BREATHTAKING STAIRCASE
When Tommy Rand bought the house in Skåde Bakker near Aarhus seven years ago, it was not as much the house as the plot of land he fell in love with. The house from 1877 had little value in itself, but was located in an old residential neighbourhood, with an overgrown garden and at a good distance to the neighbours. Immediately seeing the property’s inherent possibilities, he bought the place despite his living in a town house in Aarhus at the time. He therefore initially rented out the property to give himself the time and space to design his dream house. Unfortunately, the project ended up taking much longer than anticipated. Three years ago, Tommy had a serious accident on his motorbike. The accident confined him to a wheelchair for some time, forcing him to take sick leave from his work as a building technician. However, his sick leave also kicked off his house project, as he could start designing his new house in earnest.
– I was only able to sit upright for an hour at a time, so working on the house drawings became my form of rehabilitation training, explains Tommy.
The house is obviously a product of lengthy contemplation and thorough consideration. The placement of the building on the ground, its idiom and the materials used were all especially important to Tommy. He chose to keep the materials used overall in the house to a minimum, with those selected including concrete, oak, Norwegian natural slate and brushed steel. Combining the textures and surfaces of these few materials differently in each room enabled him to create a common thread throughout the house. Tommy’s aim has always been to build an architectural house in a class by itself – something new and different that also felt nice to live in for him and his family.
– For instance, the concrete walls make for a raw and bunker-like idiom that I have chosen to warm up and soften both with slatted ceilings and with the many integrated interior design solutions in beautiful oak, Tommy proudly explains.
And this combination of timeless and minimalist materials and carefully proportioned shapes engenders a calm and tranquillity that pervades the house. The tones of the Norwegian slate and the concrete walls supplement each other, creating a harmonious and aesthetically pleasing ambience throughout the house. The architectural staircase is the most spectacular object in the home, and was Tommy’s biggest challenge in the project. The entire process from conception and drawings to 3D modelling and ultimate execution was long and arduous, but according to Tommy it was worth all the hours working late.
– The staircase is of special meaning to me. And I spent endless hours designing it to make it ‘land’ properly in the room. I’m extremely satisfied with the result, so the late hours definitely did not go to waste, says a smiling Tommy.
Tommy found inspiration for the house in Japanese architecture, for which he has a particular fondness. The fact that he loves Japanese architecture, Japanese gardens and the Japanese sense of style and minimalism shows in not only the architecture of the house but also its interior design. The interior design is austere with few pieces of furniture and no unnecessary adornments. Instead, there are light, air and lots of space between the furniture, as prescribed by traditional Japanese architecture. The minimalist decor is raw and genuine and in many ways singular – just like the house itself. And if you ask Tommy, he will say that he is extremely satisfied with the overall result:
– I’m pretty excited about and proud of my house and haven’t regretted a single choice.
TOMMY RAND, 39, has a background as a carpenter and building technician and for the past 12 years has been working as an architect at various drawing offices. Over time, he has developed his sense of design and architecture with a particular keenness for minimalism and clean lines. He now owns the property development company Markholt & Rand, which develops and builds new housing projects. Tommy lives together with his two children, Luna and Elias. HE DESIGNED AND BUILT THE SCULPTURAL STAIRCASE himself. It is made of 630 pieces of Cnc-cut plywood, assembled piece by piece on site.
THE SPACIOUS KITCHEN often becomes the nexus of the party, the spot where guests can enjoy cocktails around the large kitchen island. Tommy has designed the kitchen, built by PN Møbelfabrikken. Made of oak its exclusively horizontal grain creates an interesting interplay that also adds warmth to the space. LIKE THE REST OF THE HOUSE, the kitchen design is minimalist. Here, the family gathers around the dining table from Haslev Møbelsnedkeri. The accompanying black chairs are from Italian Crassevig and the almost hovering lamps are from Nordlux. THE RECESSED SHELF UNIT is a beautiful detail in the living room, giving the room an inviting warmth. The black armchair in the corner is from Ilva.
“I was only able to sit upright for an hour at a time, so working on the house design became my form of rehabilitation training.”
THE RECESSED SHELF UNIT in the living room is deliberately devoid of superfluous knick-knacks and filled instead with things of sentimental value to Tommy. Some things have been bought while on his travels, standing testimonies to the memorable experiences he has had around the world. THE HOVERING FIREPLACE is from Cocoon Fires. THE CONCRETE RAW SURFACES SEEN THROUGHOUT THE HOUSE and the Norwegian slate flow organically from one room to the next, engendering a harmonious feel. An over-dimensioned peep hole in the sliding door between the kitchen and living room is a quaint detail that also helps maintain the house’s airy, spacious feel, even when the door is shut.
STUNNING integrated details such as the recessed ceiling light, recessed cabinets and a commode serving as a bench are to be found all over the house. The sculptural hangers from Muuto interact nicely with the materials of the house. THE GUEST BATHROOM also features wood and concrete, as well as some integrated solutions offering plenty of storage space and thus preventing clutter from compromising the stylish, minimalist and serene design. IN THE MASTER BATHROOM, which connects with Tommy’s bedroom, you feel almost at one with nature. The large glass windows provide not only magnificent light but also a direct view of the large, old treetops standing along the edge of the property. This creates a sense of calm.
MATERIALS AND STYLE connect the interior with the ground outside. So, opening the large glass doors serves to extend the open plan kitchen in a way that it merges with the expansive outdoor terrace. THE MASTER BEDROOM has direct access to the minimalist, 37-m2 terrace. THE HARMONY between the clean lines of the house and the old garden has been preserved. In this way, Tommy shows respect for the original nature growing on the property. This is also why he has only added a few new plants, such as the beautiful Japanese maple, planted both in front of the house and on the terrace.