Dinesen’s new showroom by OeO explores the past and future of its wood

Dinesen Showroom
Dinesen unveils a brand new showroom in Copenhagen, designed by local firm OeO.
(Image credit: Anders Hviid)

Dinesen's heritage goes back more than a century - the Danish timber flooring company was born in 1898 in an old sawmill in Jels. Its legacy and skillset is precious and something the family-owned business is determined to maintain, however this doesn't stop it from having its sights set firmly on the future. Dinesen's brand new showroom in Copenhagen, designed by local studio OeO, is a case in point.

Respecting Dinesen's tradition, but with a clear nod to company's future, the showroom has been designed to both highlight the company's much-loved flooring as well as open up new possibilities. 'We wanted to do more than a showroom. We wanted to create an experience,' says Thomas Lykke, who heads OeO with partner Anne-Marie Buemann.

And so they did. The space, occupying two sides of a corner building in the heart of the Danish capital, is split into two distinct areas, each providing a different experience of the product's applications. The first volume, entitled 'Tree of a Kind', is dedicated to Dinesen's more playful, modern side. Planks of different kinds are on display, showcasing both Douglas fir and oak wood.

This is also the home of Dinesen's more experimental ventures. Coloured Dinesen timber for example - using linseed oil to create different hues - is a new path the company has been exploring with impressive results. A striking 15-metre long plank table creates a dramatic accent in the space, underlining one of the brand's most distinguishable trait: the unique length and width of its planks.

The showroom's second branch is named 'Extraordinary by Nature' and focuses on the product's various applications in a space styled as a private apartment. Exuding a sense of traditional elegance, the show flat is contemporary with a nod to the classic; for instance, the colourway has been inspired by 19th century Danish painter Vilhelm Hammershøi.

The space incorporates an office, meeting areas, kitchen and event space, as well as a wine cellar, curated by the same people who look after Noma's wine stocks, no less. Indeed, the experience built around Dinesen's timber is at the heart of this project. 'We wanted people to see and feel the material,' says Lykke. 'It is about detail, refinement and quality.'

Covering a generous 600 sq m, the showroom harks back to Dinesen's history, while looking to its future. 'Now we can take the old ideas from my father and grandfather and put them together with new ideas from designers and architects,' says Thomas Dinesen, the company's current co-owner and one of the fourth generation family member to be involved in the business. 'Now we can showcase our stock, so it's not hidden away in the factory. We want to inspire people to use wood.'

Dinesen Showroom

The space is divided into two volumes. One part, entitled 'Tree of a Kind' (pictured), is dedicated to Dinesen's playful side and includes a coffee bar and bespoke furniture.

(Image credit: Anders Hviid)

White long plank table

A striking 15-metre long plank table creates a dramatic accent in the space, underlining one of Dinesen's most distinguishable trait: the unique length and width of its planks.

(Image credit: Anders Hviid)

Chair and table

A meeting and lounge area is set against a timber check wall in the 'Tree of a Kind' section.

(Image credit: Anders Hviid)

Dinesen Showroom

The showroom's other wing, named 'Extraordinary by Nature', showcases Dinesen's practical applications in a space styled as a private apartment.

(Image credit: Anders Hviid)

Dinesen Showroom

Exuding a sense of traditional elegance, the show flat is contemporary with a nod to the classic; for instance, the colourway has been inspired by 19th century Danish painter Vilhelm Hammershøi.

(Image credit: Anders Hviid)

Dinesen Showroom

The 'apartment' is decked out from top to bottom in the brand's Douglas fir and oak timbers.

(Image credit: Anders Hviid)

Staff office

This section of the project includes the staff offices, also clad in Dinesen wood.

(Image credit: Anders Hviid)

Library view

A separate room is dressed as a serene library.

(Image credit: Anders Hviid)

ADDRESS

Søtorvet, 5
1371 Copenhagen K
Denmark

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Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).