Danish Houzz Tour: Next Generation Updates Family Country Home
This family put their stamp on a childhood home, transforming it into a bright, airy and modern Nordic dream
When Diana Bønløkke and her boyfriend, Morten, took over the country estate where he grew up, they transformed the interior into a modern and practical home with space for family heirlooms, plants and just enough touches of colour.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Receptionist Diana Bønløkke, 33, agricultural worker Morten, 38, and their children, Elisabeth, 8, and Laura, 3
Location: Near Aarhus, Denmark
Size: About 2,475 square feet (230 square metres)
Plot: About 30 acres (12 hectares) of farmland and 20 acres (8 hectares) of beech forest
Architect: Kirstine Reese
The house was built in 1929. The couple took it over from Bønløkke’s boyfriend’s parents in 2015 and fully renovated the interior, leaving only the exterior walls and tiled roof in their original forms.
Who lives here: Receptionist Diana Bønløkke, 33, agricultural worker Morten, 38, and their children, Elisabeth, 8, and Laura, 3
Location: Near Aarhus, Denmark
Size: About 2,475 square feet (230 square metres)
Plot: About 30 acres (12 hectares) of farmland and 20 acres (8 hectares) of beech forest
Architect: Kirstine Reese
The house was built in 1929. The couple took it over from Bønløkke’s boyfriend’s parents in 2015 and fully renovated the interior, leaving only the exterior walls and tiled roof in their original forms.
There used to be 14 rooms in the house, now there are 10. During the renovation, several spaces on the upper story were merged and skylights were added into the slanted roofs, so daylight comes pouring in.
Some windows, like this one in Elisabeth’s room, have storage space underneath.
The new floors are made of white oiled oak and there is under-floor heating throughout the upper story. A framed drawing of the original house is displayed on a picture ledge on the landing.
Chair from Søstrene Grene
Some windows, like this one in Elisabeth’s room, have storage space underneath.
The new floors are made of white oiled oak and there is under-floor heating throughout the upper story. A framed drawing of the original house is displayed on a picture ledge on the landing.
Chair from Søstrene Grene
The original staircase leading to the upper story was very steep, so the couple had it replaced. The walls, ceilings and woodwork everywhere are painted white.
“That way it is easy to decorate the home and add colours,” Bønløkke says. She is especially fond of blue and green shades.
Old posters, which Bønløkke’s sister rescued from being scrapped by the school where she works, can be seen around the house.
“That way it is easy to decorate the home and add colours,” Bønløkke says. She is especially fond of blue and green shades.
Old posters, which Bønløkke’s sister rescued from being scrapped by the school where she works, can be seen around the house.
The ceiling in the attic is vaulted, with exposed beams. There is a teak bed and a large wicker suitcase – the same one Bønløkke’s boyfriend had used as a young man, when he left his childhood home to start working.
“Morten’s parents wanted to get rid of it because they had moved into a smaller house. So we were allowed to keep it. I like things that relate to family history,” Bønløkke says.
“Morten’s parents wanted to get rid of it because they had moved into a smaller house. So we were allowed to keep it. I like things that relate to family history,” Bønløkke says.
If the family should need more rooms at some point, it will be relatively easy to make new ones here with a few walls and doors.
Bønløkke created an office space behind a low wall on the landing.
“Here, you can still follow the conversations in the house and are not hidden behind a closed door,” she says. There is a filing cabinet from Ikea underneath the tabletop, and the organiser from Vitra holds a lot of odds and ends on the wall.
Bønløkke created an office space behind a low wall on the landing.
“Here, you can still follow the conversations in the house and are not hidden behind a closed door,” she says. There is a filing cabinet from Ikea underneath the tabletop, and the organiser from Vitra holds a lot of odds and ends on the wall.
The girls each have their own room upstairs. Three-year-old Laura sleeps in a bed from Brio under a multitude of stars on the wall.
Eight-year-old Elisabeth loves moving the furniture around in her room. The two IKEA cupboards fit under the sloping ceiling and skylight. The huge Sylvanian rabbit came from an exhibition and was found on DBA, a Danish classifieds site.
The teak writing desk in Elisabeth’s room was found in a secondhand shop. “It is a really girly piece of furniture, with a built-in mirror and plenty of drawers,” Bønløkke says.
She says the butterfly images on the wall are the kind of things that have slipped into the house over time. The lamp on the desk is Verner Panton’s Flowerpot VP3 table lamp.
She says the butterfly images on the wall are the kind of things that have slipped into the house over time. The lamp on the desk is Verner Panton’s Flowerpot VP3 table lamp.
“Plants are good for softening up the interior, including the bathroom. That way, it is not too white and sterile,” Bønløkke says.
Especially notable among the bathroom plant life is the kokedama that hangs from the ladder towel rack.
The bathroom fixtures: Svane Bad; bamboo ladder: House Doctor
Especially notable among the bathroom plant life is the kokedama that hangs from the ladder towel rack.
The bathroom fixtures: Svane Bad; bamboo ladder: House Doctor
There is a bathroom on each story, and one has a bathtub. The wall displays an old school poster of a watering hole – which Bønløkke thinks fits the bathtub perfectly.
The same floor tiles were used in both bathrooms. The bluish colour was selected to contrast with the all-white surroundings.
Tiles: Flisegalleriet
The same floor tiles were used in both bathrooms. The bluish colour was selected to contrast with the all-white surroundings.
Tiles: Flisegalleriet
Bønløkke enjoys repairing old stuff and adding some colour to soften up all the white in the house. “It is easier to paint a piece of furniture than an entire wall, and it is also easier to undo or change it,” Bønløkke says.
The closet in the hallway once belonged to Bønløkke’s boyfriend’s parents. It was found in the old barn and was almost thrown out when they moved in. However, Bønløkke managed to save it, and today it is used for storing the family’s outdoor clothes.
The light in the ceiling is an industrial lamp from Focus Lightning.
“I have a thing for lamps. When I find one I like, I just have to have it! I saw a similar lamp at a friend’s house, and, after searching online for a long time, I finally found one. I like the fact that it is so simple. But the electrician swore at it when he was attaching it to the ceiling,” Bønløkke says.
The closet in the hallway once belonged to Bønløkke’s boyfriend’s parents. It was found in the old barn and was almost thrown out when they moved in. However, Bønløkke managed to save it, and today it is used for storing the family’s outdoor clothes.
The light in the ceiling is an industrial lamp from Focus Lightning.
“I have a thing for lamps. When I find one I like, I just have to have it! I saw a similar lamp at a friend’s house, and, after searching online for a long time, I finally found one. I like the fact that it is so simple. But the electrician swore at it when he was attaching it to the ceiling,” Bønløkke says.
“Having a large kitchen was important to us. It has to be like that on a country estate. We have a large family, and they all live nearby, so when there is a birthday the table is full of people,” Bønløkke says.
The black dining table is surrounded by a mixture of chairs: two Eames chairs, two Hay chairs and two recycled chairs. “It is fun to mix different shapes,” Bønløkke says.
The light over the dining table is a PH pendant, a gift from Bønløkke’s boyfriend’s parents.
The large-format tiles mean that there are relatively few joints on the floor. The tiles’ brown-sand color adds warmth.
Light fixtures over the kitchen island: Design By Us; plant box: Ferm Living
The black dining table is surrounded by a mixture of chairs: two Eames chairs, two Hay chairs and two recycled chairs. “It is fun to mix different shapes,” Bønløkke says.
The light over the dining table is a PH pendant, a gift from Bønløkke’s boyfriend’s parents.
The large-format tiles mean that there are relatively few joints on the floor. The tiles’ brown-sand color adds warmth.
Light fixtures over the kitchen island: Design By Us; plant box: Ferm Living
The kitchen is white and handle-less, and the exhaust hood is built into a white box. “Exhaust hoods are not so nice to look at, so it was good to get it slightly out of the way,” Bønløkke says.
The countertop is made of white laminate, which, according to Bønløkke, is practical and easy to keep clean. “You can spend all your money on expensive kitchen countertops, but here we chose to save a little bit,” she says.
Kitchen: Svane Køkkenet
The countertop is made of white laminate, which, according to Bønløkke, is practical and easy to keep clean. “You can spend all your money on expensive kitchen countertops, but here we chose to save a little bit,” she says.
Kitchen: Svane Køkkenet
The kitchen island has a wood countertop. Bønløkke insisted on bringing home the Hay bar stools, which she found at a factory outlet in Aarhus.
The kitchen wall features a large new window with the best view of the fields and the forest, which had previously been blocked by an oil tank. This window, like all the windows in the house, was replaced during the renovation.
The kitchen leads to the terrace, which the couple renovated over the summer. “We will never get bored on a property of this size,” Bønløkke says.
The kitchen wall features a large new window with the best view of the fields and the forest, which had previously been blocked by an oil tank. This window, like all the windows in the house, was replaced during the renovation.
The kitchen leads to the terrace, which the couple renovated over the summer. “We will never get bored on a property of this size,” Bønløkke says.
The bedroom has been divided into two sections: the bed area and a space for two large closets placed opposite each other to create a kind of walk-in closet.
In order to emphasize the division, Bønløkke attached a painted board to the back of one of the closets, facing the bed. The closets do not reach all the way to the ceiling, so daylight is still able to fill the room.
Comforter: Hay
In order to emphasize the division, Bønløkke attached a painted board to the back of one of the closets, facing the bed. The closets do not reach all the way to the ceiling, so daylight is still able to fill the room.
Comforter: Hay
The table mirror is a Flip from Normann Copenhagen and can be turned 360 degrees. There is room for jewelry and other odds and ends in the tray.
A staircase leads down to the annex, which was added before the couple moved in, to house the large living room. The stairs were painted white and covered with tiles similar to the ones on the kitchen floor. A cactus in a basket and a plant on a small bamboo table provide some life and break up the straight lines.
3-year-old Laura often draws at the low table, which they got from the school where Bønløkke’s sister works. The teak sideboard is a piece of the estate’s original furniture. It was treated with oil and now takes pride of place in the living room of the next generation of the family. The shelving unit was purchased from Illums Bolighus. “I really like the lightness of these shelves. It provides a good contrast to the heavier-looking furniture,” Bønløkke says.
On one of the shelves is an old lamp from Holmegaard with a Le Klint shade – an heirloom from Bønløkke’s grandmother. The plants on the shelves all come from cuttings of a single plant.
On one of the shelves is an old lamp from Holmegaard with a Le Klint shade – an heirloom from Bønløkke’s grandmother. The plants on the shelves all come from cuttings of a single plant.
The book collection on the trolley reveals that Bønløkke’s boyfriend is a keen hunter. The pottery pieces are heirlooms from Bønløkke’s paternal grandmother. They sit next to a Kubus candleholder: “I believe this can be found in all Danish homes,” Bønløkke says, smiling.
Trolley: Normann Copenhagen
Trolley: Normann Copenhagen
The living room is mainly designed for relaxation. “We need to be able to fling ourselves onto the sofa, and there is plenty of room for the children to play on the floor,” Bønløkke says.
The large windows and terrace door face southeast and ensure plenty of daylight and lovely views over the gardens and the surrounding fields. The couch is an old model from Ilva, and the couple want to replace it, preferably with a blue one. However, Bønløkke doesn’t mind waiting until the kids are a bit older. The Le Klint lamp on the wall and the armchair were found in secondhand shops. The embroidered pillow with grass motifs was made by Bønløkke’s boyfriend’s mother.
Bønløkke’s boyfriend’s parents still live in the neighborhood. “They come here very often and have taken the transformation of their former home really well,” Bønløkke says.
Ceiling lamp: Franklin Chandelier Tribeca, Menu; trolley: from Hay; rug: Ferm Living
Carpenters: Cewi Byg
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The large windows and terrace door face southeast and ensure plenty of daylight and lovely views over the gardens and the surrounding fields. The couch is an old model from Ilva, and the couple want to replace it, preferably with a blue one. However, Bønløkke doesn’t mind waiting until the kids are a bit older. The Le Klint lamp on the wall and the armchair were found in secondhand shops. The embroidered pillow with grass motifs was made by Bønløkke’s boyfriend’s mother.
Bønløkke’s boyfriend’s parents still live in the neighborhood. “They come here very often and have taken the transformation of their former home really well,” Bønløkke says.
Ceiling lamp: Franklin Chandelier Tribeca, Menu; trolley: from Hay; rug: Ferm Living
Carpenters: Cewi Byg
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.
“Now I feel that the place belongs to us,” she says. Bønløkke had lots of ideas for the interior design of the house. An architect cousin helped them discover all of the home’s possibilities and organise the spaces, while Bønløkke’s boyfriend was in charge of the physical work, alongside a carpenter.
“A cousin with a sense of fashion and a good carpenter are a great combination when you are renovating a house,” Bønløkke says.