Before & after: A Copenhagen Town House Is Transformed Into a Fresh Family Home

I love seeing the before and after shots of a space, do you? It really demonstrates the vision and level of work that has gone into an interior. Today, I thought I'd take you on a tour of Maria Elisabeth's house in Frederiksberg, Copenhagen. I once had the pleasure of visiting a house on the same street for my book The Scandinavian Home - and fell in love with the leafy neighbourhood. 

When Maria Elisabeth and her boyfriend Niels bought the house in 2019 it needed work. "It was in a state and was in really bad shape," Marie Elisabeth recalls. "There was a hole in the roof, water damage etc." The pair set about renovating every room single in the house, putting in a new kitchen and bathroom as well replacing the floors in the process. The couple moved in in 2020 and now enjoy a beautiful home with their three children Carl Oscar (7). Esther Emilie (5) and Wilmar Emil (1). Here are some snapshots of how it looked before they started, and how it looks today: 

Kitchen before

Kitchen after

The kitchen was completely gutted. Today cabinets from Stilleben Architects - who pride themselves on kitchens and interiors made to last for generations - add a beautiful, timeless touch, while the bare upper walls help to bring the look up to date. 

The walls have been painted in Clunch Farrow & Ball. 

Living room before

Living room after

The sitting room areas were also given a total overhaul - with the exception of the beautiful parquet floor which was carefully maintained. 

The custom-built cabinetry and shelves around the doorway are a classic Danish trick for displaying books, art and other items.

The walls have been painted in colour code NCS 1000-N. 

Sofa - Hay, Rug - Menu, Large O Table - Ox Denmarq 

Lamp - Valerie Objects, armchair - &Tradition

Hallway / stairs before

Hallway after

A fitted carpet was stripped away to reveal the wood, which has then been given a fresh lick of white paint. The walls have been painted in Raw Canvas by Jotun. 

Guest bedroom before

Guest bedroom after

The A-frame ceiling has been partly filled in to seal the hole in the roof and add insulation, while part of the beam structure (which has been stained white) adds character to the space. 

The walls have been painted in Touch of Grey by File Under Pop. 

Bathroom before

Bathroom after

The dated tiles were swapped out in favour of a cleaner finish - including a terrazzo floor from Råform- and the shower was reduced in size to make space for a loo. 

The love taps, shower head and loo flush are all by Vola. The walls have been painted in Cream by File Under Pop and the lamp is from Flos. 

Garden before

Garden after

The garden was reconfigured to include a storage unit with a turf roof - as well as two separate social areas, one for dining and one for relaxing! 

All in all, a beautiful, fresh transformation - which I understand, was a lengthy labour of love - but so worth it! 

Is there anything that stood out to you about Maria Elisabeth's renovation? You can see more pics over at @husetpaafrederiksberg and also find out more details about every room in her instagram highlights. 

Would you like to see a few other Danish before and after tours today? I love these: 

A century-old Danish thatched cottage is given a revamp

Before and after, a rundown cabin becomes a vibrant danish summer cottage 

A dated 1950s danish house gets a fabulous makeover 

I hope you have felt as inspired by all these renovations as much as I have been! Got to love the Danish flair for design! 

Niki

Photography @husetpaafrederiksberg - shared with kind permission. 

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Before and After: A Run Down Property becomes a Beautiful Swedish Farmhouse

Ever driven passed a dilapidated house in your neighbourhood and dreamt about bringing it back to its former glory? I'd actually parked that thought - until I spotted interior designer Sandra Östlind's beautiful farmhouse. When Sandra bought the property, it was in need of a complete overhaul, which would be enough to put off even the most prolific DIYer. But Sandra and her partner saw it as an opportunity. After a painstaking renovation, which involved a new roof, stripping and painting the facade as well as an interior gut job, Sörbergets Farm in Västerbotten County, Sweden, has become a beautiful light and airy family home. Let's take a peek at the transformation.

Exterior Before

After

For the facade, Sandra developed her own paint colour known as 'Sandras sörvit' - and available through Stuv Butiken. The difference is quite incredible! 

Before

After
Sandra swapped out the old, rotten front door for a new 'Bleckhall Långeskär door from Doorly, painted in her own blend: Sandras Skogsgrön (available at Stuv Butiken as before). The wall light is a classic style for this type of Swedish house - and bought from Ljus Experten.

Before

After

The existing kitchen was stopped out and replaced with traditional Swedish Marbodal units in 'Fagerö Beige'. 

Cabinet Before

After
Slight diversion from the room 'before and afters' here - but I wanted to include this cabinet update as an inspiring reminder of how you can easily transform a flea market find with a lick of paint!

Children's room before

After

Perhaps the craziest renovation of all in this home is the Ebbe's room. It's gone from a derelict upstairs loft space into a beautiful children's room that oozes character and old school charm. I particularly love the wallpaper (from Stuvbutiken) with matching blinds from Ikea and the exposed beams. 

Hallway / entrance before 

After

Sandra sanded down the wood panels on the ceiling before applying 'Helvit' from Herdins Färgverk and pretty 'Dahlia Garden' wallpaper by Boråstapeter. 

Before Entrance

After 

Sometimes you scratch the surface of these old houses and realise the issue is a whole lot bigger than you bargained for. This is what happened with the entrance. Sandra was planning on changing the door (as before), but it turned out the wall was so rotten that she had to replace the entire wall and window. Every cloud has a silver lining though - now their entrance is a lot brighter as a result!

What a wonderful transformation! I live the calming green tones throughout, and the fresh feel of the space. 

It has me dreaming of a house renovation project all over again (don't tell Per!), how about you?

You can see more of Sandra's lovely country home over on her instagram feed @sandrashem. 

If you feel like marvelling over more before and after reveals, why not delve into this archive - some of the transformations are absolutely incredible! 

I hope you're feeling as inspired as I am! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Sandra Östlind, shared with kind permission. 

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Before And After: A Dated Georgia House Gets The Scandi Treatment!

Oh, how I love to see before and after shots. I find it so inspiring to get an idea of the complete transformation - and the feeling that anything is possible with a little imagination and hard graft (and depending on the scale, some cash, of course!) - how about you? When my amazingly talented friend Valentina Fussell acquired her home in Georgia, Atlanta it was dated and a sea of beige, beige and more beige. But the moment she and her husband Jack and their three children stepped through the door they were in love. Looking at the bones, I can totally see why! Valentina had the vision to turn the house into a striking, contemporary, light-filled home inspired by their years abroad, including a stint in Copenhagen. You might recall a previous feature of the house here (and a tour of their Danish home here) but I couldn't resist revisiting the space today to share a little more about the transformation and show some of the before pictures. Drumroll, please! 

KITCHEN (BEFORE)

AFTER 

Valentina and Jack completely gutted the kitchen and decided on dark grey cabinets (from Bell Cabinetry & Design) to add energy and a sense of drama to the space. Dark colours also help to mask appliances. 

VALENTINA'S OFFICE (BEFORE)

AFTER

Perhaps the most dramatic room in the house, Valentina's office has been painted entirely in dark grey. the large windows help to bathe the space in light. It reminds me a little of the lovely home of Lotta Agaton - what do you think? 

LIVING ROOM (BEFORE)

AFTER

Valentina stuck to her monochromatic scheme and added warmth with details such as books, figurines, photos and plants as well as cushions and blankets. The wood floor is from Authentic Reclaimed Hardwoods and selected due to the imperfect 'alive' nature of the grain which adds texture and a relaxed feel to the monochrome space. I have to say; this room is BEYOND...!!! 

JACK'S OFFICE (BEFORE)

AFTER

This bedroom was transformed into Jack's office. A work in progress (although I struggle to see how it can be improved!), the office has been decorated with a black and white scheme with added texture and interest from a large, patterned rugs, art other personal possessions. 

MASTER BATHROOM (BEFORE)

AFTER

The master bathroom was the first room in the house to be renovated. The pair opted for a more classic look so it would stand the test of time. 

VALENTINA'S DAUGHTER'S ROOM

Valentina's daughter was given free rein to decorate her bedroom. And judging by the results, it seems an eye for design runs in the family! My eldest daughter also loves to personalise her room with pictures - usually ripped out without scissors and haphazardly stuck to the wall using copious amounts of Sellotape! I am feeling particularly inspired by the way the pictures have been displayed in this teenage bedroom! Great inspiration! Thank you! 

What an incredible transformation, don't you think?! Valentina is just so clever!! 

If you're curious to hear more about the renovations and see more of the home (including 'the catwalk' and amazing conservatory, take a peek at her films here and here. 

Valentina recently relaunched House of Valentina stateside and helps others buy, sell, renovate and decorate. One day she dreams of opening a shop loaded with all the items used to stage and decorate homes. If she does, I'll be the first in line, how about you?! 

See more fabulous 'before and afters'! 

Have a lovely day! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Valentina Fussell with thanks. 

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