Home tour | A Danish cottage in calming greys

I’m heading back to ever-reliable Scandinavia for my latest home-tour post. I’ve seen photos of this beautiful Danish kitchen popping up regularly on Pinterest in recent weeks, and I couldn’t resist taking a peek at the rest of the house. A restored 19th-century cottage in the Copenhagen suburb of Taarbæk, it’s the home of talented interior stylist Cille Grut who, by the looks of it, loves grey just as much as I do.

Cille believes that our homes are never ‘finished’ but evolve as our lives move forward. With this in mind, she was keen to create an interior scheme which provides a blank canvas for ever-changing artworks and accessories, while showing off the collection of design classics which she has accumulated over the years. She also wanted to ensure a calm and balanced feel, and so grey seemed the natural choice.

Although most rooms are decorated in one shade or another, there are subtle differences in the hues and textures used. Cille studied the natural light in every corner of the house before deciding between pale or dark grey, warmer or cooler undertones and a gloss or powder-matt paint finish. She also varied the fabrics in each space, mixing tactile velvet, snuggly wool, relaxed linen and gauzy curtains.

Throughout, the swathes of grey are pepped up by splashes of blue, pink and coral, as well as interesting items picked up on global travels (a Turkish kilim rug, a collection of vintage pewter candlesticks). There are plenty of striking artworks on display, too – a reflection of Cille’s passion for photography and graphics, which is also evident in the Gubi ‘Beetle’ chair and matching feather-print cushion in the lounge.

Almost every room showcases iconic Danish pieces: tan leather Poul Kjærholm chairs, Royal Copenhagen vases and tableware, Verner Panton’s white acrylic ‘Panthella’ lamp. There are also lots of beautiful original features, all blended into the contemporary scheme – ornate plaster ceilings offset by a trio of smoke-glass ‘Ballroom’ lamps from Design by Us, a traditional ceramic stove, and a built-in wooden cabinet which Cille modernised by adding dark paint to the interior.

As for that gorgeous kitchen, it features bespoke units made by a local cabinetmaker. Their soft dove-grey colour is offset beautifully by the stone floor, wooden worktops and rustic stools, and the open shelves and & tradition lights provide the perfect finishing touches.

Photography by Chris Tonnesen for ELLE Denmark