Modern house with beautiful, natural light

In Vordingborg on southern Zealand stands a charming house with large windows that allow the light to flood in all year round. The home is the result of a thorough renovation project, which has been carried out with respect for the local architectural style.

Superior acoustics and a healthy indoor climate in private homes with Troldtekt acoustic ceilings
Photo: Tommy Kosior, Troldtekt A/S

When the sun finally appears in early spring, most of us rush out to enjoy the first tentative rays of sunshine which we have long been waiting for. Not so for Christian Damgaard and his wife. The couple live with their two children on the outskirts of Vordingborg on southern Zealand, close to the woods and the beach. Here, they have transformed a gloomy 1950s villa into a modern functionalist house with beautiful natural light streaming in through the windows all year round.

“After buying the house, we spent a year renovating it. It was a large-scale project, and now it is basically only the outer walls that remain,” says Christian Damgaard.

He is a carpenter and building technician, and he designed and built much of the house himself. The property comprises a kitchen/living room with views overlooking fields, as well as an annexe which houses the bedrooms and bathroom. There is also a basement, which altogether gives the family just over 200 square metres of living space. Thanks to the roof pitch and the large windows, there is a very special light in the house.

Respect for surroundings
A lot of thought went into the design of the house and the materials to ensure that everything harmonised with the surroundings.

“It’s important for us that our home is personal, but that it also blends in well with the neighbouring houses. Therefore, we’ve kept the facade simple, but with a bit of edge,” says Christian Damgaard.

The rendered facade is clad in places with heat-treated pine, which is also used on the large, south-facing patio where some of the steps double as seating. The interior of the property is characterised by its simplicity. Many of the existing walls were demolished during the renovation work to create large, bright rooms with high ceilings. Only the difference in levels between the house and the extension and the pale blue kitchen cabinets stand out in the otherwise minimalist home.

Flat surfaces demand good acoustics
Early on in the construction process, the couple decided to install Troldtekt acoustic panels on the ceilings.

“If you have a light and completely smooth parquet floor, you really need to think about the acoustics. This is why we’ve clad the ceilings in all the rooms with Troldtekt acoustic panels. It ensures very good acoustics and an outstanding indoor climate. Also, Troldtekt panels are extremely easy to cut to size and install – far more so than plasterboard and felt. That was important, as I was going to be doing it myself,” says Christian Damgaard.