Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: An “Ugly” 1950s House Gets a Stylish Scandi Makeover
Only the blue front door survived this home’s transformation from “ugliest house on the street” to light, calm haven
In 2014, Astrid Larsen and her husband got the keys to what they’d nicknamed “the ugliest house on the street” when they first saw it. However, they had a plan to transform this villa in Aarhus, Denmark, into their dream home, and for two years they put all of their efforts into the project.
Today, its blue front door – the only thing that hasn’t changed – leads to a bright and cosy Scandinavian interior that showcases clean lines, herringbone floors and Danish design classics.
Today, its blue front door – the only thing that hasn’t changed – leads to a bright and cosy Scandinavian interior that showcases clean lines, herringbone floors and Danish design classics.
When the family bought the then-red-brick villa almost four years ago, they hadn’t really fallen head over heels. Dating from 1957, it wasn’t their dream 1920s home.
However, both its location and the view of Aarhus it offered were incomparable, and the pair weren’t afraid to roll up their sleeves. They spent the next two years renovating the house from top to bottom.
However, both its location and the view of Aarhus it offered were incomparable, and the pair weren’t afraid to roll up their sleeves. They spent the next two years renovating the house from top to bottom.
The couple tore down everything but the outer walls and the front door. Still, they say the huge revamp didn’t take that much bravery: they had a plan all along.
Today the house is known as “the white house with a blue door”. That front door is the same shade on the inside, too, and the deep, dark colour breaks up the otherwise bright entrance hall.
The wainscotting brings in some of the feel of the grand décor and airiness of 1920s houses. The couple made it themselves, like nearly everything else in the home. They got professional help only for the staircase.
“We are pretty much do-it-yourself types and have done everything on our own,” Astrid says. “However, we luckily also had valuable help from Henrik’s father, who’s a retired bricklayer. He was a huge help and we wouldn’t have got through the project without him.”
The wainscotting brings in some of the feel of the grand décor and airiness of 1920s houses. The couple made it themselves, like nearly everything else in the home. They got professional help only for the staircase.
“We are pretty much do-it-yourself types and have done everything on our own,” Astrid says. “However, we luckily also had valuable help from Henrik’s father, who’s a retired bricklayer. He was a huge help and we wouldn’t have got through the project without him.”
The hallway leads directly into the heart of the house. The large living room incorporates the dining area, while a set of French windows leads to the kitchen.
The style is both Nordic and simple, featuring lots of Danish design and natural colours. “We think it’s great,” Astrid says. “It’s important for us to feel at home and to have enough space for family and friends here.
“We both come from big families,” she adds, “so it’s innate in us that there should always be room for everyone – and then some.”
The style is both Nordic and simple, featuring lots of Danish design and natural colours. “We think it’s great,” Astrid says. “It’s important for us to feel at home and to have enough space for family and friends here.
“We both come from big families,” she adds, “so it’s innate in us that there should always be room for everyone – and then some.”
A few months ago, the couple replaced their large rectangular dining table with a round one. “The long table worked really well, but we wanted to free up more space in the living room, and the round table let us do that,” Astrid says. “We really like that when we have guests, everyone can see each other.”
Henrik built the bookcase during his paternity leave. The idea was that the bookcase should bring some life into the living room and therefore act as a kind of work of art.
“I think we’ve really succeeded,” Astrid says. “There are travel, cooking, interior design, autobiography and children’s sections, to name just a few. This way, each part of the bookcase has its own story.”
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“I think we’ve really succeeded,” Astrid says. “There are travel, cooking, interior design, autobiography and children’s sections, to name just a few. This way, each part of the bookcase has its own story.”
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The bay window is Astrid’s favourite spot. She can see every corner of the house from here, including the firewood niche in the kitchen, the new staircase in the hall and the light coming in through the big windows.
The French windows behind the dining table lead to the terrace, where the family often enjoy their morning coffee in the summer.
Molecular light, House Doctor, available from Scandinavian Design Center.
The French windows behind the dining table lead to the terrace, where the family often enjoy their morning coffee in the summer.
Molecular light, House Doctor, available from Scandinavian Design Center.
Both Henrik and Astrid come up with décor ideas. Astrid is a sales consultant at design firm House Doctor and Henrik is an estate agent, so they both “bear the scars of their work”, as she puts it.
“I see opportunities and new ideas everywhere. It really didn’t take us long to come up with the right style: I grew up in a house that had a similar look, and we feel at home right away in this kind of interior.”
“I see opportunities and new ideas everywhere. It really didn’t take us long to come up with the right style: I grew up in a house that had a similar look, and we feel at home right away in this kind of interior.”
Originally, the pair had wanted the kitchen to be open to the dining room. However, when they created a space for the French windows – which they love – the doorway wasn’t large enough to make the kitchen truly open. Instead, they added an island with built-in seating, which turned out to be the perfect solution for them.
“We cook on separate sides, so we can see each other,” Astrid says. “But ,as Henrik says so often, he’s probably just sitting on a bar stool and watching me while I’m cooking.”
To one side of the kitchen island hangs a painting that has great sentimental value for both of them. It was painted by Astrid’s mother and, in a way, it tied Henrik and Astrid together long before they met.
“On our first date, Henrik saw the painting and asked if I knew the artist,” Astrid says. “I told him it was my talented mother and asked him why he was asking. He replied that it reminded him of an artist he knew in his childhood – an old man with white hair who he would often spot painting in his studio and at the Nybøl watermill.
“That man actually knew me well: it was Viggo Kragh Hansen, my great-grandmother’s brother, who was also my mother’s muse and the reason she paints,” Astrid says. “It was a bit of a surprise for both of us. We agreed that it was probably meant to be, and we named our firstborn Viggo.”
To one side of the kitchen island hangs a painting that has great sentimental value for both of them. It was painted by Astrid’s mother and, in a way, it tied Henrik and Astrid together long before they met.
“On our first date, Henrik saw the painting and asked if I knew the artist,” Astrid says. “I told him it was my talented mother and asked him why he was asking. He replied that it reminded him of an artist he knew in his childhood – an old man with white hair who he would often spot painting in his studio and at the Nybøl watermill.
“That man actually knew me well: it was Viggo Kragh Hansen, my great-grandmother’s brother, who was also my mother’s muse and the reason she paints,” Astrid says. “It was a bit of a surprise for both of us. We agreed that it was probably meant to be, and we named our firstborn Viggo.”
On the other side of the island is the wood-burning stove. It was placed here simply because this is where the original chimney was located.
“I really wanted to have a fireplace or wood-burning stove,” Astrid says. “Even though we don’t use it much, we think it fits into the room very well aesthetically.”
“I really wanted to have a fireplace or wood-burning stove,” Astrid says. “Even though we don’t use it much, we think it fits into the room very well aesthetically.”
The flooring on this storey is all herringbone parquet. It didn’t take much discussion. “We think it’s the most beautiful floor you can have,” Astrid says. “It fits perfectly into the style we want and livens up the room in a way other floors do not.”
You don’t have to look hard to spot greenery throughout the home; nature means everything to Astrid. “If a room doesn’t have any plants or flowers, it’s not really alive,” she says. “The greenery helps create life in the space.
“We ordered these beautiful bouquets on Posy.dk. I would sooner use money on this subscription than on food. We get a new bouquet delivered to our door every Friday, and it’s absolutely fantastic.”
“We ordered these beautiful bouquets on Posy.dk. I would sooner use money on this subscription than on food. We get a new bouquet delivered to our door every Friday, and it’s absolutely fantastic.”
Upstairs, the landing leads to the master bedroom, Viggo’s room and the bathroom. The space isn’t very big, so the couple wanted to make it as bright as possible. They installed a Velux skylight and painted the whole thing white. Only a single, blue work of art interrupts the dominant white.
“We love bright rooms and see the panelling as a work of art in itself,” Astrid says. “So we didn’t think there needed to be much more than the beams, panelling and a single picture.”
“We love bright rooms and see the panelling as a work of art in itself,” Astrid says. “So we didn’t think there needed to be much more than the beams, panelling and a single picture.”
Viggo’s room is also bright and friendly. There isn’t much furniture. “He’s still so young that he has no opinion on the décor, so for now creating a calm atmosphere was the most important thing,” Astrid says.
“When he grows up, the room will, of course, need different décor, as the bed will have to be longer and he will need more space for his toys and clothes. But we’ll deal with that project when the time comes,” she says.
Viggo’s bed is an original Juno/Lilleper bed from 1973, which Astrid found on Danish classified site dba.dk and livened up. “I love that it has a story. It became a project for my maternity leave and I think it’s been so nice.”
On the shelves next to the changing table are a few well-chosen figurines. “Viggo doesn’t need more in his room right now, so I’m enjoying being able to make the decisions. I know it’s only a matter of time before a giant racetrack will be sitting on a light green, football-themed rug, which will go with the football posters and clothes he’ll surely have. Oh God!” Astrid says, smiling at the thought.
Astrid and Henrik also agreed on the bathroom design. It had to be bright, large and easy to clean. “We went for large surfaces, plenty of plants and a sense of airiness, so there’s room for the whole family in the morning,” she says.
For the same reason, they also installed two basins. “We’d dreamed of being able to spit out our toothpaste without hitting each other’s necks!” she laughs. “It also suits the big mirror well and, luckily, there was plenty of room.”
For the same reason, they also installed two basins. “We’d dreamed of being able to spit out our toothpaste without hitting each other’s necks!” she laughs. “It also suits the big mirror well and, luckily, there was plenty of room.”
The shower is finished in the same tiles as the rest of the bathroom.
Just like the rest of the house, the couple’s bedroom is a quiet spot with a focus on contemporary and classic décor. The black door contrasts with the walls, breaking up the space. “We did’t want to decorate in the ‘old’ style – just a classic style – and we think the black door helps in this respect,” Astrid says.
Astrid says they chose the long heavy curtains for the bedroom because they fit the room so well. “And maybe because I didn’t have any in the living room. Next time I decorate a bedroom, they will have to be even heavier and made of dark velvet. It gives the room character and a sense of luxury, even if it’s ‘just’ a bedroom.”
Tell us…
What do you think of this renovated home? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
Tell us…
What do you think of this renovated home? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
Who lives here? Astrid Larsen, a sales consultant for the House Doctor Group, estate agent Henrik Larsen, their 18-month-old son, Viggo, and their dog, Svendsen
Location Åbyhøj, Aarhus, Denmark
Size Two bedrooms and one bathroom; about 2,260 sq ft (210 sq m)