Name: Karina's Parents — Marianne and Bent
Location: Holbaek (2 hours northwest of Copenhagen, on a fjord)
Size: 1,000 square feet, 1 bedroom vacation home
Years lived in: 3 years worth of summers/holidays
Karina is an up and coming architect in Copenhagen. As soon as she received her degree, Karina embarked on her dream of designing a vacation home for her parents. The dream got a big boost by by Karina's passion for architecture, a great real estate deal on a parcel of land in the town where Karina was born, and an incredible capacity for DIY construction on the part of her parents....
Once the design was complete, Karina's parents set to work. Other than the concrete chimney and the foundation, Karina's parents built every inch of their home, from the structure to the tiles, the plumbing to the floors. While many Danes are wary of paying exorbitant contractor costs, they are more than willing to get their hands dirty. Bent is a policy wonk but has been building kayaks by hand for most of his life. Marianne is a social worker and very very hearty.
Karina's goal as architect was to blur the lines between the indoors and outdoors. The flooring is the same throughout and in the summer when all the windows and sliding glass doors are open, it is an easy concept to adopt. The house is soothing and all year round, the 'light therapy' it provides is addictive. Karina loves to retreat there for self-restoration but also to follow the house as it adjusts to its inhabitants and visa-versa.
The home stands out in a small village of traditiional Danish homes. But by keeping the materials within the vernacular, Karina's radical design manages to blend into its context.
Initially, Karina had to defend her design decisions. Her parents had a different idea of what their home would look and feel like and had to learn to live in it as Karina intended. Their trust in their daughter quickly transformed into a real appreciation of Karina's vision!
Style: Modern architecture by Plusgaard arkitekter DK
Inspiration: A family project--collaboration, designed for the family to use
Favorite Element: The chimney works like an anchor for the house
Biggest Challenge: Making a house modern that fits into a traditional context
What Friends Say: They love it.
Biggest Embarrassment: The tiles in the bathroom are crooked.
Proudest DIY: The whole house is DIY.
Biggest Indulgence: The kitchen from Hansen Living
Best Advice:Do not compromise the best solution
Veronica & Keith's Handmade Chic 
Before & After: A Bathroom Goes From Pinky Peach to Sleek and Chic
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Hunslet Dinner Plate
A Beginner's Guide to Superb Stir-Fry: Quick, Healthy Meals from a Wok
Easy Pitcher Cocktail Recipe: Strawberry Basil Margaritas
Comments (21)
not my thang. the outside is lovely though.
Pure genius. I would take this over Jeanice Skvaril and Jason Fuchs home any day. ;-)
I love it- especially the hansen kitchen!
Very organic.
The Hansen pieces are absolutely gorgeous. I love the Hansen furniture in a bathroom setting as well.
i'd like to visit this place, it seems very serene and the design doesn't obstruct that feel.
Lovely place. I am particularly intrigued by the black pigmented linseed oil rub on the outside. Does anyone have any more information on this?
great place that i'd love to hang out in. how fab is that tv?!
Are they interested in a house swap? Brooklyn 1 BR for Holbaek 1 BR? :)
house swap—as in temporary, vacation...
love this place! especially the black exterior and the hansen pieces
Love it. Love love love. I especially like the panoramic windows that view the sea, the incredibly simple kitchen & dining table, and the outdoor sink.
Wonderful!
The only thing I would add would be some more textiles to warm it up a tad (i.e.: a rug and maybe some unobtrusive curtains to frame those marvelous windows) Of course, that just falls under the realm of preference.
Again, great job, Karina!
I LOVE this house, especially all the light. I was married in Copenhagen and have a soft spot for it. Remarkable place and remarkably beautiful.
The people there are gorgeous too!
i absolutely love this kind of one full open space...greattt retreat.... Cheers karina
anyone recognize the fireplace/woodstove?
would like one here in ct.
Great house tour. I really feel like I got a 5 minute vacation to Scandinavia.
wow. amazingly beautiful and I can almost picture your parents living there so comfortably! I'm also a student of architecture, and have long planned on building a home for my parents when I'm capable to. your home is such a great inspiration, and a reminder of what awaits at the end of this long, long, omg so long road of being a student. thanks! :]
Wonderful, wonderful house! Well done. I particularly liked the furnishings; there's not a piece there that I wouldn't use myself.
Also liked the soot marks above the fireplace and the old 1980's TV, looks like it's just for using on sick-days :-)))
where on earth did you find that dining table? i'm looking for something that has a "surfboard" shape to it and yours is perfect! would LOVE to know! denacho@denacho.com
LOVE!
Denacho, the table looks like a Superellips knock off. The original is very expensive but you can find cheap copies everywhere or have a carpenter make one for you at a very low cost.