A classic, elegant apartment in the heart of the city stands transformed after a lengthy renovation process, where every original detail has been refined to perfection. Step inside this urban home, which features exceptional continuous pattern flooring in Dinesen oak herringbone.
Private home – Frederiksberg, Denmark
Photographer – Claus Troelsgaard
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Oak Pattern Herringbone Classic
Thickness: 22 mm. Width: 125 mm. Length: 750 mm.
Finish: Light Oil
High above the bustling street life, centrally located in the Danish capital, lies this classic apartment from 1910. A calm, welcoming atmosphere and distinctive clean lines characterise this beautiful home, which has been taken to new heights after a complete renovation stretching over several years.
The couple bought the apartment with a view to restoring it and creating a home that was exactly the way they wanted it – and they were willing to put the necessary time and energy into making their dream come true.
The historic elements of the apartment have been meticulously restored with appreciation for the quality and durability of the original materials. Only as a last resort have elements that were beyond repair been replaced with modern solutions that respect the original building style and the interior of the apartment.
Quality, appropriate materials, care and a natural fusion of sustainable aesthetics and respect for architecture have shaped the renovation approach throughout and served as the guiding criteria for the couple’s choices. These values made Dinesen an obvious choice for the flooring, the tangible foundation of life in the restored apartment.
‘Dinesen has an uncompromising approach to quality and the choice of raw materials that matches our mindset and our plans for the apartment,’ say the couple. ‘Materials of this quality will last for generations, and because the floor is so beautiful, it’s hard to imagine that anyone would ever want to replace it. That is sustainable aesthetics.’
As an extraordinary solution that required great patience and meticulous precision, the couple chose a solid oak herringbone floor laid in a single, continuous pattern. The result is a seamless flow that ties all the rooms in the apartment together.
The couple’s decision to install a pattern floor was carefully considered: ‘We chose oak herringbone because it is both classic, and thus true to the original architecture, and modern, given the large dimensions. They bring a calm atmosphere to the rooms which we notice every time we enter, and provide a strong foundation and background for all the other aspects of our home.’
The furniture and personal objects in the apartment were collected over many years, and many were bought used and then renovated. That includes the Spanish Chair, created by the celebrated mid-century modern Danish designer Børge Mogensen. The couple sanded it, gave it a soap finish and revitalized the leather with leather grease as well as lots of elbow grease to keep it in good condition for many years to come. A unique wooden sculpture has been given a prominent position in the apartment as a celebration of Douglas wood and its characteristic grain.
The apartment’s beautiful colour scheme is based on a historical palette to match the colours that were in use around 1900. The couple chose very matt versions for a unique spatial effect.
The classic characteristics from the original period of the apartment have been gently preserved, from the tall panel mouldings to the small but distinctive brass details and the sophisticated stucco angels and rosettes in the ceiling.
From floor to ceiling, the transformation of the apartment has been carried out to perfection.
