In a project that unites some of the finest of Denmark's contemporary design scene, Studio David Thulstrup has just completed a brand new showroom for specialist timber flooring manufacturer Dinesen and cabinetmaker Garde Hvalsøe. The new space is located in Aarhus, within one of the east Jutland city's most recognisable buildings, the historic Mejlborg.
Thulstrup worked with Hvalsøe's unrivalled expertises and Dinesen's well known fine product to create an interior that resembles a home. Composed of six rooms, this domestic-style design is an ode to high quality and refinement. There's Dinesen's trademark long solid plank floors, bespoke kitchens, cabinetry and details that link the original building's heritage character with new, modern design.
'The ground floor space was once a very chic restaurant with dark wood paneling and intricately painted glass ceilings so it’s not a typical showroom. I wanted to find the essence of how to treat these rich heritage features to create experiences as well as bring in the history of this landmark building but with cool contemporary touches,' says Thulstrup.
The Danish flooring company partnered with cabinetmaker Garde Hvalsøe in this new showroom.
Each room has its own, specially mixed colour tone. Tinting Dinesen wood with the company's eco-friendly method, creating a play on its signature natural-look planks, Thulstrup opted for a kitchen and dining room in light minty blue, yellow for the lounge and dressing room, a meeting room in mustard and an office enveloped in dusty purple.
‘To create a sense of arrival I made the entrance really dark by painting the walls the same colour as the woodwork and treating the flooring with a customised dark stain,' says Thulstrup.
The showroom's basement has its own story to tell. Here, the Dinesen design team created facilities for an archive of materials, which will be open to architects and designers to visit. Products from companies such as Dinesen, Kvadrat, Petersen Tegl, Sorensen Leather, Zurface, Weber and Surface Cph will be represented here. This way, this project goes beyond the role of the traditional showroom, allowing for space for exploration and discovery, experimentation and creation, hosting from exhibitions, to workshops, talks and meetings.
Dinesen and Garde Hvalsøe used their space to showcase their shared passion for wood, craftsmanship and design.
The space is within a historic landmark building in Aarhus, called Mejlborg.
The space is divided into six rooms.
Thulstrup approached the interior like a home.
Linking old and new elements seamlessly, the architect sought to enhance the connection between heritage and contemporary design.
A minimalist timber staircase leads the visitor down to the lower ground floor.
The basement level is dedicated to an archive of materials.
This archive can be used as a resource for architects and designers.
The shelves contain material from companies, such as Dinesen, Kvadrat, Petersen Tegl, Sorensen Leather, Zurface, Weber and Surface Cph.
INFORMATION
For more information visit the website of Studio David Thulstrup and the website of Dinesen
-
Five of the finest compact cameras available todayPocketable cameras are having a moment. We’ve assembled a set of cutting-edge compacts that’ll free you from the ubiquity of smartphone photography and help focus your image making
-
London label Wed Studio is embracing ‘oddness’ when it comes to bridal dressingThe in-the-know choice for fashion-discerning brides, Wed Studio’s latest collection explores the idea that garments can hold emotions – a reflection of designers Amy Trinh and Evan Phillips’ increasingly experimental approach
-
Arts institution Pivô breathes new life into neglected Lina Bo Bardi building in BahiaNon-profit cultural institution Pivô is reactivating a Lina Bo Bardi landmark in Salvador da Bahia in a bid to foster artistic dialogue and community engagement
-
Rains Amsterdam is slick and cocooning – a ‘store of the future’Danish lifestyle brand Rains opens its first Amsterdam flagship, marking its refined approach with a fresh flagship interior designed by Stamuli
-
Three lesser-known Danish modernist houses track the country’s 20th-century architectureWe visit three Danish modernist houses with writer, curator and architecture historian Adam Štěch, a delve into lower-profile examples of the country’s rich 20th-century legacy
-
Is slowing down the answer to our ecological challenges? Copenhagen Architecture Biennial 2025 thinks soCopenhagen’s inaugural Architecture Biennial, themed 'Slow Down', is open to visitors, discussing the world's ‘Great Acceleration’
-
This cathedral-like health centre in Copenhagen aims to boost wellbeing, empowering its usersDanish studio Dorte Mandrup's new Centre for Health in Copenhagen is a new phase in the evolution of Dem Gamles By, a historic care-focused district
-
This tiny church in Denmark is a fresh take on sacred spaceTiny Church Tolvkanten by Julius Nielsen and Dinesen unifies tradition with modernity in its raw and simple design, demonstrating how the church can remain relevant today
-
‘Stone, timber, silence, wind’: welcome to SMK Thy, the National Gallery of Denmark expansionA new branch of SMK, the National Gallery of Denmark, opens in a tiny hamlet in the northern part of Jutland; welcome to architecture studio Reiulf Ramstad's masterful redesign of a neglected complex of agricultural buildings into a world-class – and beautifully local – art hub
-
Discover Bjarke Ingels, a modern starchitect of 'pragmatic utopian architecture'Discover the work of Bjarke Ingels, a modern-day icon and 'the embodiment of the second generation of global starchitects' – this is our ultimate guide to his work
-
Step inside Rains’ headquarters, a streamlined hub for Danish creativityDanish lifestyle brand Rains’ new HQ is a vast brutalist construction with a clear-cut approach
