A kitchen reimagined: Moving into the former dining room

However, the story really starts in a doctor’s practice on the main square Rådhustorvet in central Vejle, which Maria and Peter purchased in 2016. The apartment, located centrally in the square, was built in 1930, and required extensive work to transform the former 336-square-metre surgery into a modern family home while respecting the style and beauty of the original architecture.

Nevertheless, they harboured a desire to get involved in a new renovation project. The couple had previously looked at the imposing house in the suburb of Søndermarken, and after the price was reduced, went for a viewing. Maria and Peter immediately fell in love with the large, open rooms, the natural light, the original details and the history of the house, but it transpired there were several potential buyers. Therefore, the couple made an offer at the first viewing, and also asked the estate agent to arrange a meeting with the person who was selling the property.

Edel and her husband had lived in the house on Sdr. Villavej for 40 years, and Maria wanted to tell Edel about their thoughts and plans for the house.

The mission succeeded, and in 2021, the Prüsse family took over the house, which had been built in 1923, and started renovating the 450 square metres of accommodation spread over four floors.

It was important for Marie and Peter to preserve the building’s historical details – the beautiful carpeted wood floors, the doors and the carved door frames, the old cast-iron radiators and the original terrazzo floor in the wardrobe – but at the same time add a modern twist.

The floor plan of the almost 100-year-old house still functioned, except for the kitchen and how it was placed. The original kitchen was small and almost tucked away in a corner. It therefore made sense to establish a new kitchen in the former dining room, and in so doing create an absolutely fantastic space with lots of light, garden views and direct access to both the terrace and the new orangery which serves as an everyday dining room.

The kitchen has been planned and furnished with an emphasis on solid materials and elegant Danish design. Choosing the kitchen was easy, because Maria and Peter wanted exactly the same Shaker bespoke kitchen from uno form and Gaggenau appliances that they had previously had in the apartment on Rådhustorvet.

The stone-grey kitchen and the fossil marble worktop personally chosen by Maria at the stone supplier suit the old house beautifully.

Jan Lübeck Bengtsen from uno form Vejle has extensive experience with interior design and renovations, and was a great help in the process.

A painting by the Danish/Faroese artist Gunleif Grube which Maria inherited from her parents hangs on one of the kitchen walls. Maria’s father had a special passion for works by the artist, who was born in 1947 in Tórshavn, and Maria and Peter have several of his paintings. Throughout the house, Danish furniture classics are juxtaposed with twentieth-century art and sculptures as well as antiques, delightful street market finds and quirky mementos from both Maria’s and Peter’s childhood homes.

Maria feels it is important to combine old and new, and she manages to effortlessly mix designer furniture and heirlooms in a timeless way that is also very personal. For example, an antique blue lamp base from Fog & Mørup Copenhagen with a modern incandescent bulb adds edge to the décor while serving as a lovely reminder of Maria’s mother-in-law.

In addition to the kitchen, there is a large hall with a wardrobe on the ground floor, a dining room with Peter’s trophies from his hunting trips in Denmark and Poland, a guest room in the old kitchen, a guest toilet and stairs down to the basement.

The family has not compromised in the basement either, which required extensive work so it could function as a separate floor for the Prüsse children with three large bedrooms, a bathroom, its own entrance and several storage rooms.

The master bedroom is located on the first floor. The double bed is placed in the middle of the room, from where Maria and Peter can enjoy views of the woods and the inlet Vejle Fjord. Adjoining it is a large bathroom, where Maria has combined modern bathroom furniture from uno form with old items that are steeped in character and soul. The old school bench is used for stacking towels, while a Chinese stool next to the bath is perfect as somewhere to leave your bathrobe.

All four bathrooms in the house feature oak bathroom furniture from uno form’s Avantgarde collection, vola taps in burnished brass and tiles in shimmering shades of brown for a coherent look.

On the first floor, the family also has a living room with its old bookcase, which was originally made for the house by cabinetmakers from the local building firm Ove Larsen.

Maria thinks it goes perfectly with all the books and various quirky things from her childhood home.

Under the roof, the old wooden beams have been exposed, and what will become the family’s multifunctional room is bathed in light from the new skylights. Maria and Peter have added dormer windows, which offer commanding views of the city and the inlet.

The space is furnished with an oak kitchenette from uno form’s Avantgarde collection with an oak shelf with integrated slots for hanging wineglasses.

Here, Maria and Peter have plans for a table that can be used for card and board games as well as a sofa arrangement so the family can gather with friends and watch football, for example.

The kitchen offers direct access to both a large terrace and an orangery, allowing the family to enjoy the changing seasons to the full. The terrace leads down into the old part of the garden, a green oasis with a large and beautiful magnolia tree, old rhododendrons and a large laburnum tree.

In a corner filled with white hydrangeas, Maria has placed her great-grandfather’s old wrought-iron garden bench.

Between the house and the garage, the family has created a modern, sunken garden, with planters in corten steel that screen the area from the road.