Copenhagen Houzz Tour: A Bold New Look for Nordic Style
Not a fan of the all-white trend? This colour-saturated Nordic home is the perfect antidote
With black floors, gold-patterned ceilings and not a single piece of classic designer furniture, Daniélle Bertelsen’s apartment is the exact opposite of most homes in the Vesterbro district of Copenhagen, Denmark. Interiors in this trendy neighbourhood usually tend towards bright white nordic cool, a look Bertelsen isn’t too fond of. “I almost get the creeps when I find myself in an all-white apartment,” says Bertelsen. “I think it is impersonal, cold and not very cosy. It reminds me of a hospital.”
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Daniélle Bertelsen, 38; her boyfriend, Patrick, 28; and their daughter, Ludovica, who is 6 months old
More on the owners: Bertelsen is trained as a social worker with a master’s degree in international development and cultural studies, and specialises in working with children and youth. She also runs Interiorwise, a blog and interior design firm, which works with private homes, shops and hotels. Patrick is studying to become a social worker.
Location: Vesterbro, Copenhagen, Denmark
Size: 90 square metres
Who lives here: Daniélle Bertelsen, 38; her boyfriend, Patrick, 28; and their daughter, Ludovica, who is 6 months old
More on the owners: Bertelsen is trained as a social worker with a master’s degree in international development and cultural studies, and specialises in working with children and youth. She also runs Interiorwise, a blog and interior design firm, which works with private homes, shops and hotels. Patrick is studying to become a social worker.
Location: Vesterbro, Copenhagen, Denmark
Size: 90 square metres
When the couple bought the apartment three years ago, it looked like most other apartments in Copenhagen – with light-coloured plank floors, white walls and white ceilings. They got to work with a colourful palette.
“I thought we could renovate it in a year, but it ended up taking two years because once you get started, there is no end,” says Bertelsen. “Once we had painted the walls, we also had to paint the window frames. When we had painted the window frames, we could see that the wall sockets also needed fixing.”
“I thought we could renovate it in a year, but it ended up taking two years because once you get started, there is no end,” says Bertelsen. “Once we had painted the walls, we also had to paint the window frames. When we had painted the window frames, we could see that the wall sockets also needed fixing.”
There is more consistency in style and atmosphere from room to room than in most homes. This is another reason why Bertelsen’s home stands out so much.
“I often notice that people who want to create a home that’s different are a bit scared to go all the way, since they think it’s too crazy. I have learned that it has to be consistent, so it is better to do a little too much than a little too little,” she says.
“I often notice that people who want to create a home that’s different are a bit scared to go all the way, since they think it’s too crazy. I have learned that it has to be consistent, so it is better to do a little too much than a little too little,” she says.
Half-measures, Bertelsen notes, are rarely good enough. Painting an accent wall in a white-walled home, for example, doesn’t do enough to create warmth in her opinion – often it just ends up looking messy.
“You should either go all out or just leave it as it is. This is also how I felt about these floors. A lot of people think that you shouldn’t touch floors and ceilings, but I believe that it is necessary in order to create a unified [design],” she says.
“You should either go all out or just leave it as it is. This is also how I felt about these floors. A lot of people think that you shouldn’t touch floors and ceilings, but I believe that it is necessary in order to create a unified [design],” she says.
She adds that she is also very privileged to have a boyfriend who is not very interested in interior decoration and who rarely protests against her unique style. “He does sometimes think my ideas sound outrageous when I present them, but once I do it, he’s usually fine with it,” she says.
In fact, Bertelsen thinks that Patrick would now find it difficult to live in a white space. At least, he was skeptical when Bertelsen recently proposed a white decor feature: “But we don’t do white. We don’t like white, do we?” he protested. “No, we don’t,” she said, smiling.
Bertelsen gets the inspiration for her particular style from many different places. When an idea develops, it has to be tested: “It often becomes very experimental. I just do it and then redo it if I don’t like the result.”
In fact, Bertelsen thinks that Patrick would now find it difficult to live in a white space. At least, he was skeptical when Bertelsen recently proposed a white decor feature: “But we don’t do white. We don’t like white, do we?” he protested. “No, we don’t,” she said, smiling.
Bertelsen gets the inspiration for her particular style from many different places. When an idea develops, it has to be tested: “It often becomes very experimental. I just do it and then redo it if I don’t like the result.”
One of the most unique aspects of the apartment is the living-room ceiling. “If I had kept the ceilings white, it would not have been complete. You would have thought, ‘Okay, this is where she ran out of ideas,’” says Bertelsen.
At first she considered painting a pattern all the way around the ceiling. She was inspired by patterned floors with stencils. “I started doing that, but quite quickly I could see that it would be too boring to just have [the pattern] on the edges.”
At first she considered painting a pattern all the way around the ceiling. She was inspired by patterned floors with stencils. “I started doing that, but quite quickly I could see that it would be too boring to just have [the pattern] on the edges.”
So she decided that it would be better to cover the entire ceiling with the golden pattern. However, one out of every five stencils is faded, because a totally uniform pattern would have been too nice. “I feel that it should not be too nice; it should not be too correct.”
Although the slow stencilling process almost made Bertelsen want to give up halfway through, she eventually repeated the pattern over 400 times to create the final design.
Although the slow stencilling process almost made Bertelsen want to give up halfway through, she eventually repeated the pattern over 400 times to create the final design.
Having brand-name items is not a priority. As long as she likes something, it doesn’t matter whether it is an old recycled item, a cheap item from Ikea or an expensive designer product. “I don’t think I actually own a single piece of designer furniture,” says Bertelsen.
The coffee table in the living room is made up of suitcases, which Bertelsen bought from an antiques shop called Tante Tuli, in the Amager district. The shop had once belonged to her aunt. They now store DVDs, a sewing machine and sewing equipment.
The stereotypical bohemian home is less tidy and more casual than Bertelsen’s apartment.
“Even though I like to surround myself with lots of very different things – new and old, expensive and cheap – I don’t like it to look too untidy. But as soon as things are grouped together well, I can cope with it – so that is the solution,” she says with a smile.
“Even though I like to surround myself with lots of very different things – new and old, expensive and cheap – I don’t like it to look too untidy. But as soon as things are grouped together well, I can cope with it – so that is the solution,” she says with a smile.
Bertelsen gets inspiration in a variety of places. One is London-based interior designer Abigail Ahern, who “has a weakness for the dark and, at times, a bit of a crazy style with animals and plants.”
Another source of inspiration is the Italian firm Dimore Studio. “Among other things, they have decorated an apartment in Milan that is open to the public. They play a lot on the contrast between old worn items and new furniture in powerful colours. It’s super cool,” says Bertelsen.
The final influence is closer to home: the interiors shop Rue Verte. “This shop in the centre of Copenhagen features French bohemian style, which I love, with plenty of gold, brass, velour and raw contrasts,” she says.
Another source of inspiration is the Italian firm Dimore Studio. “Among other things, they have decorated an apartment in Milan that is open to the public. They play a lot on the contrast between old worn items and new furniture in powerful colours. It’s super cool,” says Bertelsen.
The final influence is closer to home: the interiors shop Rue Verte. “This shop in the centre of Copenhagen features French bohemian style, which I love, with plenty of gold, brass, velour and raw contrasts,” she says.
Any walls Bertelsen didn’t paint a deep colour she covered in wallpaper. “I found the wallpaper in different places. I often looked on the Internet until I found what I wanted and could afford, since wallpaper is often extremely expensive.”
The most spectacular wallpaper in the apartment is on the longer dining room wall. Bertelsen initially dreamed of papering this wall with a huge image of a lion, but that would have cost about AU$7,500 (35,000 Danish kroner). So in the end she chose the flamingo-inspired fantasy bird, which cost about AU$640 (3,000 Danish kroner) from an online poster store.
The most spectacular wallpaper in the apartment is on the longer dining room wall. Bertelsen initially dreamed of papering this wall with a huge image of a lion, but that would have cost about AU$7,500 (35,000 Danish kroner). So in the end she chose the flamingo-inspired fantasy bird, which cost about AU$640 (3,000 Danish kroner) from an online poster store.
Before
Like the rest of the apartment, the bedroom had been chalky white with light-coloured plank floors when the couple moved in.
Like the rest of the apartment, the bedroom had been chalky white with light-coloured plank floors when the couple moved in.
Now, colour makes its presence felt in the bedroom as well. “The most important thing is that I can look at something that isn’t white when I lie in bed,” she says.
That is why the ceiling in the bedroom is painted in gold and black and decorated with old playbills and Bjørn Wiinblad posters. “I love Bjørn Wiinblad and really wanted to repaper the ceiling with a large wallpaper spread I had found that depicts a large circus [designed by Wiinblad]. But it would have cost an arm and a leg, so instead, I came up with this solution,” she says.
The rack on the wall, which the couple uses for hanging clothes, is an old hat rack from a train.
That is why the ceiling in the bedroom is painted in gold and black and decorated with old playbills and Bjørn Wiinblad posters. “I love Bjørn Wiinblad and really wanted to repaper the ceiling with a large wallpaper spread I had found that depicts a large circus [designed by Wiinblad]. But it would have cost an arm and a leg, so instead, I came up with this solution,” she says.
The rack on the wall, which the couple uses for hanging clothes, is an old hat rack from a train.
The bedroom is the only space in the home with a white floor. “I generally like the fact that the rooms flow into each other and make up a whole together with the floor. But because the bedroom floor is on a slightly different level, there is a natural division anyway. I also think it’s quite convenient that the bedroom is defined as separate from the rest of the apartment. That way, it’s like a tiny cave in here, and I like that,” she says.
Before
The hall was also white, bland and unoriginal when the couple moved in.
In this photo you can see the entrance door (on the left) opposite the door to the kitchen.
The hall was also white, bland and unoriginal when the couple moved in.
In this photo you can see the entrance door (on the left) opposite the door to the kitchen.
As in the rest of the home, Bertelsen made room for dark shades here.
“I spackled the walls with a product called Kabe. It is a kind of coloured plaster. Then I sprayed it with a certain type of varnish to get a glossier surface,” she says. She notes that the darker colours also bring out the glossiness of the frames.
“I spackled the walls with a product called Kabe. It is a kind of coloured plaster. Then I sprayed it with a certain type of varnish to get a glossier surface,” she says. She notes that the darker colours also bring out the glossiness of the frames.
Before
“The bathroom was our first project, so as we got more experienced and the other rooms were finished, I thought, ‘Oh, now all of a sudden the bathroom doesn’t seem so great,’” says Bertelsen.
“The bathroom was our first project, so as we got more experienced and the other rooms were finished, I thought, ‘Oh, now all of a sudden the bathroom doesn’t seem so great,’” says Bertelsen.
Not only did she update the space itself, but she also painted the washing machine a deep purple. “The only challenge was that I couldn’t see the program settings, which is why I have written them in with a black marker,” she says, smiling.
The white toilet, among other things, still hurts Bertelsen’s eyes. She wants to replace it with a black or steel one.
The white toilet, among other things, still hurts Bertelsen’s eyes. She wants to replace it with a black or steel one.
The brass sink is from Morocco. A friend of Bertelsen’s had bought it online, but realised that it did not go well with her decor when it arrived. However, it fit Bertelsen’s bathroom perfectly.
Before
“When we moved in, there was a white kitchen [next to the bathroom] from Svane Køkkenet with the wall cupboards and base units and all the usual items. I put it on DBA [the Danish Craigslist], saying that anybody willing to come and remove it could have it for free. Fortunately, someone was happy to come get it,” says Bertelsen.
“When we moved in, there was a white kitchen [next to the bathroom] from Svane Køkkenet with the wall cupboards and base units and all the usual items. I put it on DBA [the Danish Craigslist], saying that anybody willing to come and remove it could have it for free. Fortunately, someone was happy to come get it,” says Bertelsen.
The kitchen has probably gone through the biggest transformation.
Despite the fact that Danish kitchens tend to be in shades of white, fixtures in other colours were not terribly expensive.
“The steel surfaces and elements, as well as the oven, are from Ikea, and the benchtop was made at a metal workshop,” says Bertelsen. “We have almost no storage space and everybody wonders where we keep our stuff, because there is only a dishwasher, one cupboard for food, one for plates and glasses, a few small shelves and a broom closet. That’s it,” she says.
“The steel surfaces and elements, as well as the oven, are from Ikea, and the benchtop was made at a metal workshop,” says Bertelsen. “We have almost no storage space and everybody wonders where we keep our stuff, because there is only a dishwasher, one cupboard for food, one for plates and glasses, a few small shelves and a broom closet. That’s it,” she says.
Bertelsen was also concerned that the kitchen would seem cluttered with this setup, so she decided to keep only the kitchenware and utensils there was room for – the rest were thrown out.
“We have everything we need. Often when things are kept in cupboards they just gather dust, but when you only have what we have here, you use everything all the time – so that works very well,” she says.
“We have everything we need. Often when things are kept in cupboards they just gather dust, but when you only have what we have here, you use everything all the time – so that works very well,” she says.
The apartment had hardly taken its final shape before Bertelsen started missing decor challenges. So the couple decided to sell the home in order to start a new project.
“What’s amazing is that the buyers want to take over the apartment as a concept, so they will keep the colourful decor and have even bought some of the furniture. We are moving into a larger two-storey apartment in Amager, which is completely white with nicely planed wooden floors at the moment. So there will be a lot to tackle,” says Bertelsen with an expectant grin.
Tell us
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More
Take a look at last week’s Stickybeak of the Week: A Coastal Home and a Sun-Bleached Palette
“What’s amazing is that the buyers want to take over the apartment as a concept, so they will keep the colourful decor and have even bought some of the furniture. We are moving into a larger two-storey apartment in Amager, which is completely white with nicely planed wooden floors at the moment. So there will be a lot to tackle,” says Bertelsen with an expectant grin.
Tell us
What do you love about this home? Tell us in the Comments below. And don’t forget to like the story, save your favourite images and join in the conversation.
More
Take a look at last week’s Stickybeak of the Week: A Coastal Home and a Sun-Bleached Palette
“It simply makes me so happy to be surrounded by colour, and I love dark tones especially, as for me they create cosiness and atmosphere. They also give the place more character – there is much more soul in dark colours,” says Bertelsen. She describes her home as “bohemian”.