Interiors: Cool and collected

Updated: 15:00 EDT, 13 November 2010

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Mixing the crisp simplicity of the Nordic aesthetic with warm, inviting accents from the East, creative director Tine Kjeldsen has breathed new life – and light – into a former doctor’s surgery

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THE FAMILY

Tine Kjeldsen, 37, and Jacob Fossum, 41, and their children Klara, ten, Tilde, eight, and Konrad, four. The couple started Tine K Home, a furniture and accessories brand based in Denmark, ten years ago. Tine is the creative force and Jacob manages the company.

Tine and, from left, Konrad, Tilde and Klara in the master bedroom

THE HOME

A gracious five-bedroom house that was built in 1846 as a doctor’s residence and surgery. It had remained in
use as a surgery until Tine and Jacob purchased it six years ago. It is situated on the small island of Funen, which lies between Jutland and Copenhagen, and is reached via bridges to both parts of mainland Denmark. The couple chose this location as they ‘wanted to combine our business with our private life and we needed space to achieve that goal’.

THE PROJECT

Over a period of four months, Tine and Jacob gutted the property, insulating walls, re-routing the plumbing and electrics and breaking smaller spaces out into larger ones. This gave them a new kitchen, open-plan living spaces, two bathrooms and five bedrooms. Once the new floors were in place, Tine painted them white rather than waxing the dark wood boards in order to create ‘a lightness of feeling that is youthful and playful’. The façade of their home was kept in its original condition, with new paintwork in a deep forest green.

THE STYLE

This strong, modern look is described by Tine as being ‘my kind of easy style. It’s Nordic with a touch of India and Vietnam. To me, the style is Nordic because of the whites, blues and greys – essentially cold colours that I combine
with the warmth and texture of eastern objects and furniture. The style relies on the mix of elements in balance with organisation, as the aim is to be simple with lots of bare, plain space to live within.’

THE GARDEN

Described as being like a mini parkland, the garden covers almost four acres. Tine has left it intentionally ‘un-designed’ with apple, walnut and copper beech trees, and grass with lavender, box trees and roses.

For more details of Tine K Home, visit tinekhome.dk, tel: 00 45 45 66 01 02

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