Danish Houzz Tour: A Clever DIYer Transforms Her Family Home
Smart upcycling helps this interiors blogger place cheaper pieces next to heirlooms for a luxurious yet minimalist feel
Benedikte Lundberg
15 February 2018
Wanting to give their son, Malte, a childhood in the countryside, Louise Otto and boyfriend Morten moved into their house outside Skanderborg, in the middle of Denmark, after five years in Copenhagen.
“When we were living in Amager [the island on which Copenhagen is partially situated], we agreed that Malte was not going to grow up in the city. Nothing is wrong with that, but we both grew up in the country, so it was the obvious thing to do,” says Otto, who runs the blog livingonabudget.dk. So after five years in Copenhagen, the two Jutlanders returned home and found the perfect bungalow.
“When we were living in Amager [the island on which Copenhagen is partially situated], we agreed that Malte was not going to grow up in the city. Nothing is wrong with that, but we both grew up in the country, so it was the obvious thing to do,” says Otto, who runs the blog livingonabudget.dk. So after five years in Copenhagen, the two Jutlanders returned home and found the perfect bungalow.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Louise Otto, her boyfriend, Morten, their 3-year-old son, Malte, and their two dogs
Location: A small town outside of Skanderborg, Denmark
Size: About 130 square metres, on a single floor
More on the owner: Otto runs the blog livingonabudget.dk and works as a sales and marketing assistant for an IT company
Who lives here: Louise Otto, her boyfriend, Morten, their 3-year-old son, Malte, and their two dogs
Location: A small town outside of Skanderborg, Denmark
Size: About 130 square metres, on a single floor
More on the owner: Otto runs the blog livingonabudget.dk and works as a sales and marketing assistant for an IT company
As the house had already been refurbished in 2011 before the family moved in, they did not need to renovate inside. “But outside we tore everything down and started from scratch. There was an old garden with a rotten patio, so we removed the whole patio and built a new one around the house,” says Otto.
The trees on the property were also rotting, so they cut virtually all of them down, and also grew a new lawn, brought fresh life to the garden with plants and hedges, and built a carport on the driveway.
The trees on the property were also rotting, so they cut virtually all of them down, and also grew a new lawn, brought fresh life to the garden with plants and hedges, and built a carport on the driveway.
Gardening and nature mean a lot to Otto, which is why she and Morten chose to settle in the country. “I am a great lover of the outdoors, and I love working in the garden and sitting outside to eat. We have a three-year-old boy who loves to play and run outside when he gets home from kindergarten,” she says.
Otto also finds nature to be a great source of inspiration for decor and for her creative DIY projects, which she happily shares with her blog’s readers.
“I find inspiration in many places. It may be going for a stroll or looking at the trees in the forest, where, for example, I find branches to take home and make into something new or just to put in vases,” says Otto.
Otto also finds nature to be a great source of inspiration for decor and for her creative DIY projects, which she happily shares with her blog’s readers.
“I find inspiration in many places. It may be going for a stroll or looking at the trees in the forest, where, for example, I find branches to take home and make into something new or just to put in vases,” says Otto.
She built the terrace sofa out of pallets. It makes for a rustic and relaxed atmosphere.
Nonetheless, there are few plants inside the house. “I do not have a lot of green stuff inside, because we are surrounded by nature outside. So instead I allow myself a bit of nature in the house through the use of brown tones, that is, leafless branches in vases and quite a lot of teakwood furniture,” she says.
Wood has become one of Otto’s favourite decor materials, and teak in particular can be found in virtually every room. “I have become a big fan of wood. All the teak furniture means a lot to me because I inherited it from my grandparents,” she says.
The kitchen is in black, white and greyish tones and was relatively new when Otto and Morten moved in, so they have not really done anything there. “The house was renovated in 2011 and the kitchen was completely standard and actually really nice, but this does not mean that we would have chosen the same kitchen,” she says.
Otto has added her own personal touch to this room with the white and shiny subway tiles on the back wall and an industrial ceiling lamp above the island.
Otto has added her own personal touch to this room with the white and shiny subway tiles on the back wall and an industrial ceiling lamp above the island.
In addition to the teak, Otto uses lighting, pillows, blankets and abstract images on the walls to add cosiness to the rooms, as seen here.
Instagram is one of Otto’s most important sources of inspiration for DIY and decor, and she has even purchased several pieces of furniture from interior design profiles.
Instagram is one of Otto’s most important sources of inspiration for DIY and decor, and she has even purchased several pieces of furniture from interior design profiles.
One of them is this old cabinet, originally from a dentist’s office. “These cabinets are not cheap, so it was a big investment for me, but I know that I am going to keep it forever,” she says.
Yet, not all of the items that look like investment pieces really are. Otto’s creative thinking and flair for making cheap furniture look luxurious and alluring is visible in every room of the small house. Otto’s blog, which she started back in 2013, likewise takes the reader into a world of inspirational personal style and budget DIY projects.
Yet, not all of the items that look like investment pieces really are. Otto’s creative thinking and flair for making cheap furniture look luxurious and alluring is visible in every room of the small house. Otto’s blog, which she started back in 2013, likewise takes the reader into a world of inspirational personal style and budget DIY projects.
“All these DIY projects are things that I would have done anyway, even if there were no blog. I love making something cheap look stylish and beautiful. That is what I understand as personal style in your home – the idea that you can make your own things,” says Otto.
In the main living room there is an old wardrobe, which was purchased through Den Blå Avis, the Danish version of Gumtree. It was originally bare bleached wood, but Otto painted it black to match the rest of the decor.
“I am very much into black, grey and white. Sometimes I try to add some colour, but then after two weeks I get rid of it again,” she says with a grin.
In the main living room there is an old wardrobe, which was purchased through Den Blå Avis, the Danish version of Gumtree. It was originally bare bleached wood, but Otto painted it black to match the rest of the decor.
“I am very much into black, grey and white. Sometimes I try to add some colour, but then after two weeks I get rid of it again,” she says with a grin.
In the second living room there is an old gym locker that Otto refurbished and modernised. “The locker was originally brown and yellow when I bought it from a sales page on Facebook. I used chalk paint and wax to create a rough, uneven surface with a beautiful interplay of shades,” she says.
The personalised DIY elements, mixed with the austere decor, also add soul and personality to the overall feel. Furniture and decorations made or restored by Otto herself can be found in each room. The wainscotting in this photo was one of Otto’s DIYs.
Posters from moodings.com
The consistent minimalist decor can also be seen in the bathroom, which Otto has softened up a bit with a few plants, towels, wood and light.
However, these cosy elements are often not allowed to stay very long. “I quickly get tired of having the same decor elements, so I regularly change things up. It does not need to be a big change; it might just be a single poster or a few cushions in order to create some movement,” says Otto.
The room where Otto and Morten spend the most time is their home office, as Otto worked from home until recently and Morten still does.
“It is a nice and bright room with windows on both sides, so you have a view of the forest and over the road and the fields,” says Otto. This makes the room her favourite place in the house.
Even though the house is finished, the family still has many projects in mind. “Hopefully, an upper floor will be added soon. That was the idea when buying the house, as it was too small from the beginning. We also plan to open the house up towards the terrace with a sliding door from the kitchen in order to integrate the rooms better,” says Otto.
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More
Missed last week’s Houzz Tour? Take a look now
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.
More
Missed last week’s Houzz Tour? Take a look now
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A bit too monochromatic. Needs more timber and greenery at least.
LoVe!