Inside a 1907 Copenhagen Apartment.

In the historic Frederiksstaden district in central Copenhagen, Ditte and Rune's

358 square-metre apartment dates back to 1907 balances original architecture with a quieter Scandinavian restraint. High ceilings, tall windows and original herringbone floors remain intact, while oak, stone and softened natural tones bring warmth and rhythm to the rooms throughout the day.

In the historic Frederiksstaden district in central Copenhagen, Ditte and Rune's

358 square-metre apartment dates back to 1907 balances original architecture with a quieter Scandinavian restraint. High ceilings, tall windows and original herringbone floors remain intact, while oak, stone and softened natural tones bring warmth and rhythm to the rooms throughout the day.

Calacatta Viola marble anchors the room with depth and character. Framed by painted cabinetry and original architecture.

A home found by hand

Ditte Skyum Rares and Rune Skyum-Nielsen had been living in a row house on the outer edges of Østerbro. Life worked, but the city felt further away than it should. They wanted to come back to the centre of it.

Finding the right apartment was never going to be simple. The requirements were unusual. Enough space for a family of five, plus room for a grandmother with her own floor. Centrally located. And generous enough to allow a considered interior to breathe.

What made it possible was an act both patient and direct. They wrote a personal letter and placed one in every mailbox in the building. Five days later, they received a call. A man who had lived there for fifty years was finally ready to move on.

Finding the right apartment was never going to be simple. The requirements were unusual. Enough space for a family of five, plus room for a grandmother with her own floor. Centrally located. And generous enough to allow a considered interior to breathe.

What made it possible was an act both patient and direct. They wrote a personal letter and placed one in every mailbox in the building. Five days later, they received a call. A man who had lived there for fifty years was finally ready to move on.

Ditte Skyum Rares in the kitchen that transformed a historic Copenhagen apartment into a modern home built for long-term living.

The beauty lies in the transitions between rooms. A recurring use of marble brings continuity to the home.

A dining room shaped by light and oak.

“We love and use the city for basically everything and just wanted to come back. Finding a big apartment in the middle of the city is not an easy job. My husband and I wrote a note explaining a bit about our little family and put it in all the mailboxes. Almost magically, we got a call five days later.”

- Ditte Skyum Rares

A study in joinery, grain and proportion.

For a long time, the dining table was unresolved. They had been looking. A stone table was considered and set aside: the kitchen already had marble, and the two rooms flow directly into each other. What they wanted was something warm. Long enough for a full family gathering. Calm enough to hold the room without demanding it. When Ditte found the Ann dining table from by Crea, the decision was immediate.

“When I came across by Crea and the Ann dining table, I knew that it was perfect for that. We wanted a nice, long table that could hold the entire family and friends, and that would bring some warmth and statement to the area without taking up too much attention.”

- Ditte Skyum Rares

“When I came across by Crea and the Ann dining table, I knew that it was perfect for that. We wanted a nice, long table that could hold the entire family and friends, and that would bring some warmth and statement to the area without taking up too much attention.”

- Ditte Skyum Rares

A freestanding bath framed by marble and morning light.

Close-up detail of the Ann dining table in solid dark oak styled in a Danish design apartment in Copenhagen.

Light catches the texture of the oak, a surface shaped by texture and time.

The Erik dining chair grounds the room in oak and craftsmanship.

“The Ann table is the embodiment of craftsmanship, solid materials and attention to detail. We feel that every day when we gather around the table, but even when we are in the kitchen and look at the table at the other end of the room, it oozes style and craftsmanship. We have many pieces inherited by family members from great Danish architects such as Wegner, Børge Mogensen and Arne Jacobsen and we love the Nordic design tradition. For us, the Ann dining table blends in perfectly.”

- Ditte Skyum Rares

“The Ann table is the embodiment of craftsmanship, solid materials and attention to detail. We feel that every day when we gather around the table, but even when we are in the kitchen and look at the table at the other end of the room, it oozes style and craftsmanship. We have many pieces inherited by family members from great Danish architects such as Wegner, Børge Mogensen and Arne Jacobsen and we love the Nordic design tradition. For us, the Ann dining table blends in perfectly.”

- Ditte Skyum Rares

They chose the table in dark oak. The pairing with the herringbone floors turned out to be more than a match in tone. The table legs form the same V shape as the herringbone pattern beneath them. The whole room acquires a kind of axis. Something designed independently arrives as though it was always meant to be there.

Materials improve with use. The oak develops a softer patina over time. Nothing feels overly polished or preserved. The apartment is designed to be used fully and lived with comfortably. Rounded oak grain meeting sharp marble lines. Soft textiles against structured surfaces. Natural light revealing texture rather than hiding it. The home feels personal without becoming performative.

Ebba bar stools in a Danish design kitchen inside a Copenhagen apartment with marble backsplash, soft natural light, and Scandinavian interior details.

The Ebba Bar Stool brings warmth to the marble kitchen.

At home in Frederiksstaden

A family of five. Three daughters. A grandmother with her own floor. Herringbone floors that carry the light from one end of the apartment to the other. A dining table that was always going to end up here.

Frederiksstaden is the perfect blend of local neighbourhood feeling, while being the optimal location when it comes to everything from restaurants, cultural spots, parks and events. With small kids, they use the neighbourhood for playgrounds, summer swims in the harbour, quick visits to local cafés and romantic dates just around the corner, which makes finding a babysitter way easier. And they know that in a couple of years, when their oldest becomes more independent, this will open so many new ways of exploring the city for all of them.