Kate Finnigan said that the fun-filled spirit of Scandi brand Ganni is reflected in the forever family home of the owners Ditte and Nicolaj Reffstrup. This is a Copenhagen villa with all the creativity of an art gallery. Photo by Enok Holsegård
The first thing you see in the corridor of Ditte and Nicolaj Reffstrup's home in Copenhagen is a football table. The second is the nipple fountain by artist Laure Prouvost. The third is a smooth sky blue railing that winds through the center of the house. Color, art, fun: The trinity design principle contributes to the aesthetics of its women's clothing brand Ganni, and this is also its eternal family beauty.
It is located in Østerbro, a residential area in the city centre, famous for its many parks and green spaces. This small community is the oldest villa district in Copenhagen. It was built in 1865 and is famous for its historical style. Nicholas said: "This was a period of schizophrenia, but the architects at that time greatly appreciated the local handicrafts." "Therefore, the brick structure of the house has been exposed and you can see all the joints. This is a focus The humble house of craftsmanship."
Like most Scandinavian buildings, the house has a large number of large windows and glass doors to absorb as much natural light as possible. Nicolas said: "Europeans spend a lot of money on eating out, but in Northern Europe, we spend a lot of money on housing because we spend a lot of time here in winter."
The couple have three children, Betty Lou, 10-year-old, Jens Otto, 8-year-old, and Rita Sophie, 3-year-old. Their vision is very clear, that is, to create "the most livable house of a family of five in history." As Nikolai said. The interior and exterior use yellow bricks and dark green paint to create a joyful atmosphere and have an excellent sense of color. "Well, that's all of Ditte's domain," Nicolaj said admiringly. "She started to let Ganni show how Scandinavian fashion has a more colorful side."
The walls have various shades and depths of pink and blue themes (they prefer Farrow & Ball paint), and the floor surface is terrazzo or colorful tiles. These constitute the background of contemporary and classical Danish design, such as Le Klint's Nicolaj lamp remembering to read when he was a child, folk woven carpets and Josef Frank's mid-century plant print fabrics. Dieter said: "I think our home reflects our family life and the way we work in Ganni." "It's about contrast, mixing and matching, and matching new and old antiques. At the flea market. , I found a lot of things."
The couple bought the house in 2018 after selling their majority stake in Ganni the previous year. They cleverly organized a large conservatory party, and then spent 18 months renovating it, retaining the main structure, but replacing the floor, building a new striking staircase, and adding a brightly-lit extension. "We tried to respect the story of the house," Dieter said. "We don't want to demolish any walls to build big rooms."
Then they started to work, with friends and collaborators filling the entire house with art and design. Nicholas said: "Most of the artworks and furniture we have collected over the years are driven by the concept of relationships, not skills or knowledge." "We collect from friends in life what is meaningful to us. Stuff. We are not professional art collectors."
Maybe not, but their shared attention to all things beautiful and witty creates a unique space that is both fun and enjoyable. The corridor Nina Nørgaard replaced the fan-shaped lamp on the door above the corridor, and Ganni had previously worked with the artist. In the living room, there are two photos of Casper Sergesen. The most famous one is his "Orgasm Portrait" of the actors in Lars von Trier's film "Sex Lymphoma", which is from Denmark The balloon installation made by the painter Jeppe Hein seems to have related houses in all colors, as well as an oil painting like a tapestry, purely accidental art-this is the old workbench of the artist’s friend, Nico Nicolaj found the painting in his studio and asked to buy it. "We see a lot of beautiful interiors in super clean magazines," Ditte said. "I think it makes some people feel calm, but for me, it just feels cold. I always think you have to do what suits you, not modify the way others tell you."
The kitchen is an "all-inclusive industrial" kitchen with stainless steel countertops on one side and French tavern inspiration on the other. Its painted mahogany cabinets are the time spent by the whole family. "This is our favorite space, where we start and end the day," Ditte said. "We gather with friends sitting together and have a glass of wine while cooking."
Above the marble splash plate where the coffee machine sits is a custom steel and glass cabinet developed by Emanuele Stamuli, an architect who works at the Ganni store and has also worked with Prada and Acne. Nicolaj said: "When light hits it, it will hint at a rainbow."
This is a family home, their family business. Although they sold the majority of Ganni's shares, they still operated the shares, and the global pandemic affected them. "This time it's a roller coaster-ups and downs," Dieter said. "I have to say that the business part has fallen a lot because we have to let some people leave, which is too bad. But, in another way, suddenly, the distance between you and people is getting closer and closer. . You need to take the time to ask them how they are now, not so busy. I am getting closer and closer to my colleagues. I hope we can continue."
They regularly host parties in the dining room that the Danish cabinet maker Børge Mogensen placed next to the table in the middle of the century. They bought second-hand goods from the parents of friend jeweler Sophie Bille Brahe. Nicolaj smiled and said, "In many ways, the table is a mess, but it means you never have to worry about it. It will be comforting when the three children are sitting here." It was a mismatched chair. Surrounded by some friends from the Danish design company Hay, Nicolaj bought many Italian steel mesh designs from the restaurant and found various antiques. "This room sums up our identity," Ditte said. "We like to have guests and we want it to be a welcoming home. It's about not trying to be too perfect. Mix colors, fabrics and textures-I have to use the same method. If you feel people feel relaxed about their house , Then as a guest, you will feel at home."
Post time: Jan-26-2021