Mikkel and Stephanie’s pink country house was love at first sight

When the hustle and bustle of everyday life gets a bit much, Mikkel Hansen and Stephanie Gundelach retreat to their country home in Tisvildeleje, Denmark. The soulful pink house and the serene atmosphere of the coastal village offer a refuge where the whole family can kick back and unwind.

Mikkel Hansen and Stephanie Gundelach portrait
Olympic and World Champion handball player Mikkel Hansen’s and entrepreneur Stephanie Gundelach’s holiday home is full of color.

Hi, Mikkel and Stephanie! Could you tell us about your aesthetics and style?
Stephanie:
“Mikkel and I share the same aesthetics, and we seem to always agree on what we like and what we don’t. Almost. We love the simplicity of classic Danish furniture, and we like combining it with findings from auctions or flea markets.

Art also plays a big role in our home, and the colors found in a specific work often set the tone for the color story of each room. We always talk about wanting to be less colorful, but we always end up being very colorful anyway.”

Mikkel Hansen and Stephanie Gundelach's pink country home in Tisvildeleje
The bubblegum-pink country home is located in the coastal village of Tisvildeleje.
HAY Hackney sofa in the holiday home of Mikkel Hansen and Stephanie Gundelach
In the living room, the curtains blend beautifully with the tone of the walls and create a cloudy atmosphere in the space. The sofa is HAY's Hackney, and the wooden side table is actually a stool from the Rey collection.
HAY Wang & Söderström Soft candlestick
Mikkel and Stephanie like objects that aren't perfectly symmetrical. The playful Soft candlestick was created in collaboration with the design duo Wang & Söderström.

What features does an item need to have for you to like it?
Mikkel:
“Stephanie has a weakness for items that are a bit ugly. When items are too perfect, they get boring. Imperfections make them exciting to look at!”

“Imperfections make objects more exciting to look at!”

Where do you find inspiration for your interior?
Stephanie:
“We have always been really inspired by our travels, but we haven’t had time to travel much since having kids. These days, we like to find a piece of furniture or art that has a story to it, and kind of work the space around that centerpiece.”

Dining space with HAY Rey chairs and Bonbon lamp
The dining space is the heart of the home, offering the perfect spot for family gatherings. The dining chairs are from the Rey series, and the lampshade is Bonbon by Ana Kraš.
Bonbon lampshade underneath blue-painted stairs
The space under the blue-painted stairs is large enough for a statement lamp. The oversized Bonbon lampshade's colors mimic those of the stairs.

Tell us the story of this country house. Why is it so special to you?
Mikkel:
“We bought the house when we still lived in Paris and needed a home in Denmark. Stephanie was pregnant with our second child, and we were tired of living in hotel rooms.

This pink country home stole our hearts the first day we saw it. The surroundings are so peaceful, which was just the contrast and escape we needed from our daily life in a noisy city like Paris. Our neighbor has horses and rabbits, and the only sounds come from the birds – so it’s like waking up to music. The house has an incredible light and soul to it.”

HAY Hackney sofa in the holiday home of Mikkel Hansen and Stephanie Gundelach
“We love our Hackney 3-seater sofa, which is so big and comfortable. Many of our guests have ended up spending the night on it – and they slept like babies!” says Mikkel.
HAY Rey chair in golden
“We also adore our dining chairs, the Rey chairs by HAY, which are both comfortable and beautiful,” Mikkel says.
HAY Colour Cabinet in green
Mikkel and Stephanie feel that candles and vases here and there really make their country house feel like home. The duotone vase matches the green hue of the Colour Cabinet perfectly.
Bonbon lampshade in front of blue-painted stairs
Even a more colorful interior remains coherent when the shades of wood flow from one room to the next. Both the stairs and the dining set have a honey-colored, gold-toned finish.

What is your favorite room in the house?
Stephanie
: “Our dining area, which is in the center of the house and where we spend the majority of our waking hours. It’s right next to the fireplace, and the kids can play with their cars at one end of the table, while we can eat a late breakfast at the other end.”

“Our favorite room is the downstairs dining area where we like to sit and enjoy a late breakfast.”

Bedroom with a pink floor and ivory HAY Duo bed linen
The pink floor in the bedroom is inspired by the color of the outside of the house. The off-white bed linen helps keep the atmosphere calm.
Hydrangeas in HAY's Bottoms Up vase
The romantic, ornamental look of hydrangeas is offset by the playful form of the Bottoms Up vase. In the bedroom, the Rey stool doubles as a simple bedside table.
HAY's Trio bath sheet hanging at the edge of a green bathtub
The green color scheme continues in the bathroom. The striped Trio towel and bath mat add a bit of contrast.
HAY Flare candlestick on the corner of a green bathtub
Candles add to the relaxing ambiance of bathtime. The candlestick is called Flare.

What does a typical day in this house look like for you?
Mikkel:
“We try to have no plans when we’re there. The best thing about the country house is the big room downstairs where everybody can be together without needing to engage with one another. Stephanie can cook, while the children play and I can lie on the couch reading the paper. It’s very relaxing.”

Shop HAY favorites

Rey chair
Bonbon 380 lampshade
Colour Cabinet
Bottoms Up vase
Rey stool
Moroccan vase
Trio bath towel
Flare candleholder

See also:

All products by HAY >
The HAY book by Phaidon >

Edit: Emmi Ratilainen Images: HAY

Previous story
Next story




Sign up to Finnish Design Shop’s newsletter and enter a monthly gift card prize draw!

Sign up

For the love of design

Design Stories is Finnish Design Shop's own online magazine, that takes you to beautiful Nordic homes, introduces new products and beloved icons – and much more!

Go to the Design Stories front page

Shop Nordic design

Design Stories is provided by Finnish Design Shop, the world’s largest online store specialized in Nordic design.

Discover our selection

Buy & sell authentic vintage

Franckly.com is a curated online marketplace for pre-owned design maintained by Finnish Design Shop.

Find treasures at Franckly