When Kate Imogen Wood and her husband first saw this house in a Copenhagen suburb, it wasn’t all that glamorous. Although the house dates back to the 1800s, all original details have been removed. Think: black and lime green color scheme, cheap laminate flooring and vinyl doors. But they had a vision and managed to figure it out for their growing family. This is the home they share with their two adorable boys…
kitchen
Just ask og Eng, who “combine their own cabinets and drawer fronts with IKEA cabinets to stay on budget.” Curtains: Made by Kate and hung from an antique brass rod for a more charming cabin Style sense,” something like that. Kitchen island countertop: Corian in “Sand”. Bar stool (previous photo): Trævarefabrikernes, similar. Grasscloth panel on the wall (previous photo): Biri Tapet, similar.
On intergenerational life: There are many elderly people in our community. Our kids actually think our downstairs neighbors are related to us because they feel so much like their grandparents. We met in the garden and drank coffee together. I know our kids make some noise but they never complain. I think it helps that they know us so well. They have grown up with their children, so when there is a noise, they know who is making it.
Kitchen: Ash and Eng.
About decoration: The house has been remodeled many times using very cheap materials, and in the eighties it was actually abandoned, with the windows boarded up. When we moved in, our decorating was still in progress. There are not even stairs; we had a ladder to go upstairs.
Dining table: handmade, similar. High chair: Stokke. Chairman: Hans Wegener. Chandelier: Atelier Vime, similar. Polka Dot Vase: Clay Copenhagen. Wall Color: “Schoolhouse White” by Farrow & Ball.
on printed photos: Some companies will print your photos to make them look like Polaroids. Every year, my husband prints tons of photos and updates the bulletin board. It was great to see the memories from last year.
on a cohesive color palette: I think pure white is too dazzling. So we painted the walls in off-white and pastel tones. We have cement floors downstairs and wood floors upstairs, but we used stain on the wood to make it a similar color to the cement. It helps create a sense of flow. We wanted all the rooms to blend in seamlessly, which helped make the space feel larger.
eldest son’s bedroom
Moonlight: Smaller. Loft Bed: Oliver Furniture.
Child friendly room: A loft bed with a play area underneath works great. My son’s toys are right there, but you can close it with a small curtain and hide the mess. Our kids’ rooms are right next to the dining area so they’re always visible; we wanted them to feel like kids’ rooms but still be integrated with the house.
Loft Bed: Oliver Furniture. Paper dome light: hay.
On raising children in Copenhagen: We love raising our children here. Danish children are in no rush to grow up. They don’t start school until they’re six, so from the age of one, when they go into daycare, until they start school, it’s pure play. [Ed. note: Here’s a post on raising kids in Copenhagen.]
Young son’s bedroom
Crib: StokkeBaby. Dressing table: Oliver Furniture. Banner: Etsy.
About children’s interests: Our oldest is six and absolutely loves this Danish game called Stickyball, which is like dodgeball. Our youngest son, who is three years old, loves ambulances, fire trucks and buses. One of his daycare teachers was married to an ambulance driver, so they brought the ambulance and the kids climbed in.
Crib: StokkeBaby. Dressing table: Oliver Furniture.
About multilingual children: My husband and I are both British and from the same town. We’re happy that they feel at home in Denmark, but we also want them to feel British. So they went to a school to learn English and Danish.
upstairs living space
Rug: Vintage hand-stitched Moroccan rug “with a hint of purple.” Modular: IKEA, with Bemz linen cover. Armchair: vintage, similar.
About family traditions: On the weekends, we love having carpet picnics and watching movies with the kids. They can stay up late in their pajamas—and they love it.
About improving the warmth coefficient: When we do house exchanges, people often comment on how comfortable our house is. Here’s what we did: lots of low-wattage bulbs and dimmer lights. I use textiles to introduce texture – like wall hangings or rugs – which soften things up. For bedding, I avoid anything that feels too raw. Finally, add plants!
Armchair: vintage, similar. Wall-mounted fixture: “I used curtains to hide all the clutter and brass handles for a vintage feel.” Rug: Vintage hand-stitched Moroccan rug, similar.
About house exchange: when we travel we use Behom, suitable for home exchanges between creatives and design lovers. We have been doing this for many years and have accumulated a wealth of experience. Everyone is so attentive and considerate. We try to find people who have kids of similar ages so they have toys – our kids are always so excited to see what’s there.
master bedroom
Bed: Custom-made, “It was handmade by a local carpenter to my design.” School chair used as a nightstand: Vintage, similar. Carpet: Vintage, similar.
The bedroom has no door: When we moved in, the bedroom door was so poorly made that we ripped it off, thinking we would eventually replace it with a better one. But it’s a little tricky to deal with due to the sloping ceiling. Living without doors, we love the light coming through and the feeling of space. Now, we don’t want to add one.
Dressing table: Flama.
About the moment of rest: We don’t spend much time upstairs during the day, but it’s lovely and calming to be here at the end of the day after we’ve put the kids to bed. We also have a little balcony so in the summer we sit outside with the kids and watch the planes or the stars.
bathroom
Bath: Copenhagen Baths. Floor tiles: burnt earth.
About a beloved feature: Usually Danish apartments have very small bathrooms, almost like a small closet. We lived like this in different places for several years. But when we saw this house, we realized we could install a bathtub! It’s rare to find a bathtub in Copenhagen. So we invested in that and installed an underfloor heating system. The long Danish winter is such a blessing.
Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful home, Kate.
PS: There are more house tours and what it’s like to be a parent in Denmark.
(Photo by Nana Hagel.)
