Reader's home #1
Wed, 15 Sep 2010I've got 2 reader's homes for you today. This one comes from Ragnhild, a Norwegian who has spent the last 6 years in Copenhagen, Denmark. She is a freelance architect, graphic designer and photographer who lives in a large apartment with her friend Katrine, who bought it as a renovation project last summer. They have both worked very hard to turn the apartment into a stylin' pad. Here is a little tour of their home (Check out Ragnhild's blog "Mine Venners Hjem" which means "My Friends' Homes" = she visits her friends' homes and their friends' homes and takes pictures and writes about their spaces, in both Norwegian and English).
A globe from a local secondhand store lightens up the living room, - together with ”Hans” the penguin. A stack of the Norwegian interior magazine, “Nytt Rom” (New Room) works perfectly as a side table.
The chairs are also from the local secondhand store and the dining table is from Katrine's childhood. The table got a tiny makeover with a bucket of chalkboard paint. My collection of architecture and design books is placed directly on the floor in lack of a bookcase. The photographs are my own. The nice wooden floor was discovered under several layers of carpets, boards and concrete.
The Bouroullec brothers’ well-known algues are decorating the wall behind the sofa from Bolia. The algues were a gift from a friend and former colleague. The yellow bird pillow was purchased at Habitat during a trip to Brighton. The graphic black and white pillow is home-made.
My favourite chair was bought for a very reasonable price at a “staff-auction” at R.O.O.M. and has been named “Haiald”. In the black leather chair lays the sheepskin rug “Ludde”. The pouf in front of the chair is from Granit and is filled with quilts and pillows for overnight guests. My mum bought the radio in the window with money she got at her confirmation.
In my bedroom stands Ewan McGregor’s directors chair for Habitat. A very helpful and patient moose from Hay is hanging over the chair.
Helmer, the drawerunit from Ikea got a new life with help from a dymo labelwriter. The little wooden monkey is a gift from a friend. Some of my own photos are hanging over the drawer unit.
An old beer case from the Carlsberg brewery works as a cd rack. The newspaper rack is yet another treasure from the local secondhand shop. The wall behind is stripped for many layers of wallpaper and has now become our own “Buenos Aires” wall.
The tiny dinosaurs in the bay window are a gift from a good friend.
Old frames found at various flea markets will some day contain family photos. So far Beck, a small sparrow and my favourite car “Fiat 500″ have the honour.
The kitchen door got a facelift with a few strokes of chalkboard paint and has also become a bulletin board.
The kitchen window has a view of the backyard garden. The garden will soon be green and lush. Cups from Marimekko and a little basil is standing in the window sill.
The WC’s old, brown tiles are painted in a brighter colour and the door has become lemon yellow. The Garland lamp from Habitat got a splash of the same colour. The original floor tiles and the green bathroom fittings have survived the renovation.
Next to the front door we revealed a beautiful brick wall under layers of plaster. The door has also been introduced to the dymo … au revoir!
Reader Comments (6)
I *love* the moose atlers in the 5th picture!
There is so much to love here! The stripped walls and flooring and the view out the kitchen window.
Ideas I want to steal are the chalkboard paint on the table top (such possibilities) and the pouf holding the guest bedding - easy enough to make myself....
Happy sigh.
this is the bomb. the love, the creativity, the cheap ingenious solution -- -you are thumbing you noise at the establishment because you love sponteaneity and design and you don' have a lot of money to create the most beautful spaces for habiiation I am deeply inspired moved.
Lots and lots of great ideas. But (and please excuse my ignorance) what is a "Buenos Aires wall"??
Thank you for sharing this beautiful and unique home. Everything looks so well chosen, even down to the cute little sparrow and Fiat 500 pictures!
Hi! I was wondering where you bought that wire moose head! I looked on the Hay Designs website but couldn't find it anywhere. Did you get it from another website? It's so awesome.