SUPER NATURAL
THI S SEASON, NATURE I S THE S TAR. B E INSP IRED BY THIS DANISH HOME THAT’S REFINED THE LOOK
This stacked container house in Roskilde, Denmark, was designed to make the most of the incredible vistas: on one side are tranquil views of a fjord, and on the other a magnificent cathedral. ‘It’s the most beautiful plot in Roskilde,’ says owner Helle Thagesen, who shares the home with her husband Ole Gredal ( both are doctors). ‘ We live in the centre of this historical city, but are surrounded by nature.’
The couple’s four grown-up children have moved away, and Helle and Ole enjoy an active outdoor lifestyle. This influenced the design of their new home, which feels connected with the landscape: externally, it resembles a Modernist treehouse perched on stilts, while the refined interior is warmed by a textural palette of natural materials and plenty of windows to let in light. yourhouse.dk/ way
A NATURAL HIGH
The home was designed and manufactured by Danish container housing company Your House, which has a base in Latvia. It is essentially a prefab property, made up of four containers that were shipped from Latvia to Denmark and lifted onto the site by crane. ‘It’s an easy and affordable way to build,’ says Helle, who worked with Your House’s architect, Hans La Degaaro on the property. Stacked at right angles in a cross-shape, the containers create two floors spread over 182 square metres. Inside, they are arranged almost as if they were two apartments, with two open-plan living areas, two bedrooms and two bathrooms. Their positioning not only frames the views, but provides sheltered areas in the garden.
TREND IN DETAIL: SUPER NATURAL
Homeowner Helle Thagesen explains why incorporating elements of nature is key to the luxurious aesthetic of her Danish home It’s important to decorate using natural materials and objects that have meaning and history – especially if, as in this house, it’s new and minimalist with white walls and lots of glass. If I had filled this space with designer pieces, it would have felt cold rather than cosy. It would have been beautiful, but not particularly inviting. Natural materials like leather last a lifetime, and often become even more beautiful as time goes on. I like the things around me to be practical – I don’t want to change the decor every other year. My home is easy to maintain. I think a space is most appealing when the materials within it age and gain the patina of use. Wood lends warmth to a home. Too much steel, glass or stone can feel quite harsh. We used wood wherever we could, and we were creative with how we sourced it – for instance, we found the timber for our large dining table by calling around local lumber yards and asking if they had any spare lengths we could use. We found the legs on another old table and used those for the base. We always keep an eye out for pieces at flea markets, on our travels abroad, or even just when walking outdoors: for example, there’s a tree root in one room that we found while strolling along the beach, as well as a carved wooden tent peg from Morocco. We also have a whalebone that my husband discovered in Greenland. We have no rules when it comes to mixing different materials. If we see something that we think is beautiful, we just go straight ahead and buy it – we always find a space for it. The colour palette throughout my home is muted. Bright hues are often fashion-led, and date quickly. My walls are white and the furnishings and surfaces provide accents of natural tones inspired by our surroundings. This creates a scheme that is timeless. ➤