The cool home of a Danish architect

It's Friday, the sun's shining and things are hotting up here in Malmö! Hope they are where you are too?! Just over the bridge in Denmark is this oh so cool Danish home belonging to architect Friederike Faller. Friedericke and his family have decorated the space with muted tones and made maximum use of every square inch (check out the high storage in the hall, kitchen, sitting room and dining room and the desks in the bedroom). I also love the way Mikkel Adsbol has photographed it  - the angles, the light. A perfect home tour for a Friday don't you think?!

Home: Friedericke Faller. Photographer: Mikkel Adsbol (with kind permission). Boligliv. Via Decordots with thanks. 

Anything that stands out to you?

I love the rope ladder on the bunk bed - my girls have been asking for a slide on theirs (Hahaha. No). But actually this could be a great alternative. Incidentally if you're looking for a spring / summer wardrobe for your little ones this weekend, Smallable are giving away 20 Petit Bateau outfits, 16 Finger in the nose and 5 Imps and Elves outfits in an amazing Grand Prize Draw throughout April. I'm all over it!

Back to the all important home tour - if you loved this Danish home, you might also like to check out these spaces: a Danish oasis in Cannes, the beautiful home of a Danish designer, and since it's the weekend, a pretty Danish home by the sea. *Sigh*, I could live in all of these, couldn't you?

For those of you with a bare wall at home - I love the scalloped walls shown in this post from Weekday Carnival, also master of the Geometric wall. Bare walls no longer!

And a quick reminder, don't forget to enter the give-away to win the t-shirt soft bed linen, tomorrow's the last day! I'll be back Sunday with the give-away winner announcement and a rare Sunday post (with a fabulous home tour I might add!). So see you then and have a wonderful Friday / Saturday!

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A Rare Peek Behind The Facade of Copenhagen's Colourful Nyhavn!

No trip to the Danish capital would be complete without visiting Nyhavn, a 17th century waterfront, canal and entertainment district lined with brightly coloured townhouses, bars, restaurants and historical ships. But have you ever wondered what lies behind the colourful facade? Photographer Céline Hallas, husband Daniel, children Samuel (15) and Sienna (11) and their "very beloved dog" Yoda reside in an apartment with side views onto the canal. I caught up with Céline to find out more about what it's like to live in the famous district, her love of colour, collecting art and secret Copenhagen tips!

How did you get hold of your apartment? I can imagine it's pretty tricky to get hold of one?!
I really don't know how it happened. We had sold our old home without finding a new place to live and actually had to move in with my parents. We were looking in a totally different part of Copenhagen, but while we were sitting there in my parents' basement, constantly looking at what was for sale, this apartment in Nyhavn kept haunting my dreams with it's beautiful details and colourful courtyard. We fell in love with the apartment, not the area. We really didn't know the area and the fact we now never want to live anywhere else is pure luck!



What do you love most about living in Nyhavn? 
I love being surrounded by culture and history and even though it becomes part of everyday life, I always feel so blessed when I return home each day and see the colourful houses - this is home! To live by the water feels like an amazing gift. Sometimes when I open the windows in the early morning and smell the sea, I have to pinch myself to believe I'm not dreaming.

Are there any challenges? 
Sure there are! Tourists LOL! I sometimes feel they forget that this is our home with all that comes with it and not just a place where they can ensure the perfect picture to document their trip to Denmark!

I love the colour in your home - how do you decide on each shade?
I have always been obsessed with colours and colour combinations and it has always been my strength. So for me, it's more instinctive then sitting down and deciding on a colour. I find inspiration all over the place. I primarily use Farrow & Ball, the colours are all so beautiful.

Do you have any tips for anyone looking to use more colour?
Don't be scared, what's the worst thing that can happen? Maybe you'll have to re-paint it to get it right -  it's so worth it. Life is so much more fun when you fill it with colour.

You have some wonderful pieces of furniture in your home, what are you drawn to?
I'm not into one style, I'm into great design and quality. I am drawn to pieces with colours, but I'm very selective about colours, it has to be just right, I'm very colour sensitive. If something has a 'wrong' tone it makes me depressed, I wish I was kidding but it affects me a lot.

Where do you shop for furniture? 
We primarily buy at auctions - Lauritz and Bruun Rasmussen. But we also find a lot at dba (a Danish online second hand shop).

Do you have a favourite piece? 
I think I have three! Our green couch from VITRA - beautiful to look at and even better to relax in. Our dressing table - it's hard to find a piece of furniture that brings so much joy. And our amazing post modernist floor lamp called Callimaco from Artemide, it just make me so happy to look at!

I love all your art, have you been collecting for a long time? 

Art has always been an important part of my life and I have had some of the pieces wfor years - such as the Wiinblad and Richard Mortensen. Over the last few years, my husband as really started to enjoy art in a new way and we both really love filling our home with it. 

Who are your favourite artists?

Wiinblad will always have a special place in my heart! But within the more contemporary art scene, I love Eske Kath, his work is loud, poetic and colourful- and I must say, that talks to my heart! I also like Farshad Farzankia and Evren Tekinoktay.

Do you have any secret Copenhagen tips?
I don't know if I have any - but if you are into art, I would recommend swinging by Bruun Rasmussen when you are visiting Nyhavn. It might be an auction house, but it feels like an ever-changing art
gallery.

How fun to take a peek behind Nyhavn's facade. I often look up at the open windows and wonder what lies beyond!

Thank you so much for inviting us into your home Céline!

You can see more pictures of her home and insights into family life in the district of Nyhavn here.

I particularly loved the gallery walls - it's especially refreshing to see a children's bedroom with more mature artwork, which could help them to appreciate the beauty of art in a different way. What do you think?

Another thing that's really interesting about the Danes is that they are massively forward thinking and as a result, big trend setters. If you like to keep your home bang up to date, it's worth taking note of  the colour schemes, materials, patterns etc in this home - they'll almost certainly be a hot trend next year!

For more 'great Dane' inspiration I'm loving a Danish home that's sunny on the inside, the fabulous Danish home of an interior designer and a warm and inviting Danish home.

I do love the relaxed Danish style, how about you?!

Hav en god dag! See you Friday!

Niki

All photography by Céline Hallas, shared with kind permission. 

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A Fabulous Danish Home In A Plethora of Colours!

So, mina raringar, here's the colourful Danish home I've been telling you about. And I wasn't kidding - colour fiends out there, are going to do a little dance when they see this!! It's fabulous! Located in leafy Frederiksberg, Copenhagen, this colourful bonanza of a home belongs to Cathrine de Lichtenberg, her husband and dog Pedersen. The trio occupy the ground floor and basement of the old Patricia villa which dates back to 1898! I caught up with Cathrine, who works at the fabulous flower design studio Poppykalas and also as an interior stylist, to find out more: 

Brumbury table lamp, Uno form kitchen cabinets, wall colour: Deco Pink 2782

Have you always loved colour?

Yes, in elementary school I would always colour match my belt, bag, socks, t-short and other details! The same with the colours on my bedroom wall - which were everything from pink to mint green- However, as a teenager, I became a little insecure (like most!) and found comfort in dressing like others. - so, I toned it down. But today I mix and match my clothes as I feel fit for the day, and I have a very relaxed approach to paint. If I have a feeling about a new colour, I just do it - it can always be redone! 

Vertigo ceiling light*, Series 7 chair*, Flower field rug from Layered. 

What are your go-to home decorating colours?

I don't think there are any main colours. However blue, light pink and lavender tend to appear in most rooms. 

IKEA stool painted in Dyrup metallic 'Shiny blue' 

Flower Field Wool Rug, sofa from Sofa Company, wall colour: Smooth White 8470

Scandinavian homes are synonymous with being white or monochrome, would you say there's also scope for lots of colour? 

Yes, colours are becoming more and more normal in Scandinavian style. Having said that, I don't think we have a typically Scandinavian style. Ours is a mix of everything we like - no rules! 

Montana storage units

What inspired the colours in your home?

A mood, a feeling, a fruit, a pattern, a photo, a dress, or whatever awakes the feeling in me and drives me to implement it in my home. 

Curtains from &Drape, pale blue bedding*

Do you have any tips for anyone looking to introduce more colour into their home?

Don't think too much, just do it! 

If four walls feel like too much, start with one... and if that still feels like too much, then add pillows and vases in the colour you love the most as a great starting point! 

I love using fruit and vegetables to add colour in the kitchen, and of course flowers! Place them in a colourful bowl on the table - it's an easy way to bring energy to the room. 

Well, well, well, where do I even start?! 

Maybe with Pedersen! Doesn't he look happy in this home? I don't blame him. 

I think the most exciting thing of all about stumbling across Cathrine's home on instagram (@cathdelichtenberg - in case you're curious!) is that it's unlike any Scandinavian home I've seen before. It really has put a spring in my step. 

I love her colour tips too, so simple! 

I'd love to hear what you loved most about this Copenhagen home! Has it tempted you to add more colour too?

In case you're feeling the colour therapy today, here are some other fabulous Scandinavian homes filled with colour:

An artful and relaxed home in Aarhus

Embracing the blues in the Danish home of Michael Schmidt

Spring has sprung in this delightful Copenhagen home

Happy lillördag friends!

Niki

Photography: Cathrine de Lichtenberg

This post contains some affiliate links which means I might make a tiny amount of money if you click on a link marked with * and buy something. 

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A Dreamy Copenhagen Home Full of Books, Art and Danish Design

Friday totally calls for something fabulous. And when I discovered the Danish home of architectural technology student Freja Bak Petersen I knew I'd found just the place! Freja's Copenhagen apartment is a total dream! Just the glimpse of the books in her dining room in yesterday's Danish home round-up had me searching instagram for more, and her feed was awash with room after room filled with mid-century Danish design pieces, colourful art, stacks of books and subtle details that make the space truly unique and personal. Buckle up friends, you're in a for a real ride! 

Freja found the Børge Mogensen dining table on Scandinavian auction site Lauritz.

I could climb into that classic Kludestolen chair by Bernt Petersen and read all weekend, how about you?!  I also love floating bookshelves it helps to maintain a lovely light and airy feel (unfortunately, we don't have many walls in our home that could support this - do you?). 

Freja built the shelves herself (you can see a slide show of the process, including before pictures, here). So clever!

Instead of ripping it out, Freja kept the original 1920s kitchen and updated the cabinets with a lick of Retro paint by Beckers. The kitchen walls have been painted in Salt, also by Beckers. 

A plaster wall in the living room breaks up the white and adds a load of texture to the sitting room. 

It's the subtle touches in Freja's home, like the colour of the floor, that makes it so personal. "I painted the floors in a very light blue with a touch of grey. I love that they are light blue!" Freja told me. 

The velvet 'Floyd sofa' in matt beige is from the Sofa Company. 

What a perfect way to create room for a home office in a small space without having to stare at your work / study notes from bed! So inspiring! Freja made the desk herself using IKEA legs and a lacquered MDF board. The lamp is from Møller & Rothe.  

Oh, how I loved this home tour. I hope you also felt inspired!

Did anything stand out to you in particular?

I love the light blue floor (Freja has promised to come back with the exact colour code over the weekend. I'll stop by and update the post as soon as I receive it.

In the meantime, you can see plenty more pictures of Freja's home over on instagram here.

It seems the Danish design love fest has become a two-day affair! If you missed yesterday's post, I strongly recommend you pour yourself a coffee and hop over there now - so many dreamy spaces!

Other dreamy danish homes to love over the weekend include a rare peek behind the facade of Copenhagen's colourful Nyhavn, the cool home of a Danish architect and hygge and pops of colour in Hanna Järver's creative home.

Have a fabulous couple of days, friends!

Niki

If you're an interior designer or architect make sure you stop by over the weekend as I'll be announcing a very exciting contest!

Photography: Freja Bak Petersen, shared with kind permission.

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