Industrial architecture and mid-century styling is the winning formula in this cool Copenhagen apartment

Industrial architecture and mid-century styling is the winning formula in this cool Copenhagen apartment

Pernille Holm transformed this Copenhagen workshop into an inviting home that’s packed with quirky details and original features. Feature Pia Olsen/Living Stories. Stylist Rikke Graff Juel. Photographs Anitta Behrendt

Anitta Behrendt

Published: July 2, 2024 at 10:49 am

Nestled on a quiet side street in Copenhagen’s fashionable Vesterbro district, sits the old workshop in which Pernille Holm, stylist and boutique owner, now lives with her husband, Leif Thingtved. Not only is it an unexpected oasis of calm in the heart of the lively hustle and bustle of the city, but it is also the building where the couple first met, 32 years ago.

Kitchen workshop table
A large workshop table, sporting a solid terrazzo top, is the centrepiece of the kitchen. Above it hangs a vintage green lamp. The handmade glazed room divider leads to the living room and looks perfectly at home in this industrial-style space. - Anitta Behrendt -

Back then, Leif used the space to work on his old English motorcycles, and on her visits Pernille says she would dream about decorating the place if she lived there, never really imagining that it might be possible.

So when the chance to transform the workshop into a home came up, she was already ahead of the game with her plans, and they both agreed that it was important to retain its raw, industrial character. But to make the space work as a home it was necessary to create separate spaces. To do so they used salvaged materials to create several large, glazed room dividers, which feel as if they are original to the building.

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Handmade oak kitchen units
The kitchen units were handmade in oak, and this run of cabinets is lit by a set of industrial-style vintage pendant lights that Pernille discovered on a trip to Paris. - Anitta Behrendt -
Cans, spices, and curious porcelain finds
This collection of cans, spices, and curious porcelain finds from near and far look striking grouped together in a glass display cabinet. - Anitta Behrendt -
Dining area in the kitchen
Figures with character and a Michelin man
The couple has a weakness for figures with character, often spanning eras and styles – showcased here with the falcon ornament that was given to Pernille and Leif as a gift, and a Michelin man that came from a flea market in Paris. - Anitta Behrendt -
Access to the sunny balcony
From the bright and airy kitchen there is access to a sunny balcony, while the wooden stairs lead up to the apartment’s bedroom. A vintage poster adds colour to the white walls. - Anitta Behrendt -
Flower displays in the backyard
Poppies, hostas and hydrangeas bloom from rustic pots in the charming backyard, which feels a million miles from the city’s bustle. The building dates from 1884 and still has the original windows from when it was a workshop. - Anitta Behrendt -
Owner Pernille
Covered balcony
An old kitchen cabinet has been given new life, here on the covered balcony, blending with the rustic brick wall and providing a perfect muted base for plants, pots and lanterns. - Anitta Behrendt -

‘I love things that are different. I feel good when I’m surrounded by quirky stuff,’ says Pernille, adding that if decor is too perfect, she feels the need to counteract it in some way. ‘That’s probably also why we have a lot of vintage,’ she says. ‘But things with history also just suit our home really well.’

She also loves the thrill of the chase; what she calls the ‘quest’ to find something special. ‘I’ve often dragged awkward things home with me from our many travels around the world,’ she admits, and on the occasions when she’s found herself unprepared – either without funds or transportation for her finds – the frustration haunts her.

Lush oasis of the balcony
Wild-growing climbing plants and shrubs turn the balcony into a lush oasis for enjoying a quiet moment at the marble table that belonged to Pernille’s parents. - -

‘We visited a market in Paris many years ago, and I found a huge carpet from the 1920s in dove-blue with a light purple and black pattern. I didn’t have the money to buy it, but I was obsessed,’ she laughs.

It is not only abroad that Pernille hunts for vintage finds. She loves to browse the lots at Bruun Rasmussen Auctioneers, both online and at their base in Lyngby, on the outskirts of Copenhagen, and she often admires the curated glass vases and art at lifestyle store Holly Golightly.

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Striking living room
The couple’s living room is filled with eye-catching furniture and accessories, from the zebra-striped sofa to the bright jugs and ornaments found on their extensive travels, and artworks by a mixture of Danish and international artists. - Anitta Behrendt -
leopard-print rug on the armchair
Pernille has a weakness for carpets in Asian and Middle Eastern styles. The armchair has been given a leopard-print rug to add a little extra wildness, while the vintage metal cabinet was found in England and adds nicely to the industrial theme. The glass doors were built by the couple in recycled materials to create a room division when renovating the workshop. - Anitta Behrendt -
The couple's bedroom
The couple’s bedroom is cheerfully decorated with animal prints and floral rugs. The bed is from Poggenpohl and the lamps were found in Italy, while the poster is from a 1952 theatre performance. - Anitta Behrendt -
Bright yellow chair in the bedroom
In the bedroom, a bright yellow chair from Pernille’s aunt stands out against petrol-blue walls in this cosy space beneath the sloping roof. The coffee table and lamp are flea market finds. - Anitta Behrendt -
Vintage French table
A vintage French table topped with lavender and some cut flowers creates a pretty corner in the yard. - Anitta Behrendt -
Plant display in the backyard
Plants of varying sizes are displayed en masse in the yard, in characterful vintage pots. - Anitta Behrendt -

A favourite source of antiques and vintage pieces is Indenfor & Udenfor, a gallery in the centre of the city that’s open by appointment, where she almost always finds something special. As a seasoned vintage hunter, Pernille recommends being discriminating: ‘Only go for items in really good condition,’ she says. ‘Some of the joy is lost if you buy something that is broken,’ though a little wear and tear adds character: ‘of course, there must be patina,’ she concedes.

Pernille recommends focusing on quality and good craftsmanship, and avoiding passing trends that encourage a throwaway culture; tenets that are clearly evident at the old workshop. ‘I can quickly scan whether something is made of proper materials and whether it is good workmanship. I buy good things with a long life, which equates to sustainability for me.’

Tranquil corner of the backyard
A potted lilac tree in bloom and a chair from a flea market create a tranquil corner, while black-painted fences make a stylish backdrop to the colourful plants and flowers. - Anitta Behrendt -

When it comes to her interiors aesthetic, Pernille doesn’t stick to specific styles or eras, and her home is filled with African handicrafts, vintage rugs, industrial design from the 1930s alongside modern Danish art: ‘I love mixing things up, creating contrast. I find it pleasing if something is a little too big or a little too small, has a wild colour or quirky patterns. I have no rules when I decorate.’

@stylistpernilleholm

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