Interiors

Home tour | The PH House by Norm Architects

February 12, 2018June 20, 2019

It’s home-tour time again, and today I have another gem from the ever-inspiring Norm Architects to share with you.

Located in Copenhagen, this historic villa is named the ‘PH House’ in homage to renowned Danish designer, architect and critic Poul Henningsen, who once used it as his summerhouse. It was rebuilt after a 2014 fire destroyed much of the structure, and it’s now home to a family of three.

Norm Architects were commissioned to restore as many of the villa’s original features as possible, while also reconfiguring the layout to suit modern living. They started by increasing the height of the facade, extending the top floor from 40sqm to 100sqm and incorporating additional bedrooms and bathrooms. They then opened up the ground floor to create an airy living area with windows on all sides, and added a floating solid-oak staircase topped by large skylights.

Throughout the house, parquet flooring and wooden panelling sit alongside crisp white walls and contemporary dark-wood cupboards, creating a minimalist yet elegant aesthetic. Teak mid-century furniture, amber-glass and brass accents and sleek marble plinths add further elements of contrast, and the whole place is flooded with natural light.

Coincidentally, the owner had been collecting Poul Henningsen lamps for many years before buying the house, and they’re now dotted around the various rooms. They work brilliantly alongside carefully chosen contemporary lighting, including Menu’s ‘JWDA’ and ‘TR Bulb’ lamps in the living area and master bedroom.

The bespoke kitchen was designed by Norm for Danish brand Reform and combines smoked-oak cabinets with bronzed brass handles and slim brass taps; there’s also an island unit made from pale grey stone and illuminated by a pair of retro PH lights. A bank of full-height cupboards separates the kitchen from the sitting area beyond, cleverly zoning the open-plan space without interrupting its flow.

The grey and brass colour scheme continues in the bathrooms, which have ceramic-tiled tubs and striking wall-hung concrete sinks. They’re complemented by brass hooks and brass ‘Darkly’ mirrors, created for Menu by Scottish-Swedish designer Nick Ross.