Before & After: A Dated Danish house Becomes a Vibrant Summer Cottage

The rain is coming down in Sweden and I'm guessing there are plenty of card games going on behind closed doors of everyone's summer cottages. Meanwhile, judging by these pictures, the sun is shining over the Öresund strait in the Danish town of Rørvig, North of Zealand. 

This pretty 80 sqm / 861 ft2 cottage in the woods is owned by sisters Ane and Sigrid. Since buying the property, the pair have completely renovated the property both inside and out to create a dreamy place for their families to spend summer and in fact, to get away from it all in other seasons too. 

It's somewhere they come to relax - clearly seen by the day beds, window seats and casual style. The fresh whites help to create a bright and airy feel, while pops of pink and other bright colours add to the vibrancy of the living space. Ready to see a few before and after pictures? 

Exterior before

Exterior after

An entirely new shade (earthy pink), new windows, sunroom extension and new deck have completely transformed the exterior into an inviting cottage! 

A cosy dining nook has been carved out under the sloping roof using built-in seating and rattan chairs. 

Kitchen side view before

Kitchen side view after

Walls were knocked through to create a light and airy open-plan living space and a new kitchen has been installed with pretty blue cabinet fronts to reflect the coastal location. 

An antique bed serves as a place for afternoon naps and overnight kips! 

Sunroom before

Sunroom after

New windows, a fresh lick of white and a new herringbone floor was what was needed to completely transform the sun room into a beautiful bright space to relax, surrounded by greenery! You often see pretty floral cushions like these in danish summer houses. 

Bedroom before

Bedroom after

I am guessing the beautiful wood floor was lurking under the laminate flooring - what a find! New windows, a fresh lick of paint and old beams have added a wonderful summer cottage vibe to the bedroom. 

Toilet before 

Toilet after

A new, larger and lower window has made a huge different to the feel of the bathroom. I also love the tiles! 

What a perfect transformation from a slightly pokey, dated house to an idyllic summer cottage. I would perfectly happy relaxing here all summer - sunshine or rain, how about you? 

You can see more pictures of Ane and Sigrid's cottage over at @det_lille_hus_i_skoven. And also, great news. If you're looking for a holiday home to rent in Denmark this summer, this one is available through Landfolk here. 

Take a peek inside a few other Danish summer cottages today: 

A dreamy danish summer cottage with an outdoor bathroom

An idyllic summer oasis on North Zealand

A light and airy summer cottage by the sea

I hope today's post has transported you to summers in Denmark and filled you with inspiration! 

Niki

PS if it's sunny where you are, please can you send a little our way?

Photography courtesy of @det_lille_hus_i_skoven with thanks. 

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11 Ways to Bring Nature into Your Home, Danish style!

Did you know adding touches of nature to your home has been proven to boost happiness? And it's something our Scandinavian friends do so well. 

Today I'm taking you on a tour of Tina Abild's idyllic Danish summer cottage on the Kattegat coast which is full of nature-themed touches. Here are 11 ideas to feel inspired by! 

1. Natural materials: wood, rattan, linen all helps to bring texture to a room.

2. Wildflowers: there's nothing like the wonderful scent of flowers cut from the nearby meadow or hedgerow! Forage first thing in the morning to avoid drooping. 

3. Terrarium of foraged items from the beach: display a small selection of items collected from one spot, in this case dried seaweed, driftwood and pebbles from the nearby beach have been displayed a in a glass bell jar. 

4. Art that reflects nature: collect art that is reminiscent of the surrounding environment. I this cottage, a fish serves as a reminder that the Kattegat sea is a short walk away. 

I love the old ironing board used as a side table, so clever!  

5. Dried and pressed flowers: collect your favourite blooms to dry and press and use as art the following year. 

6. Driftwood display: old, gnarled wood from the beach makes for a beautiful display in a glass jar. 

Adding baskets with handles to hooks creates space for yet more storage - for example for small items like gloves, hats and other pieces that are difficult to hang. 

7. Dried flower wreath: when it comes to a second home it's next to impossible to keep plants alive, instead get crafty with flowers and dry them in the shape of wreaths for a decorative display. 

Tina made this pretty lampshade herself - it's a great way of up cycling a vintage Le Klint sax lamp! 

8. Display books about nature: even better if the tome is about the surrounding area! 

9. Hang simple bunches of dried flowers: a simple display of thistles looks pretty hanging from a doorknob. 

10. Use botanical or floral themed textiles: carefully selected curtains, bedspreads and curtains can also serve as a way to draw the natural surroundings indoors. 

Any avid readers of My Scandinavian Home will have noticed lately just how popular these vintage glass cabinets have become - particularly of the wall-mounted variety! Adding curtains is a great way to hide more unsightly items from view! 

11. Line the windowsills: if your windows open outwards, use the sills to showcase stones, shells and wildflowers like cow parsley! 

Another simple, yet pretty idea - using beautiful vintage textiles as makeshift curtains to obscure the bathroom from view! Look how well the details show up in the light. 

Outdoor showers are a summer dream, don't you think? One day we'll build one at our cabin, but in the meantime, I'll admire Tina's shower from a far! 

So many beautiful ideas! I can't wait to take go for a walk by our cabin now so that I can have a little forage. Has Tina's idyllic summer cottage inspired you too? 

See more snapshots and follow Tina's latest projects over at @sommerhus.ved.kattegat.

Would you like to see a few more Danish summer cottages today? Here are some truly inspiring getaways: 

A Danish summer cottage oasis on the north coast of Zealand

A dreamy Danish cottage with an outdoor bathroom

A charming summer cottage on the island of Fejø

Stor kram! 

Niki

Photography: @sommerhus.ved.kattegat shared with kind permission. 

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A Danish Family Home with a Warm, Golden Touch

Good morning! How's life with you? In Sweden, it seems like the weather gods have been storing all the sunshine up for May and June and we're certainly not complaining! In fact, we're busy trying to make the most of it as you never quite know when it will disappear again! In Mie Borup's lovely Danish house, which she shares with her partner and their three young children Wilbert, Ingrid and Bille - the sunshine floods in through the windows, basking the living space in a wonderful golden light. 

Take a look through the rooms and you'll spot a blend of well-loved Danish design as well some must-have pieces of the moment! Let's take a closer look. 

Arguably the most popular lamp of the moment in Scandinavian homes is this one by Valerie Object. I think everyone is drawn to it as it comes in a variety of zesty hues so it's a great way to add a touch of colour. But actually, Mie is a real dab hand at DIY and made this look-alike lamp herself! If you're on instagram, check out her highlights for more information. 

Another popular piece right now: the humble glass wall cabinet! Have you noticed them a lot in Scandinavian homes lately too? I think they add so much to a wall, and you can vary the items for a constantly changing display. 

I don't think I've seen shelves like this before, have you? I have a feeling they are vintage - I'll do a little digging on that one and update the post if I can find out more! 

The mastered has been placed on a raised platform - note that the gaps in the slats mean that air can circulate under the mattress which is vitally important to prevent mould. 

Apart from the beams, which are of course beautiful, I also love the set of three pendant lamps and also the way a pretty top has been hung up for decoration. Easy art which can be changed according to your mood, the day of week or the season! 

The pond mirror from Ferm Living is a popular piece for obvious reasons: mirror and art in one! 

Rattan and vintage furniture ensure a lovely, relaxed look in the children's bedrooms. 

Another beautiful glass cabinet! They are great for storage since you can see everything inside and yet they keep the dust off. Keep a look out for glass cabinets at second-hand stores - and paint them to match your style!

I love the masks! You can pick up similar at Hay. Note the classic Peter Rabbit book. I used to love Beatrix Potter as a child, but my daughter burst into tears when I read out that Peter Rabbit had lost his button and had got himself into danger with Mr McGregor (spoiler alert!), so we had to wait a while longer before we read it again! 

On warm days, the family spills out into the garden and relaxes on rattan furniture or around a table under the boughs of a tree. 

Note what a difference an outdoor rug can do to create a room-like feel! 

I hope you enjoyed this tour of Mie's home! You can see more corners over on her instagram @mieborup. 

Mie also sells secondhand danish children's clothes at @small_reusers and adult clothes at @det.lille.gule.hus.salg. 

Would you like take the tour of a few other Danish homes today? Here are a few that are bound to inspire:

A calm and earthy danish home with a warm golden touch

Prints, pattern and splashes of colour in a Danish home

The Copenhagen home of an interior stylist and vintage store owner

This Danish summer cottage is available to rent this summer and so is this one! Just saying! 

Right, I'm off to enjoy a little sunshine - work can wait. After all, as I mentioned, we're never quite sure how long it'll be around for! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of @mieborup, shared with kind permission. 

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