Danish designer Søren Vester has brought an old vicarage into a new era

At his home in Thise, Søren Vester tests out his design ideas in connection with his ongoing renovation work. Most recently, he has installed a Troldtekt v-line acoustic ceiling with panels based on the new cement type FUTURECEM™.

Søren Vester is a designer and well-known in Denmark for hosting a number of TV programmes. In addition, he runs his company ‘Vesters Workshop’, which assists homeowners wanting to design their dream property, for example.

Privately, Søren Vester lives with his family in an old vicarage dating back to 1896 and near Limfjorden in western Jutland, where there are always new projects on the drawing board.

“This is our fourteenth year of renovating, which we do when time allows. Apart from the walls, almost everything else has been renovated, and the whole house has been insulated. We have brought the old building into a new era, and made it all as maintenance-free as possible,” says Søren Vester.

Hard materials gave poor acoustics

With a steady stream of visitors dropping by, the kitchen-dining room and Søren Vester’s creative office are often full of people talking, laughing and discussing all sorts of ideas. However, combined with a fondness for hard materials such as concrete floors and raw walls, this is a recipe for poor acoustics. Therefore, Søren chose to install Troldtekt acoustic panels from the Troldtekt v-line design series.

“We initially had acoustic panels installed upstairs, which meant that we invariably ended up working up there because the acoustics were so pleasant. Then, even though the kitchen was actually next on the list, we decided to prioritise improving the acoustics in the kitchen-living room and in the office,” says Vester, adding:

“I love our concrete floor, where our dog can run around and we can walk in and out of the house in our wellies. After installing acoustic panels across the ceiling, we can now sit 10 people down for lunch and easily hear what each other is saying. Also, hearing-aid users say there’s a noticeable difference, as the sound doesn’t reverberate nearly as much as it used to.”

Conscious choice of materials

Søren Vester chose Troldtekt acoustic panels based on the cement type FUTURECEM, which has a 30 percent lower carbon footprint than traditional cement. Troldtekt acoustic panels based on FUTURECEM have a significantly reduced carbon footprint, and overall throughout the product lifecycle, the carbon footprint is 26.4 percent lower than for Troldtekt based on grey cement. Production at Troldtekt's factory in Troldhede is performed with 97.8 percent renewable energy. 

Building sustainably is paramount for Søren Vester:

“It’s the only way forward. It’s important to use materials that will last and without using harmful chemicals. The material must be honest throughout, and with Troldtekt based on FUTURECEM, the carbon footprint can be kept to an absolute minimum.”

Design that lasts

Troldtekt v-line adds discreet v-shaped grooves running lengthwise across the ceiling. Søren Vester has chosen the ceiling in the natural colour of the cement type FUTURECEM, which among other things contains calcined clay.

“The greyish colour changes with the light and has a rougher look, but it adds edge to the old rectory and goes well with the ceiling beams. It’s not the idea that everything should look too polished – the simpler, the better,” concludes the designer.