Houzz Tours
Decorating
My Houzz: A Scandi-chic Home Simply Decorated for Christmas
Natural winter decorations embellish a white-and-wood Scandi palette in this revamped Danish home
This detached brick house in Horsens, Denmark, was built in 1926 as a residence for employees of the nearby prison. Fast-forward the better part of a century, and ownership passed through the hands of the notorious Bandidos biker gang, which had been involved in the Great Nordic Biker War that rocked Scandinavian countries in the 1990s.
By 2009, subsequent owners had torn down almost all of the interior and begun a long renovation process that teh current owners, Janni Mellemgaard Hansen and her boyfriend, Peter Dahl Nielsen, have keenly continued. Among other things, Janni and Peter have created a beautiful garden where there had once only been weeds and a large motorcycle parking area.
The pair’s love of nature extends to their Christmas decorations, with dried flowers, spruce cuttings in jars or branches artfully decorated with baubles in nearly every room.
By 2009, subsequent owners had torn down almost all of the interior and begun a long renovation process that teh current owners, Janni Mellemgaard Hansen and her boyfriend, Peter Dahl Nielsen, have keenly continued. Among other things, Janni and Peter have created a beautiful garden where there had once only been weeds and a large motorcycle parking area.
The pair’s love of nature extends to their Christmas decorations, with dried flowers, spruce cuttings in jars or branches artfully decorated with baubles in nearly every room.
Janni knows all the hardware stores in Horsens like the back of her hand. Over the past five years, she and Peter have painted, plastered and grouted the house, landscaped the garden and built a greenhouse, shed and garage. “We got professional help for the roof, but otherwise we did most of it ourselves,” Janni says.
The couple share an interest in interior design. “It’s a good project to work on together – you get to know each other better. I’m good at visualising the final results, while Peter has become more and more skilled as a handyman. When we first met, my toolbox was bigger, but that’s no longer the case.”
Find experts for every stage of your renovation in the Houzz Professionals Directory.
The couple share an interest in interior design. “It’s a good project to work on together – you get to know each other better. I’m good at visualising the final results, while Peter has become more and more skilled as a handyman. When we first met, my toolbox was bigger, but that’s no longer the case.”
Find experts for every stage of your renovation in the Houzz Professionals Directory.
The home’s white walls and floors make for a bright and welcoming atmosphere. Janni and Peter sanded the exposed beams throughout the house, including here in the hallway, but left them otherwise unfinished for a raw, rustic contrast to the bright interiors.
Some of ceramicist Bjørn Wiinblad’s Four Seasons plates, in various sizes, hang on the hallway wall. “My grandmother used to collect the small ones, so I developed a love for them early on,” Janni says.
It’s not just hardware stores that Janni and Peter frequented throughout the renovation: they’re also diligent flea-market hunters. She describes their interior style as retro with a touch of new.
“Many of our things are heirlooms from my family and flea-market finds,” she says. “I prefer things with a story. I grew up on a farm where there was room to keep heirlooms from generations past. These things were then passed on to me, so it took quite a few truck loads to get them here.”
Bulbs decorate the branches hanging from the ceiling. It looks like classic Christmas décor, but Janni sees it as winter decoration that livens up the space during the dark Scandinavian winters. The real fox fur on the coat rack is a flea-market find that Janni wore around her neck for just one party. Now it has its definitive place in the hall as a decorative feature.
Some of ceramicist Bjørn Wiinblad’s Four Seasons plates, in various sizes, hang on the hallway wall. “My grandmother used to collect the small ones, so I developed a love for them early on,” Janni says.
It’s not just hardware stores that Janni and Peter frequented throughout the renovation: they’re also diligent flea-market hunters. She describes their interior style as retro with a touch of new.
“Many of our things are heirlooms from my family and flea-market finds,” she says. “I prefer things with a story. I grew up on a farm where there was room to keep heirlooms from generations past. These things were then passed on to me, so it took quite a few truck loads to get them here.”
Bulbs decorate the branches hanging from the ceiling. It looks like classic Christmas décor, but Janni sees it as winter decoration that livens up the space during the dark Scandinavian winters. The real fox fur on the coat rack is a flea-market find that Janni wore around her neck for just one party. Now it has its definitive place in the hall as a decorative feature.
Two small spruces from Janni’s father’s plantation decorate the hallway. She cleaned the soil off the roots and washed and brushed them into shape a little before putting them into two old mason jars. Janni plans to replant them in the spring.
The wooden crates were flea-market finds. They serve as shelves and also cover the bottom half of a door in the living room.
“There are two exits to the terrace, and we chose to block one with crates. It’s an easy solution that provides space for books, pictures and plants while still allowing us to enjoy the daylight and the view,” Janni says.
“There are two exits to the terrace, and we chose to block one with crates. It’s an easy solution that provides space for books, pictures and plants while still allowing us to enjoy the daylight and the view,” Janni says.
The Christmas tree is a spruce, once again from Janni’s father’s Christmas tree farm. “We have the Christmas tree up for the whole of December – it’s so cosy,” Janni says. “The last couple of years, we didn’t have many Christmas decorations up because we were renovating the house. So this year, I’m enjoying it even more.”
The Christmas tree stands in water. The couple kept it in the sunroom for a while before setting it up, so it would acclimatise to the indoor environment.
Star on top, Søstrene Grene. Candle holders, the Karen Blixen Jul collection by Rosendahl.
Star on top, Søstrene Grene. Candle holders, the Karen Blixen Jul collection by Rosendahl.
Advent wreaths are traditional in Scandinavia. One candle is lit four weeks before Christmas, then the second the following week, and so on, with all four shining bright on the Sunday before Christmas.
This natural advent wreath is from last year. It’s been embellished with pine cones and new advent candles.
Chandelier, Lisbeth Dahl.
This natural advent wreath is from last year. It’s been embellished with pine cones and new advent candles.
Chandelier, Lisbeth Dahl.
Janni and Peter love to cook, and make meals from scratch every day, so the gas hob and extractor hood are important elements of the kitchen. The woktop and sink are sturdy granite.
Kitchen, Kreum (formerly known as Biga). Granite worktop, Kuma.
Kitchen, Kreum (formerly known as Biga). Granite worktop, Kuma.
The kitchen-dining room had already been renovated when the couple moved in. However, they chose to remove a few large kitchen cabinets to get more light in the room.
Dining table and oak chairs, Woud.
Dining table and oak chairs, Woud.
Here the table is set with the Ballerina dining set by Bing & Grondahl. “It was my grandmother’s, but it was never on display when we were kids. Now it’s visible on a sideboard and we set the table with it on special occasions,” Janni says.
Janni decorated the table with pine cones and dried Dutch garlic from the garden. They are easy to cut when dry and keep well, so the bouquet grows from year to year.
The candle holders are from a car-boot sale. “We were there almost every Sunday when we moved in. We love hunting around flea markets – it’s something fun to do together,” Janni says.
Janni decorated the table with pine cones and dried Dutch garlic from the garden. They are easy to cut when dry and keep well, so the bouquet grows from year to year.
The candle holders are from a car-boot sale. “We were there almost every Sunday when we moved in. We love hunting around flea markets – it’s something fun to do together,” Janni says.
The blue fabric napkins are decorated with baby’s breath and a ribbon. Peter collects the Laguiole cutlery that lends a bit of balance to the otherwise dainty table setting. The pieces of raw wood that hold the place cards add another more rugged touch.
The wood-burning stove in the kitchen-diner seems to float on the chimney. It’s used year-round. “We chose to place it quite high up, so you look right into the fire. There’s glass on the sides, again to make more of it visible and make it cosier,” Janni says.
The Aduro 9 stove comes with an app that monitors the temperature and sends a notification when more wood is needed, among other things. All of the firewood for this and a second stove in the basement comes from Janni’s father’s nursery.
The Aduro 9 stove comes with an app that monitors the temperature and sends a notification when more wood is needed, among other things. All of the firewood for this and a second stove in the basement comes from Janni’s father’s nursery.
The huge mirror is the first thing guests notice when they enter the living room. It came from a manor house; Janni bought it on dba.dk, a Danish classifieds site. “We picked it up with a giant trailer. This is just the perfect place for it,” Janni says. The couple’s nephews and nieces love to dance in front of it, and always leave nice fingerprints on it afterwards.
The old radio is fully functioning. It features a drinks cabinet on one side and a turntable on the other. The couple found it at a flea market when they were on holiday. They agreed that Peter would try to make it work, and Janni would clean it. “Peter finished in half an hour – I took 20 hours,” Janni says.
The footstool was another flea-market find. The couple reupholstered it in fabric from Kvadrat.
“The coffee table is a drop-leaf table by Ikea. We just shortened the legs so it fits like a coffee table,” she says.
Chair; rug, both Hay.
Shop mirrors on Houzz.
The old radio is fully functioning. It features a drinks cabinet on one side and a turntable on the other. The couple found it at a flea market when they were on holiday. They agreed that Peter would try to make it work, and Janni would clean it. “Peter finished in half an hour – I took 20 hours,” Janni says.
The footstool was another flea-market find. The couple reupholstered it in fabric from Kvadrat.
“The coffee table is a drop-leaf table by Ikea. We just shortened the legs so it fits like a coffee table,” she says.
Chair; rug, both Hay.
Shop mirrors on Houzz.
“The house dates from 1926, and deserves some features that match its age,” Janni says.
They found the old basin pictured here on dba.dk. The taps provide hot and cold water, despite the fact they’re both marked ‘hot’.
The lichen-covered branch was conceived as winter décor, but the couple might just keep it there all year long.
They found the old basin pictured here on dba.dk. The taps provide hot and cold water, despite the fact they’re both marked ‘hot’.
The lichen-covered branch was conceived as winter décor, but the couple might just keep it there all year long.
On the wall along the stairs hang pictures of the family and of trips and other important events in the couple’s life. “It’s nice to walk past them several times a day,” Janni says.
The ceiling on the landing opens all the way up to the roof ridge. “You have a beautiful view from here, so we set up a place where you can sit and enjoy it,” she says.
Table, Hay.
The ceiling on the landing opens all the way up to the roof ridge. “You have a beautiful view from here, so we set up a place where you can sit and enjoy it,” she says.
Table, Hay.
In the bedroom window hangs a “snowstorm” Janni made out of wooden beads and beaded snowflakes suspended on golden strings.
The simple décor lends the bedroom a romantic look. Janni tied spruce branches and baby’s breath flowers onto a ring from a hobby shop and added a candle-holder clip.
The guest room is dominated by a white dressing table Janni inherited from her great grandfather. The vase on the right comes from Nuuk in Greenland, where Janni did her student teaching.
A picture of a walrus decorates the wall. The old beer crates are flea-market finds, and the guitar is standing ready for when Janni starts learning how to play.
A picture of a walrus decorates the wall. The old beer crates are flea-market finds, and the guitar is standing ready for when Janni starts learning how to play.
The old wardrobe came from Janni’s childhood neighbours’ farm, where she spent lots of time as a kid. It’s been painted white and given new Anne Black knobs.
The ceiling fixture was once a heat lamp for calves and piglets. The Nisse – a creature not unlike a Christmas elf – and archive boxes were found at flea markets.
The ceiling fixture was once a heat lamp for calves and piglets. The Nisse – a creature not unlike a Christmas elf – and archive boxes were found at flea markets.
The table in the study has been painted and covered in protective varnish. An old screw organiser now stores office supplies. The chair and lamp are refurbished flea-market finds. Janni made the bunting herself.
The about 140 sq ft (13 sq m) detached conservatory extends the outdoor season by a couple of months. Janni and Peter love to relax here, as do their three cats.
The garden chairs were found on Lauritz.com, an online auction site similar to eBay; they were painted to suit the room’s romantic feel.
Janni and Peter built the base and the floor of this Vitavia Sirius conservatory. “Unfortunately, we’ve been quite unlucky with storms, so this is our third greenhouse of this kind,” Janni says.
The garden chairs were found on Lauritz.com, an online auction site similar to eBay; they were painted to suit the room’s romantic feel.
Janni and Peter built the base and the floor of this Vitavia Sirius conservatory. “Unfortunately, we’ve been quite unlucky with storms, so this is our third greenhouse of this kind,” Janni says.
The couple enjoy hot chocolate and homemade cake here on cold days. Candles, blankets and cushions provide warmth. Peter made the oak table himself out of wood from Janni’s father’s nursery.
Along the conservatory’s ceiling hangs a larch branch, which Janni decorated with beads, snowflakes and small white folded-paper stars. “The décor is homemade and easy to replace if the sun turns it yellowish over time,” Janni says. The branch is suspended with steel wire and transparent fishing line.
The couple also built a greenhouse out of lots of old bricks and 21 old windows.
“It required a lot of prep work, advice and tons of research,” Janni says. The materials for the about 97 sq ft (9 sq m) greenhouse came from dba.dk and its windows were taken from the rectory in Janni’s home town, Thyregod.
“The windows start almost at ground level, and the greenhouse floor is below the outdoor soil level; 90cm below ground level, there’s no frost, so our summer flowers can overwinter here,” Janni says.
“Part of the paint chipped off accidentally,” she says, “but it was a blessing in disguise because we love the worn look.” Over winter, the empty plant boxes are covered with larch planks and are used for ornamental purposes or as benches. Mason jars with small trees and stars add a festive touch.
“It required a lot of prep work, advice and tons of research,” Janni says. The materials for the about 97 sq ft (9 sq m) greenhouse came from dba.dk and its windows were taken from the rectory in Janni’s home town, Thyregod.
“The windows start almost at ground level, and the greenhouse floor is below the outdoor soil level; 90cm below ground level, there’s no frost, so our summer flowers can overwinter here,” Janni says.
“Part of the paint chipped off accidentally,” she says, “but it was a blessing in disguise because we love the worn look.” Over winter, the empty plant boxes are covered with larch planks and are used for ornamental purposes or as benches. Mason jars with small trees and stars add a festive touch.
An old door from Janni’s father’s farm stands in the garden with old Madam Blå enamelware hanging from it. Janni varies their contents through the year. She puts wild daffodils here early on, displays flowers in the summer, and nurtures cuttings towards autumn, so they can be replanted later. The milk churn also came from her father’s farm.
The pair store tools in the garden shed. Janni and Peter have put up a lot of fairy lights in the garden, some of which are even remote controlled.
The wreath on the door and the larch branch with pine cones are further examples of the natural winter décor Janni likes to surround herself with. “I grew up in the countryside with a lot of nature around me, so the garden is important to me, as are winter decorations that can last until March, when the garden comes alive again.”
Tell us…
What do you think of this home with natural decorations? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
The wreath on the door and the larch branch with pine cones are further examples of the natural winter décor Janni likes to surround herself with. “I grew up in the countryside with a lot of nature around me, so the garden is important to me, as are winter decorations that can last until March, when the garden comes alive again.”
Tell us…
What do you think of this home with natural decorations? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
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Who lives here? Janni Mellemgaard Hansen, 32, and her boyfriend, Peter Dahl Nielsen, both teachers
Location In the old working-class district of Horsens, 30 miles southwest of Aarhus, Denmark
Size About 1,830 sq ft (170 sq m), including the basement, on a quarter of an acre of land