vintage piece as sacrilegious. But as we move more and more into creating a more sustainable home, up cycling is a great way to breathe new life into an old piece. Keep a look out for the less attractive items at the secondhand store (usually in the back corner / bargain basement) - with a little vision and an artistic touch, they can quickly become a unique treasure!

7. A load of texture

The home has become more and more textured and yep, you've guessed it, any type of surface goes. Think everything from mirror, chrome and brass to leather, 'fluff', boucle, marble, glass, paper, and wood.

8. Playful accessories

Small items are a great way to add a play touch to the home. Decorative lamps, crazy mirrors, and colourful and crazy shaped vases are all great ways to play around with your home and add a personal touch.

9. Newstalgia

Spot the chair above? The red legs give it more of a playful touch from what we're used to seeing. It's 'newstalgia' at play - taking something old and giving it a modern lease of life. Expect to see more of this in the design world moving forwards. Although don't worry, if you're like me, there'll always be the iconic, tone on tone, natural classics too!

Another nod to embroidery that's slowly creeping into homes in both modern and traditional ways.

10. Patch and repair

This also transcends into 'fixing' things - like socks, cushions, bedspreads etc it's time for a 'repair and re-wear' mindset, and best of all, your sewing doesn't need to be perfect. Phew!

11. The unexpected

Small elements of surprise go a long way towards creating a personal space. I love this view of Sussie's bathroom with luxury marble walls, gold trims and a playful vintage pendant.

Take a closer look at this collection of items - including a jute holdall, contemporary sculptural stool and a traditional Nordic basket - it demonstrates the mix and match ethos.

12. Go wild with paint

Do you remember when painting one accent wall in a room felt like the wild thing to do? Well, today, absolutely anything goes. Bannisters, architraves, radiators, windowsills, ceilings. And don't worry about 'just' going for pastels or tone on tone. Playing around with contrast is the way to go! It's such an exciting development and has me looking around my own home thinking what to paint next, how about you?

What an absolutely incredible house! I love how Sussie has added so many interesting pieces. And the paintwork is fab too!

See more of her wonderful home over at @sussiefrank.

I'd love to hear your thoughts about these latest developments that are rocking the danish design world. I think they are so fun and playful. Who doesn't want to walk into a room and feel joy? They also make me want to go a bit more wild in my own home - while maintaining the calming sanctuary I've created - of course!

Wishing you a fabulous start to the week! See you Wednesday!

Niki

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Photography: staircase - Anitta Behrendt. All others: Sussie Frank.

A Clean (-lined) and Serene Danish Family Home

We used to have Danish neighbours that had such a spotless house. Even when it was messy, it looked spotless. I spent ages trying to figure out why, and I finally arrived at the conclusion that even though they had three children, they simply didn't have much 'stuff'. Everything they did have was fresh, clean-lined and vibrant. It reminds me a lot of this this beautiful home - which is also Danish. Photographer Camilla Bækvad lives with her young family in a newly renovated house in Copenhagen. It's a calm space where contemporary and mid-century furnishings juxtapose with original period features to create a home that's full of harmony.

So serene!

I especially love the kitchen, which I believe is from Reform CPH.

You can follow Camilla's latest projects over on instagram and take a look at her beautiful photography portfolio here.

Looking for a little more inspiration today? Why not pull up a seat and take a look through the Danish home archive!

See you on Wednesday!

Niki

PS Total non-related side-note!: In 1920, the England Football Association banned women from playing football (that's soccer to American / Canadian friends!) saying it was 'unsuitable' . The ban remained in place for over 50 years. Last night, I was beyond proud to sit beside my daughters and nieces here at my sisters house in Cornwall and watch the England women's football team play their way to victory in front of a packed crowd and millions more on TV. Such an incredibly important night for women's football and truly inspiring and empowering for girls up and down the country. Sending love to Germany who's players worked hard and did a fantastic job throughout the tournament, I can imagine you are beyond proud too!

#itscomehome.

FILED UNDER: danish home

Christina's Light-Filled Danish Cabin is Available to Rent!

Do you remember Christina Krabbe's beautiful Danish home I featured earlier this year? I have just discovered that Christina and Jonas also own a dreamy summer cottage in Mols Bjerge national park with the forest, beach and a small farm shop on their doorstep. It's also near Ebeltoft, a picturesque old port and market town on the east coast of Jutland. The cottage measures 142 m2 / 1528 f2 which means there's plenty of space for extended family and friends (although sometimes it's lovely to just to be your own little unit too, don't you think?) and in true Christina style, it's filled with light, subtle colour and secondhand finds. Oh, and did I mention it's available to rent? Let's take the tour!

Maybe a trip to the Danish East coast is in order? I've never been to Mols Bjerge - it's now on my travel list!

See more pictures of Christina's summer cottage and city home here. It's available to rent through Landfolk here.

You can find a load more Scandinavian summer cottages in this archive.

Thank you SO much for all your lovely comments on the feature about our little cabin kitchen on Friday, it really meant the world! I hope I can share more room tours from our 'smultrönställe' soon!

Wishing you all a great start to the week!

Niki

Photography: Christina Krabbe / @glimtvist

FILED UNDER: Cabins danish home Summer cottage

Sunny July has landed, and brought with it the official holiday month of Scandinavia. Out of offices are on, the shoes are off - and our Nordic friends are preparing to relax and soak up the sunshine! This charming and laid back Danish 'Kolonihave' (allotment cottage) gives a wonderful glimpse into the chilled vibe of the Scandi summer.

If you've been following My Scandinavian Home for a while and / or read The Scandinavian Home, you'll have noticed a distinct difference between the way Scandinavians decorate their city spaces and summer cottages. The former tend to be a more contemporary affair with clean lines and a blend of new Nordic pieces and vintage / finds. The latter on the other hand are distinctly more relaxed and lower key.

Why is that? Summer cottage life is all about flitting between the indoors and outdoors - from the sandy shores of the sea or lake to the dewy grass in the garden and into the kitchen for a refreshing glass of elderflower squash. You might decide to plonk yourself on the sofa and curl up with a book or laze in a hammock. There might be a knock at the door and an army of children from the neighbourhood charge in. Or friends might drop by for a fika. It's simply about relaxing your way.

And if you're worried about your interior, the hygge vibe will quickly evaporate along with the squash! This is why cottages tend to be kitted out with simple yet lovely, relaxed pieces that only get better with age!

When Susanne Storm first bought the allotment garden house in Rødovre, Denmark fourteen years ago it was in a terrible condition - so much so that she was actually 50th on the waiting list but still got the offer to buy it! Most would have torn it down and started again, but Susanne saw its potential and after several years of renovating using second hand materials, the family love to spend their weekends and holidays in the 60 m2 (645 f2) cottage.

The house dictated the decor, and many of the items you see are either from Susann'es grandmother's house or found at flea markets - set against a calm white backdrop.