For many years Pernille Holm, Leif Thingtved and their two children Charlie and Rita had lived happily on Nørrebro in Copenhagen, but for some time had dreamed of moving closer to downtown. But it was when Leif and a friend opened the café Granola at Vesterbro that things began to move. Curious to know if the house where he'd run a motorcycle shop 20 years ago was still there, Leif went for a look during a lunch break one afternoon, as the workshop was just minutes away from the cafe. To his surprise it was still there — badly dilapidated, but (what made him happy) empty. Leif immediately got hold of Pernille and quickly convinced her that it would be perfect for their new home, despite the ruined condition of the building. They looked up the owner, and the day after they assumed ownership found themselves needing to do everything from scratch — there was no kitchen or bathroom, and nothing had been done with the space (originally a carpenter's shop) for many years. Leif and Pernille were keen to keep the building's soul, choosing materials and colours that were sympathetic to its age, but it would take a lot of work before it was ready to live in. When it came to furnishing and decorating their new home, they took a similar approach, visiting flea markets and antique shops and once again rescuing forlorn items and imbuing them with new life and a new appreciation. Full article (in Swedish) here on Sköna hem.
(photos by Patrik Hagborg)