Danish Houzz Tour: A Childhood Home Gets a Revamp in Uldum
This homeowner's family farm gets an update with lots of open spaces and bright white Scandinavian decor
House at a Glance
Who lives here: Rina Schmidt, 36, a social worker who also decorates for private customers – you can follow her on Instagram at @rinakamp; her husband, carpenter Jesper Schmidt; with their children Sebastian, 11, Silas, 8, Sandra, 7, and Martha Amanda, 4
Location: Uldum, Denmark
Size: 3230 square feet (300 square metres), including outbuildings
Date built: The farm dates back to 1936, and the family took over the property in 2006
Who lives here: Rina Schmidt, 36, a social worker who also decorates for private customers – you can follow her on Instagram at @rinakamp; her husband, carpenter Jesper Schmidt; with their children Sebastian, 11, Silas, 8, Sandra, 7, and Martha Amanda, 4
Location: Uldum, Denmark
Size: 3230 square feet (300 square metres), including outbuildings
Date built: The farm dates back to 1936, and the family took over the property in 2006
The entrance to the Schmidt’s home is an impressive hall with high ceilings, white walls and muted colours. This sets the scene for the rest of the house, which has been transformed almost entirely over the last few years. Almost: The top floor still needs work, but the Schmidts have otherwise renovated and redecorated everything from scratch. Rina tells us that – among other projects – they have replaced the ceilings, fitted new floors and revamped the walls over the last eight years.
Patchwork rug from Morocco: Etsy; filing cabinet: flea market find; floor: epoxy; lamp: from House Doctor
Patchwork rug from Morocco: Etsy; filing cabinet: flea market find; floor: epoxy; lamp: from House Doctor
The bright teal front door breaks up the white of the entrance hall.
Coat rack: heirloom
Coat rack: heirloom
“It took some time for us to start renovations after we took over the house,” Rina says. “We spent long nights in the kitchen talking about what we should do. Once we started, we all lived upstairs for two years while we worked on the downstairs. Back then we just cracked on with it, but it’s going a bit more slowly now that our children are bigger. We can still handle working on projects in the house, but it just takes a bit longer.”
Door: 4618 Kveldshimmel, Jotun; sofa: Sofa Kompagniet; chair: Muuto; table: from a flea market; cushions: Bahne, House Doctor and Ikea.
Door: 4618 Kveldshimmel, Jotun; sofa: Sofa Kompagniet; chair: Muuto; table: from a flea market; cushions: Bahne, House Doctor and Ikea.
This farm was actually Jesper’s childhood home, so the couple were hesitant about transforming it. And what did the in-laws have to say about the big changes to their former home?
“We talked about wanting to live on a rural property, so when we were given the opportunity to take over this place, we jumped at the chance,” Rina says. “We’ve never regretted it. But I was of course nervous about how Jesper’s parents would react to the changes we wanted to make here. They’ve taken it incredibly well. They really value the life we have created here and around the house.”
“We talked about wanting to live on a rural property, so when we were given the opportunity to take over this place, we jumped at the chance,” Rina says. “We’ve never regretted it. But I was of course nervous about how Jesper’s parents would react to the changes we wanted to make here. They’ve taken it incredibly well. They really value the life we have created here and around the house.”
When Rina and Jesper look around the farm’s large open kitchen and living room today, it’s clear that nothing is as it was when they first moved in.
Kitchen: Kvik; stools: from one of Bloomingville’s first collections; lamp: Carl Thore
Kitchen: Kvik; stools: from one of Bloomingville’s first collections; lamp: Carl Thore
They opened up rooms to let more light in and installed a bright new kitchen.
“It was really important for both of us to open up the kitchen, so that it could become an integrated part of the living room. It was one of the first things we did. We’ve continued to update the room since the first time we renovated it. We installed a new extractor hood we made ourselves and built a tile wall,“ Rina says.
“It was really important for both of us to open up the kitchen, so that it could become an integrated part of the living room. It was one of the first things we did. We’ve continued to update the room since the first time we renovated it. We installed a new extractor hood we made ourselves and built a tile wall,“ Rina says.
Dining table: Trævarefabrikernes Udsalg; dining room chairs: HAY, FDB, Kai Kristiansen and flea markets
“I make changes down here every now and then, and that’s something I’ll keep up because I love updating the look of our house,” she says.
Sideboard: from a flea market; photo artwork: from Desenio
Sideboard: from a flea market; photo artwork: from Desenio
The couple can’t help but continually improve and renovate the farm. But with renovation also comes mess.
The family have just painted the bathroom cupboards green. The next big project will be laying micro cement on the floor. They have also recently replaced the roof, and Jesper has already started knocking down some of the old buildings outside – these are some of the oldest buildings on the property, and are no longer structurally sound.
“I’m the kind of person who is good at living with things the way they are. And it’s alright if things aren’t exactly the way I want them to be for a while,” Rina says.
“I’m the kind of person who is good at living with things the way they are. And it’s alright if things aren’t exactly the way I want them to be for a while,” Rina says.
This attitude has come in handy as the family have lived on a building site, at times surrounded by half-finished projects. But sometimes it can be too much of a good thing; Rina and Jesper sometimes have to remind each other that they live in the most beautiful place in the world.
“When something doesn’t look right, we just have to remind each other about the good things here on the farm,” Rina says, looking out to the garden, which is now filled with the remains of scaffolding from the recent roof replacement. It’s not pretty, but luckily it will all be gone by next summer.
“When something doesn’t look right, we just have to remind each other about the good things here on the farm,” Rina says, looking out to the garden, which is now filled with the remains of scaffolding from the recent roof replacement. It’s not pretty, but luckily it will all be gone by next summer.
Rina tells us that Jesper carries out the bigger projects around the house, while she takes care of the finishing touches. She paints walls and panels, moves things around and rearranges things to make them look great.
“Jesper likes what I do around the house. He is good at recognising what I do, as well, and that’s very nice. But I also think a lot about the other people living here when I set up our home, so that everyone’s needs are met,” Rina says.
“Jesper likes what I do around the house. He is good at recognising what I do, as well, and that’s very nice. But I also think a lot about the other people living here when I set up our home, so that everyone’s needs are met,” Rina says.
Rina catches up on interior trends on social media, in magazines and on TV. She then uses elements she likes. Not everything is suitable for an old farm, and cultivating the history and rural atmosphere here is important to Rina.
“We have many of these large closets around our house that you used to find in farmhand quarters,” Rina says. One example is the closet next to the bed. “When we took over the farm we found many of them and decided to keep them. They belong to this place. When we moved in, we had a lot of old furniture, but now I mix it a lot more with newer things.”
Children’s bed: found on Dba
“We have many of these large closets around our house that you used to find in farmhand quarters,” Rina says. One example is the closet next to the bed. “When we took over the farm we found many of them and decided to keep them. They belong to this place. When we moved in, we had a lot of old furniture, but now I mix it a lot more with newer things.”
Children’s bed: found on Dba
“In general, I decorate how I like. I don’t follow any specific trends but I pick out things that I like and that I think will suit the style of our house,” Rina says.
She usually buys her furnishings directly in stores rather than online. “I like to get out and examine and feel things before I buy. That’s why I’m not a big online shopper,” she says.
Rug: from Maalumaalu
Rug: from Maalumaalu
Rina is passionate about interior design, and even if every day is busy with work and family, she always finds a way to squeeze in a little decorating.
The family home is a sanctuary where the dream of a small, beautiful oasis all their own has been fulfilled.
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
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
Mortar and paint brushes have been a fixture in Rina and Jesper Schmidt’s home in Uldum, in the center of Denmark, over the last eight years. Renovations take time, especially when you do it all yourself and start a family at the same time: The couple revamped their old farm while living there with their four children.