Houzz Tours
My Houzz: A Scandi Home is Totally Transformed
See the amazing before and after photos of this streamlined and chic coastal house whose design was inspired by ships
When Anna Engel first stepped into what would later become her dream home, it looked more like a nightmare. “It really was a dump. The place smelled and everything was dilapidated,” she says. Since the 1960s it had belonged to one owner who had been unable to care for it in recent years. Yet, finding this battered house in Taarbæk (just north of Copenhagen) seemed almost too good to be true for Engel, who was born and raised in Rungsted, a few kilometers away.
“Taarbæk is a place I have really wanted to live since I was a little girl, and over the last three years I have taken many walks in the area to see what kind of houses were available and what there was to choose from. It is a small, beautiful oasis close to the water. No matter where you live in Taarbæk, you’re always only five minutes from the shore. Because the former fishing village extends no more than one kilometer along the Øresund (the strait between Denmark and Sweden), houses along the coveted stretch are only rarely put up for sale,” explains Engel.
“Taarbæk is a place I have really wanted to live since I was a little girl, and over the last three years I have taken many walks in the area to see what kind of houses were available and what there was to choose from. It is a small, beautiful oasis close to the water. No matter where you live in Taarbæk, you’re always only five minutes from the shore. Because the former fishing village extends no more than one kilometer along the Øresund (the strait between Denmark and Sweden), houses along the coveted stretch are only rarely put up for sale,” explains Engel.
“Even though it was really rundown, I could see its potential. It was just what we were looking for: somewhere we could start over and a place we could put our personal stamp on. It would be entirely our own,” says Engel, who was living with her boyfriend in his apartment at the time.
“When I called Klavs back and said it could be our first real nest, he just told me to go for it. So I almost signed a contract for it before he had even seen it,” she says, laughing.
Then, the massive renovation began. Even though Engel had completely fallen in love with the house, once the eight-month-long renovation process started she had moments when she doubted whether it really was her dream home. “When we started, we quickly realised, ‘OK, this is actually a very small place,’” she says. The house consists of three floors, each about 55 sq m in area, so the couple hired an architect to ensure that the space was optimally utilised.
Engel says that they wanted the house to feel like a ship in its compact and streamlined layout. “Both the sinks and toilets in the bathrooms are floating, so we get as much floor space as possible, and the cabinets are hidden,” she says, adding that there are no visible door frames or thresholds but only smooth, uninterrupted surfaces.
BEFORE The staircase has remained in place, but the doorway that once hid it (pictured here) has been removed.
“The glass wall next to the stairs was put in to make the rooms look larger and give them more light. It was important for us to link the three floors, so it wouldn’t look like a house with a basement, but a coherent three-storey house,” Engel says.
Engel feels that the space where the kitchen, living area and garden meet, at the heart of the house, is definitely the best room. “You can also see the ship inspiration here. The garden is like a deck. The large glass doors by Lacuna open up the room,” she says.
BEFORE The completely open and bright ground floor is a stark contrast to the original layout: The kitchen had been closed off from the rest of the home and a few ordinary glass doors led to the garden.
From the beginning, the couple were determined to make the kitchen an integral part of the living area. In order to give it a more streamlined look, “we decided there wouldn’t be any upper cupboards,” Engel says, “and it wouldn’t be white, as that would make it too minimalist. We chose warm rosewood but used a metal countertop and placed lamps over it to give it an industrial touch.” The handleless kitchen is from Kustomhouse.
Love the look of this kitchen? Discover more design ideas in this Scandinavian-style space
Love the look of this kitchen? Discover more design ideas in this Scandinavian-style space
Since the house is compact and didn’t need too many furnishings, the couple were able to splash out on high-end fittings. In the kitchen space, for instance, the oven is from Gaggenau and all the other fittings are from Dornbracht. This may be a coastal home, but Engel wanted to add modern, industrial-style touches such as the dining chairs and wall lamps.
While Engel generally describes the style in her home as fairly minimalist, it’s also spiced up by some warm elements. The living room has “an Ibiza atmosphere with the white sofa and because it’s completely open to the terrace, but it also has coordinated contrasts in leather and black.”
Mr. Big sofa, Bolia.
Mr. Big sofa, Bolia.
“Klavs is 20 years older than me and it’s great that we’ve managed to mix objects and styles from each of our lives and generations,” Engel says.
For example, the silver details and the chest under the TV are not something his generation would go for. She says,
“When I met Klavs, he had a Lexington style with a white sofa and pillows with American flags, just like the decor in the basement now. This New England style worked really well in the beautiful old apartment we lived in before, with its stucco ceilings. But I’m very much into pink, bright colours, chandeliers and a girlie look. So we mixed both styles.”
For example, the silver details and the chest under the TV are not something his generation would go for. She says,
“When I met Klavs, he had a Lexington style with a white sofa and pillows with American flags, just like the decor in the basement now. This New England style worked really well in the beautiful old apartment we lived in before, with its stucco ceilings. But I’m very much into pink, bright colours, chandeliers and a girlie look. So we mixed both styles.”
Her boyfriend made the coffee table from old ship timber.
When the weather is nice, the garden acts like a natural extension of the living room.
Garden furniture, Idé-møbler.
Garden furniture, Idé-møbler.
The garden is a large terrace. “I wish I could say that I am a gardener, but I’m not interested in gardening. I can’t figure it out and I don’t want to spend time on it. I’d rather sit and drink a glass of wine on the terrace,” says Engel.
10 ways to make your garden a chill-out haven
10 ways to make your garden a chill-out haven
One of the couple’s main wishes was to have two bathrooms. “We designed the bathrooms and decided how everything would fit together ourselves,” Engel says. The sinks, which have a space-saving design, were bought at Lemérand at Hellerup Strandvejand and all the other fittings are from Dornbracht. The floors in the bathrooms are paved with Øland tiles (tiles made of limestone from the Øland island. The stone contains beautiful imperfections and even fossils).
Skylights over the staircase bring in natural light, while inconspicuous, elegant wall lamps provide warm lighting between the main bedroom and the children’s rooms.
Cube wall lamps, Light-Point.
Cube wall lamps, Light-Point.
At the other end of the hallway, an Italian lamp hangs over a work of art by Artpusher, an artist Engel and her boyfriend are crazy about.
Pistillo lamp, Studio Tetrarch.
Pistillo lamp, Studio Tetrarch.
Velvet curtains and pillows stand out against the main bedroom’s white walls and pale floor. The combination makes it look like an exclusive hotel room with a Scandinavian twist.
“We managed to divide the upstairs rooms really well, I think,” says Engel. “Previously, it had been possible to enter the bathroom directly from the hallway, so everyone could access it. However, for me it was important that we, as a couple, have our privacy. The kids have to use the bathroom downstairs. This is our little den.”
Throughout the home there are beautiful, carefully selected details that hold personal significance for the family.
One such detail is a drawing by Henry Heerup: “I got it for my 18th birthday from a person I care about a lot, who thinks I have always smiled at life and all the people on my way. On the back of the picture she has written about how much I mean to her and what a special child I was,” Engel says.
One such detail is a drawing by Henry Heerup: “I got it for my 18th birthday from a person I care about a lot, who thinks I have always smiled at life and all the people on my way. On the back of the picture she has written about how much I mean to her and what a special child I was,” Engel says.
Even though baby Hubert is only six months old, his room had been planned out for years.
“I have waited for little Hubert all my life, so I have actually been thinking about how to decorate his room for several years,” Engel says. She wanted the room to be boyish, filled with adventure and well thought out.
“I thought it should be like walking into a book by Beatrix Potter - a little adventure in a modern home with white walls.”
Wallpaper by Ralph Lauren, Børneværelse med Udsigt in Nyhavn.
“I have waited for little Hubert all my life, so I have actually been thinking about how to decorate his room for several years,” Engel says. She wanted the room to be boyish, filled with adventure and well thought out.
“I thought it should be like walking into a book by Beatrix Potter - a little adventure in a modern home with white walls.”
Wallpaper by Ralph Lauren, Børneværelse med Udsigt in Nyhavn.
In hunting for the right interior for a little boy’s room, Engel spent many hours on the internet and even looked in London.
“I went for classic white furniture and spiced it up with light-blue details, so that it all matches the wallpaper. Among other things, I chose a small clothing rack instead of a closet, partly to save space but also out of style considerations, so the clothes and the little details are visible,” says Engel.
“I went for classic white furniture and spiced it up with light-blue details, so that it all matches the wallpaper. Among other things, I chose a small clothing rack instead of a closet, partly to save space but also out of style considerations, so the clothes and the little details are visible,” says Engel.
Next to the baby’s room is 11-year-old Carla’s realm. It was intentionally designed to not be “too girlie or childish,” Engel says. “It was important to listen to Carla’s needs and think about her age. We kept the walls white and adorned the room with black details and pillows that fit well into a tween universe.” Among other things, it was important that the bed be high and large so it can be used both as a bed and as a sofa when friends are visiting.
The bedside lamp is from the Italian company Artemide and is similar to those that hang in the main bedroom, so there is a stylistic coherence throughout the various rooms. “We have also placed a lamp, Bourgie by Philippe Starck from Kartell, in the corner along with a table from the same series to achieve a more mature look while at the same time creating a girlie and cosy atmosphere,” Engel says.
The bedside lamp is from the Italian company Artemide and is similar to those that hang in the main bedroom, so there is a stylistic coherence throughout the various rooms. “We have also placed a lamp, Bourgie by Philippe Starck from Kartell, in the corner along with a table from the same series to achieve a more mature look while at the same time creating a girlie and cosy atmosphere,” Engel says.
Pillows, lala Berlin and Designers Guild.
The lower floor looks nothing like a traditional basement. Materials, lighting and mood were as highly prioritised here as in the above-ground rooms. “We have Øland tiles in here, just as in the bathrooms, even though it wasn’t the cheapest option. We just didn’t want to compromise, and it was possible not to because the home is not large,” Engel says.
In addition to a guest room, the basement also has a two-car garage.
“It has really surprised me that we could get so much out of just a few square meters,” says Engel. Her tips for others who want to renovate an entire house at once?
“It has really surprised me that we could get so much out of just a few square meters,” says Engel. Her tips for others who want to renovate an entire house at once?
- Use the same materials in all the rooms. This means using the same tiles in all the bathrooms and the same wooden floors in all the rooms. This creates consistency and balance, making your home stylish and well thought through.
- Use only one contractor or have a chief contractor and document everything in writing so that the whole process is organised, can be managed centrally and nothing falls through the cracks. This advice is particularly pertinent when homeowners hire the various contractors and specialists involved in a renovation themselves.
- Use the Houzz app to store ideas and find materials, and save them in an ideabook. Get inspiration from the internet, books and your travels. The most important thing is to know what you want to have done and what materials are required to make up your dream house right from the beginning - you can’t be too prepared for a renovation like this.
Engel is very happy with the location of her home. “It is so wonderful that at six in the morning, I can put on my bathrobe, have a cup of coffee in my hand and just go down to the water for a swim. It is possible that we might move to another house in the future, but we’ll stay in Taarbæk for the rest of our lives.”
Who lives here My Daily Space lifestyle editor Anna Elisabeth Goth Engel, 27, her boyfriend Klavs, 48, their 6-month-old baby Hubert (who hadn’t been born when these pictures were taken) and Klavs’ 11-year-old daughter, Carla, who lives there half the time
Location Taarbæk, about 20km north of Copenhagen, Denmark
Size About 165 sq m, spread over three floors, with a kitchen-dining-living area, 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and a garage
“I have been in love with these two rows of houses for a long time. Eventually I contacted a real-estate agent,” Engel says. “The agent told me, ‘You can forget all about it. These houses only go on the market once every 10 years and are always sold immediately.’”
Last year, when Engel was sitting at the Charlottenlund Søbad beach club and Googling the area, she discovered that a house had gone up for sale on a real-estate agent’s website. She called her boyfriend, who was at work at the time, and he told her to have a look at the house right away. A couple of minutes later -still in her beachwear - she met with the real-estate agent.