A Copenhagen Home That Turns Trash To Treasure

When your husband keeps coming home and telling you about some awesome, fun-loving, bow-tie wearing guy who is super creative and inspiring, the obvious next step is to simply invite yourself over to his home. Which is exactly how I ended up at Claus Christensen and Brian Jensen’s home in Copenhagen, Denmark which they share with their humongous and super friendly Doberman, Idog. (Isn’t that the most clever dog name ever?)

If you happened to have decided to tag along for my mini home invasion you would immediately be greeted by these two fellas, Idog, and an oversized albino Peacock hanging from the ceiling. Hopefully you are better than I am about playing it cool because I know I’m in for a treat and it’s written all over my face. When Claus takes your coat, hangs in on the cleverly installed Vintage Foosball Players and Brian offers you either a glass of freshly pressed juice or a cup of coffee, you might as well ask for both. Something good is about to happen and you have no intention of leaving soon.

Claus, a senior consultant for a top consulting firm in Copenhagen, has a way of seeing potential in what some of us might otherwise call “trash.” With a constant flow of projects and ideas coursing through him, Claus tends to stock pile random supplies, trash, and anything else he finds that might eventually become one of his brilliant masterpieces. Although his partner, Brian, a marketing and business consultant and self confessed minimalist, sometimes feels overwhelmed when he opens a cabinet and piles of garbage fall out, he laughs and admits that he loves how Claus always make sense of things that he doesn’t always see.

Some of the most recent projects Claus has wowed his partner with include a straw art piece that required hundreds of straws to be cut and patiently glued to each other (and not to a firm backing) and a DIY shoe rack which was made from salvaged wood. Flea Market sofas, chairs found by the curb, and even a vintage shovel all make this home feel thoughtfully curated and lived in, but minimalistic and modern when they are artfully combined with classic Danish modern pieces.

Claus admits that the greatest struggle when creating a home is respecting all the occupants but what ultimately brings it together is the concept of hygge, or what might loosely be defined as anything that makes an experience feel special and cozy. With the rain splashing quietly against the windows, the candles flickering, and music playing in the background, I think both Brian and Claus have nailed hygge.

We’ve included a special little video interview with Claus so you can get to know him a little better with a special guest appearance by Idog.