AN OAK WORKSHOP

Line Bjørn Daugbjerg Christensen and Esben Smed love their new kitchen. She as a place that inspires her cooking and he as the wood nerd he truly is.

To be or not to be, exclaims Hamlet in Shakespeare’s famous play, performed at the Danish Royal Theatre in Copenhagen in 2020. Actor Esben Smed played Hamlet in the critically-acclaimed production, and to him “to be” is about living in the moment. He sometimes expresses this attitude to life quite concretely, the renovation of his and his wife’s house being just one such example. As Line Bjørn Daugbjerg Christensen says with a grin:

– I was at work and we had agreed that Esben should tear down a wall, but when I got home, he’d torn down four... So typical of him.

– Agreed, I went a bit berserk, laughs Esben Smed. Much remains to be done in the house they bought nearly two years ago, so renovation projects are still underway elsewhere in the house. As most people experienced, the COVID-19 pandemic made the couple’s 2020 a highly unusual year. As the manager of the East of Paradise cinema in central Aarhus, she was forced to close its doors – although, fortunately, it has now reopened – and he started studying for the part of Hamlet, one of theatre’s most iconic roles. This was precisely when their new kitchen was completed, after the small family of four had been cooking their meals over a fire in the garden and had created a makeshift kitchen in the utility room. Their new kitchen is a study in how noble oak looks when it is processed and joined with keen attention to detail. The details show in how the grain continues from one drawer to the next.

– We scoured the kitchen market and specifically looked for kitchens made of wood, and I went to kitchen shops to pick up some tricks, because I originally intended to build the kitchen myself. However, being a bit of a nerd, I ultimately had to capitulate and buy a carpenter-made kitchen, which is so beautiful and something I would never have been able to do myself. Sadly, I don’t have that level of skill, says Esben Smed. Line is the foodie of the house. Currently, she is exploring South American cuisine with ceviche recipes from Peru and Chile. She is curious and unafraid to try out new techniques and ingredients. She grew up in a home where food was meant to be an experience.

– I think that the first smell I remember is tamari and chilli, and we also ate fresh pasta in my childhood home, she reminisces.

– It’s a beautiful kitchen, but it needs to be used and patinate over the years, they concur. If pressed, Esben will admit, however, that he is sensitive about the wood and will dab it with oil if it gets even the tiniest scratch. He is a wood-lover after all.

“I originally intended to build the kitchen myself. However, being a bit of a wood nerd, I ultimately had to capitulate and buy a carpenter-made kitchen.”

GOLDEN OAK is a source of daily joy, say Line Bjørn Daugbjerg Christensen and Esben Smed when they talk about their new kitchen from Garde Hvalsøe. Above the kitchen island is lighting from Anour, which the couple invested some time in finding, their not wanting any lamps to dominate the overall light and airy feel of the kitchen. The bird painting is by Troels Carlsen, Esben Smed’s favourite artist, and the small painting above the kitchen table is by Egon Schiele. In the living room is a Wegner armchair, which the couple has borrowed from Line’s sister and brother-in-law.

THE KITCHEN is elevated compared to the dining room. To make space for appliances, tablecloths and so on, they have utilised the base for drawers. The picture to the left is by Troels Carlsen. THE KITCHEN is not just for show, but rather used each and every day. For a family with children, a Quooker offers a quick helping hand when something needs to be boiled. The couple chose a brass version to maintain the warm feel of the space. THE MARBLE TABLETOP is from Garde Hvalsøe. INDUCTION OR GAS? It speaks volumes of the level of ambition in this kitchen that Line chose gas, the preferred heat source of most real chefs. This hob is from Pitt.

LINE BJØRN DAUGBJERG CHRISTENSEN and Esben Smed on the steps leading up to their kitchen. HERRINGBONEPATTERNED FLOORING ties the kitchen decor together. It is from Norparquet. LINE AND ESBEN’S CHILDREN, Iris and Sirius, often spend time in the kitchen, either playing or helping their mother. Both the oven and the ceiling cooker hood are from Gaggenau. THE KITCHEN naturally connects with the garden outside. This allows for light and natural ventilation.