In their charmingly pink country home in Tisvildeleje, Denmark, handball player Mikkel Hansen and entrepreneur Stephanie Gundelach find a quiet escape from the bustle of their everyday.
Mikkel Hansen & Stephanie Gundelach
Tell us about your aesthetics and style.
Stephanie: Mikkel and I share the same aesthetics, and we seem to always agree on what we like and what we don’t. Almost. We love the simplicity of classic Danish furniture, and we like combining it with findings from auctions or flea markets. Art also plays a big role in our home, and the colours found in a specific work often set the tone for the colour story of each room. We always talk about wanting to be less colourful, but we always end up being very colourful anyway.
Where do you find inspiration for your interior?
Stephanie: We have always been really inspired by our travels, but we haven’t had time to travel much since having kids. These days, we like to find a piece of furniture or an artwork that has a story to it, and kind of work the space around that centerpiece.
Tell us about this country house and why it’s so special for you.
Mikkel: We bought the house when we still lived in Paris and needed a home in Denmark. Stephanie was pregnant with our second child, and we were tired of living in hotel rooms. This pink country home stole our heart the first day we saw it. The surroundings are so peaceful, which was just the contrast and escape we needed from our daily life in a noisy city like Paris. Our neighbour has horses and rabbits, and the only sounds come from the birds – so it’s like waking up to music. The house has an incredible light and soul to it.
What does a typical day in this house look like for you?
Mikkel: We try to have no plans when we’re there. The best thing about the country house is the big room downstairs where everybody can be together without needing to engage with one another. Stephanie can cook, while the children play and I can lie on the couch reading the paper. It’s very relaxing.
What features does an item need to have for you to like it?
Mikkel: Stephanie has a weakness for items that are a bit ugly. When items are too perfect they get boring; imperfections make them exciting to look at!
What is your favourite room in the house?
Stephanie: Our dining area, which is in the center of the house and where we spend the majority of our waking hours. It’s right next to the fireplace, and the kids can play with their cars at one end of the table, while we can eat a late breakfast at the other end.
What do HAY pieces bring to this home?
Mikkel: We love our Hackney 3-Seater Sofa, which is so big and comfortable. Many of our guests have ended up spending the night on it – and they slept like babies! We also adore our dining chairs, the Rey Chairs, which are both comfortable and beautiful, and all of our HAY candles and vases really make this country house feel like home.
Living with HAY captures how people live with their favourite HAY furniture, lighting, and accessories.
