Houzz Tours
Copenhagen Houzz Tour: A Classic Home With a Raw Industrial Twist
An architect gave this Danish apartment an unfinished edge in homage to its meatpacking district surroundings
Photos from Danbolig Vesterbro
Houzz Tour
Who lives here: Anders Kjærsgaard, 30, architect at Creo Arkitekter. He is also one of the founders of Okoumé, which manufactures glass and steel dividers.
Location: Vesterbro district in Copenhagen, Denmark, close to the central train station
Year built: 1888
Year renovated: 2016
Rooms: 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom
Houzz Tour
Who lives here: Anders Kjærsgaard, 30, architect at Creo Arkitekter. He is also one of the founders of Okoumé, which manufactures glass and steel dividers.
Location: Vesterbro district in Copenhagen, Denmark, close to the central train station
Year built: 1888
Year renovated: 2016
Rooms: 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom
The shiny white subway tiles over the clean steel surface of the kitchen bench, the dominant glass wall encased in a raw steel frame and the light fixture over the dining table emphasise the urban feel of the apartment and an unmistakably industrial style. The light fixture is an old Copenhagen street lamp: when the streetlights were changed a few years ago, the old ones went on sale to the public.
The style was in no way a random choice for this apartment, which is located only a stone’s throw from Kødbyen, Copenhagen’s meatpacking district. “I did not just choose industrial style because I like it, but primarily because I think it is interesting and it makes sense to create something with a strong reference to the local surroundings, especially Kødbyen,” says Kjærsgaard. “It was, for instance, quite a deliberate choice that … the metal wheels on the sliding door be visible and contribute to the industrial feel of the living room.”
“High-quality materials and a limited colour palette were the main emphases of the renovation process,” says Kjærsgaard. At first, he even considered removing all the window-frames, trim, and wooden panels in order to complete the minimalist feel, but he eventually ended up with a balanced modern style that respects the original structure and details.
The style was in no way a random choice for this apartment, which is located only a stone’s throw from Kødbyen, Copenhagen’s meatpacking district. “I did not just choose industrial style because I like it, but primarily because I think it is interesting and it makes sense to create something with a strong reference to the local surroundings, especially Kødbyen,” says Kjærsgaard. “It was, for instance, quite a deliberate choice that … the metal wheels on the sliding door be visible and contribute to the industrial feel of the living room.”
“High-quality materials and a limited colour palette were the main emphases of the renovation process,” says Kjærsgaard. At first, he even considered removing all the window-frames, trim, and wooden panels in order to complete the minimalist feel, but he eventually ended up with a balanced modern style that respects the original structure and details.
The streamlined kitchen consists of Ikea cabinets painted with automative paint. “It was actually more complicated than it sounds, because it was important to me that the oven, the gas burners and the cabinet fronts be the same colour in order to emphasise the simple industrial look,” says Kjærsgaard.
The long kitchen module was supposed to be a neutral presence in the room, which is also why there are no tall or mounted cupboards. “This, in turn, creates the space to highlight the pipe-shaped range hood over the gas burners as a raw and perhaps surprising detail,” says Kjærsgaard of the range hood he designed himself.
“I am an architect, not a craftsman, so it was a challenge to make this project a reality,” says Kjærsgaard. “Nevertheless, I’m the one who finished the joints, sanded the floors and built the kitchen.”
The most exciting part of the project, however, proved to be the design of the steel-framed glass wall. Originally the apartment was much darker, in large part because the two central living rooms were divided by a big wall. From the very beginning, Kjærsgaard had planned to open the area up for a lighter and brighter atmosphere.
The most exciting part of the project, however, proved to be the design of the steel-framed glass wall. Originally the apartment was much darker, in large part because the two central living rooms were divided by a big wall. From the very beginning, Kjærsgaard had planned to open the area up for a lighter and brighter atmosphere.
“My good friend Anders Lund has a craftsman background and is, among other things, a skilled welder. So we found some steel sections that we simply cut out with an angle grinder and then welded together,” he says. The project was so successful that, along with a third partner, Eva Jacobsen, they founded the company Okoumé, where they build steel structures for indoor glass partitions for both private homes and businesses.
Behind the large kitchen-dining area is an open, square-shaped room that connects to the bathroom and the back entrance of the apartment.
“This is where the kitchen was when we moved in, and it seemed crazy that it was squeezed into that tiny back corridor. So it was quite obvious that the kitchen needed to be moved to the big adjacent room. That larger room would have been quite difficult to convert into a dining room since the location makes it the natural centre of the apartment,” says Kjærsgaard.
Now that the old kitchen has been removed, the small back corridor appears somewhat brighter and more spacious. Kjærsgaard at one point considered converting it into a home office, but did not get the chance to follow through with that plan.
The Eames chair in the corner was the first piece of designer furniture Kjærsgaard bought after he completed his bachelor’s in architecture.
“This is where the kitchen was when we moved in, and it seemed crazy that it was squeezed into that tiny back corridor. So it was quite obvious that the kitchen needed to be moved to the big adjacent room. That larger room would have been quite difficult to convert into a dining room since the location makes it the natural centre of the apartment,” says Kjærsgaard.
Now that the old kitchen has been removed, the small back corridor appears somewhat brighter and more spacious. Kjærsgaard at one point considered converting it into a home office, but did not get the chance to follow through with that plan.
The Eames chair in the corner was the first piece of designer furniture Kjærsgaard bought after he completed his bachelor’s in architecture.
Floor plan: (left to right) The living room leads to the kitchen/dining room. The bedroom is beside it, and can be entered through the entrance hallway or the balcony. The dining room leads to the little room (labelled ‘Baggang’, or ‘back entrance’) which Kjærsgaard considered converting into an office. This, in turn, connects to the bathroom and back stairway.
That the apartment is located right by Halmtorvet, one of the liveliest parts of Vesterbro, is something you hardly notice when you step out into the enclosed courtyard. “In fact, I was totally surprised by how cosy this backyard is. It is almost like a little oasis with a southern feel. It is a huge contrast to the rough feel of Vesterbro outside,” says Kjærsgaard.
Now that the extensive renovation is complete, it is time for Kjærsgaard to move on. However, saying goodbye to the apartment does not mean saying goodbye to restoration projects. “I have heard that you will not be completely satisfied until you renovate your third home. So I have a bit of work to do,” says Kjærsgaard, smiling.
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Tell us
What do you love about this home? Tell us in the Comments below. And don’t forget to save your favourite images, bookmark the story, and join in the conversation.
“It was a very classic Copenhagen apartment with lots of romantic details. The kitchen was also hidden away in a small room at the rear of the apartment,” he says. He went on to buy it with his then-girlfriend.
A thorough renovation saw a load-bearing wall torn out and the kitchen spectacularly relocated to become the heart and social hub of the home. Industrial style now dominates in the apartment, with lighting and details that give it a deliberately unfinished look.