when Kate Imogen Wood And when her husband first saw this house outside Copenhagen, it wasn’t all that appealing. Built in the 1800s, it had all the original details stripped away. Think black and lime color scheme, cheap laminate flooring, and plastic doors. But they had a vision, and they renovated the house for their growing family. Let’s take a look at the house they live in with their two adorable sons…
kitchen
Questions and Answers“To control the budget, we combined our own cabinets and drawer fronts with Ikea frames.” Curtains: Kate made them and hung them on old brass poles for a more charming cottage-style feel.” Similar. Kitchen Island Countertop: Korean From “Sand”. Bar stool (previous photo): Trevarer Fabricernes, Similar. Grasscloth panels on the wall (previous photo): Corruption tape, Similar.
On intergenerational living: There are a lot of old people in our neighborhood. Our kids actually think that our downstairs neighbors are our relatives. They are like grandparents. We meet in the garden and have coffee together. I know our kids are a bit noisy, but they have never complained. I think it helps that they know us so well. They have followed us as we have grown up, so when there is noise, they know exactly who is making it.
kitchen: Questions and Answers.
About renovation: This house was renovated several times with really cheap materials, and in the 80s it was practically abandoned, the windows were boarded up. We moved in while the renovation was still in progress. There weren’t even stairs, there was a ladder to get upstairs.
Table: Handmade, Similar. Highchair: Stoke. chair: Hans Wegner. Pendant lighting: Atelier Vime, Similar. Water drop vase: Clay Copenhagen. Wall color: “School House White” by Parrow and Ball.
About printed photos: There are companies that print photos. Looks like a polaroid. Every year, my husband prints a bunch of photos and updates the bulletin board. It’s so nice to be able to look at memories from the past year.
In a consistent color palette: I think real white is too harsh. So we painted the walls in off-white and soft tones. The floor downstairs is cement and the floor upstairs is wood, and we stained the wood so it looks like cement. That gives it a sense of flow. I wanted all the rooms to fit together perfectly, so it makes the space look bigger.
eldest son’s bedroom
Moonlight: Small possible. Loft bed: Oliver Furniture.
Kid Friendly Rooms: The high bed with the play area is really nice. My son’s toys are underneath, but I can close it with a little curtain to hide the mess. Our kids’ room is right next to the dining area, so it’s always visible. We wanted it to feel like a kids’ room, but fit in with the house.
Bunk bed: Oliver Furniture. Paper overhead lights: hay.
About raising children in Copenhagen: We love raising our children here. Danish children don’t grow up in a hurry. They don’t start school until they’re 6, so they go to daycare from the age of 1 and until they start school, it’s pure play. [Ed. note: Here’s a post on raising kids in Copenhagen.]
Young son’s bedroom
crib: Stoke Baby. closet: Oliver Furniture. banner: Essie.
About children’s interests: My older son is six and he loves a Danish game called stickball, which is similar to dodgeball. My younger son, who is three, loves ambulances, fire trucks, and buses. One of his daycare teachers married an ambulance driver, so they brought in an ambulance, and the kids got to ride around. It was the best day of his life.
crib: Stoke Baby. closet: Oliver Furniture.
About multilingual children: My husband and I are both British and come from the same town. We are happy that they feel at home in Denmark, but we also want them to feel British. So they go to school where they study both English and Danish.
Upstairs living space
Rug: Vintage hand-stitched Moroccan rug, “a touch of purple.” Sectional: Ikea, Bemz Linen Cover. Armchair: Vintage, Similar.
About family traditions: On weekends, I like to have a picnic on the carpet and watch movies with the kids. The kids can stay up late in their pajamas. The kids love it.
On increasing the warmth factor: When we do home swaps, people often tell us that our homes are so cozy. Here’s what we do: Use lots of low-wattage bulbs and dimmer lamps. Add texture with fabrics like wall hangings or carpets to soften things up. For bedding, avoid anything that feels too clean. Finally, add plants!
armchair: vintage, Similar. Wall-mounted unit: “I used curtains to hide all the clutter and brass handles for a vintage feel.” Rug: Vintage hand-stitched Moroccan rug, Similar.
About Home Swapping: When we travel, we BehomeIt’s for home swapping between creatives and design enthusiasts. We’ve been doing this for years and have had a great experience. Everyone is very careful and thoughtful. We try to find people with similar age children to have toys. Our kids are always very excited to see what’s there.
Master bedroom
Bed: Custom made, “Handcrafted by a local carpenter to my design.” School chair used as bedside table: Vintage, Similar. Rug: Vintage, Similar.
Because there is no bedroom door: When we moved in, the bedroom door was so bad that I tore it out, thinking I would put in a much better door later. But the sloping ceiling made it a bit tricky to deal with. I liked the light and the sense of space that came in without the door. Now, I don’t want to put in another door.
closet: Prama.
In a moment of relaxation: We don’t spend much time upstairs during the day, but it’s lovely and calming to come up here at the end of the day after the kids are in bed. We also have a little balcony, so in the summer we sit there with the kids and watch the planes or look at the stars.
restroom
bathtub: Copenhagen Baths. Floor tiles: Burned Earth.
About the beloved feature: Usually in Danish apartments the bathrooms are so small that they almost look like a small closet. We lived in different places for many years. But when we saw this house, we realized that we could have a bathtub! It’s quite rare to have a bathtub in Copenhagen. So we invested in a bathtub and also installed underfloor heating. It’s really great for the long Danish winters.
Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful home. Kate.
PS I’ll give you more house tours and stories about what it’s like to raise children in Denmark.
(Photo courtesy: Nana Hagel.)
