This project was wilder than anything we'd tried before,' says Sarah Fitzgerald, of the renovation she and her partner, Christian Klinge, recently completed. Built in 1901 by architect Rasmus Jensen (known for his grand, English-inspired style), the property is in Klampenborg, a seaside suburb north of Copenhagen with a regal past.
Once the location of Christiansholm Castle, the former summer residence of King Christian IX, the area is known for its tranquil beauty, but this house was far from ready for royalty when the couple and their three daughters moved in.
Over many generations, it had undergone several rebuilds, resulting in a labyrinthine layout. There was nothing to do but start over. 'The challenge was to create a home that respects its stately past but can accommodate our modern lifestyle,' says Sarah.
Neither she nor Christian have a formal education in interior design (she is a midwife and he's managing director and founder of branding agency Entry Global) but, after completing several successful renovations, the pair now advise others. They sensed this property was a rough diamond.
The more layers and partitions the duo removed as they simplified the floor plan, the more beautiful the light became. Previously hampered by small rooms, daylight now floods every corner, filtered by sheer curtains.
Aside from opening things up, Sarah and Christian also moved the kitchen from the cellar (a remnant of the building's 'upstairs/downstairs' past) to the ground floor, and designed a staircase worthy of an entrance hall this impressive. 'The stairs took many months of research,' explains Sarah. 'We sat with white modelling wax and shaped and shaped until we found exactly the right organic expression.'
The finished product wouldn't look out of place in a palazzo, which isn't surprising considering Sarah and Christian's fascination with Italian design. They added columns and stucco work (their own designs, made by skilled craftspeople) to many of the rooms, creating a unique hybrid of influences.
The furniture is similarly dual-heritage - Italian classics such as the 'Camaleonda' sofa by Mario Bellini for B&B Italia and 'Atollo' lamp by Vico Magistretti for Oluce rub shoulders with pieces by modern Danish brands and cherry-picked favourites from the rest of the world.
Their home may seem calm and considered now, but this creative pair never work from a firm plan, instead slowly adding to a project until they strike the right atmosphere. No fewer than 22,500 photos were taken and exchanged during the renovation, as ideas were swapped and details decided.
'It is more fun and motivating to keep things open, but our hope has always been that each room should be able to stand on its own,' says Christian. 'We have no art on the walls, and that is a conscious choice,' adds Sarah. 'For us, our home is the painting - a raw canvas that has been filled with everything we love.' @fitzgerald_sarah