Garde Hvalsøe and a hygge filled houseboat

It’s two months until my next trip to Copenhagen. But this week’s home tour is certainly bringing back lots of happy memories as it’s somewhere I’ve passed many times and always longed to see inside.

Located in Paper Island, between the Ferm Living Boutique and the Opera House, this hygge filled houseboat belongs to Rita Vibild and her husband Søren Hvalsøe Garde, founder of Garde Hvalsøe a Danish brand renowned for its craftsmanship, high-quality materials and bespoke cabinetry.

Testament to their timeless approach, the couple’s unique new home was inspired by a wish to downsize from their city centre apartment as well as their son’s home which is moored in the district of Urban Rigger in Refshaleøen, another part of the city I highly recommend you visit.

Working closely with specialist architect Anders Halsteen for two years, and after floating the final 140-square-metre design over from Poland, safe to say the interior of this abode looks just as beautiful as I’d always hoped it would.

Split over two levels and wrapped in black wooden slats to echo the look of a Garde Hvalsøe wardrobe, this modest and modern space comprises of two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a wine room which incidentally uses the water in the canal for cooling, and of course a stunning Garde Hvalsøe kitchen.

Showcasing Søren’s love for cooking as well as cabinetmaking, the Dinesen oak drawer units chosen perfectly frame the views beyond, while the dramatic Quartzite Breccia Imperiale worktops beautifully reflects the light as it hits the surface of the water. Adding to the dramatic overall effect is also a burnished brass sink and an array of slick Gaggenau appliances.

Sitting happily alongside all of their incredible joinery is, as you might expect, a jaw-dropping collection of furniture, lighting, art and ceramics too, with the vintage Bruno Mathsson circular dining table a personal favourite, as well as the Wegner PP201 chairs for PP Møbler, the iconic Poul Henningsen PH table lamp and the super soft looking Colonial Chair designed by Ole Wanscher in 1959 for Carl Hansen & Søn.

With Garde Hvalsøe’s creations shipped all over the world, safe to say whether your home is on the water or dry land, you too can bring a touch of Copenhagen living to your life.