Colour Class #8 — Infusing cosiness into minimalist settings through colour 

In the eighth edition of our Colour Class series, we revisit the captivating residence of Céline, the founder of Color Connaisseur, nestled in a listed apartment adjacent to Nyhavn in Copenhagen.

The aim was to design a contemporary kitchen that could make a statement in terms of both its design and colour, while also respecting the historical surroundings and blending in harmoniously.

In this class, we explore how a primary light grey colour scheme allows surrounding hues to shine, blending old and new seamlessly. Delicate accents of pink add a touch of charm, completing the transformation of this space into a cosy retreat within a minimalist setting..

Location: The home of Céline, founder of Color Connaisseur, in a listed apartment right next to Nyhavn in Copenhagen.

Mission: The objective was to create a modern kitchen that could stand out both in terms of design and colour while respecting the historical surroundings and fitting in seamlessly.

Colours: In this kitchen, there's a significant player that lies not within but outside. On the other side of the large kitchen windows lies some of Copenhagen's oldest history. These beautiful orange oxidized buildings from around 1690 and 1750, towering outside the window, fill the room with a soft, warm reflected light, even though the sun never directly shines into the north-facing space. It doesn't get much more beautiful than this.

However, it's also a factor that needs to be taken seriously, hence the room's primary colour, a pure light grey, which has no undertones and therefore does nothing but give the room a velvety smooth surface where all the surrounding colours can come to life. All walls, cabinets, and doors that border the walls are painted in this single colour, blending old and new and providing visual space for the red island, which features a linoleum surface and stands as the star of the room. The brown colour of the ceiling, which feels like a hug when you step in, is carefully selected to complement the colours outside the window.

The room is minimalist in design, containing only the most essential items, always hidden behind doors. But a Montana Free shelving unit has been introduced, holding everything from beautiful pots to collections of ceramics from Japan, plants, fruits, and vegetables. This shelving unit is the "visual clutter" that creates cosiness in an otherwise minimalist space.

And as the famous cherry on top, the room is delicately sprinkled with pink, in the form of porcelain switches, trays, and the inside of painted cabinets.