Garde Hvalsøe, the Danish brand known for its kitchens and cabinetry, and Danish flooring company Dinesen have partnered with Copenhagen-based architectural practice Djernes & Bell to redesign its showroom space in Aarhus.
The showroom has been transformed into a hybrid space where community and collaboration are celebrated, and its functionality extends beyond a typical showroom.
The showroom, spread over 600m2, was initially opened in 2018. It is divided into two wings, with various rooms showcasing carefully selected Garde Hvalsøe kitchens and furniture underlined with Dinesen plank floors.
Bunn Studio redesigned the left wing in 2022, and now Djernes & Bell has thoughtfully reworked the right wing. The new design celebrates the building’s Gothic Renaissance origins and its surrounding historical Nørre Stenbro area.
Commenting on the new Aarhus showroom, Founder Søren Hvalsøe Garde says: “We are always proud to collaborate with designers who share our passion for exceptional quality and design. We admire the creative perspective of Djernes & Bell and their concept of paying homage to originality by narrating a past story through a present design. It’s fascinating to see their vision materialise in the new showroom. It’s a celebration of the origins of things.”
Hans Peter Dinesen, fifth-generation Dinesen, comments on the redesign: “With a community-driven ethos, we want to invite local artists and creative people to have a platform in this shared space. By offering leverage for their art craft to be showcased, the showroom hopes to provide a platform to local talent, which returns the building to its original roots as a community hub for the citizens of Aarhus in 1898.”
Jonas Djernes and Justine Bell of Djernes & Bell, added: “With Ecology of a Home, we wanted to celebrate the transformative crafts connecting our homes to the landscapes surrounding them. The care and tradition that enable the almost alchemic metamorphosis from seed to cabinetry provide a powerful narrative for our ecological connectedness. The tree – the forester – the craftsman, and the generations that wear in the floorboards or kitchen through use and care are all joined. Making is a collective and anthropological act. Together, we constantly make our environments through cycles of use and repair.”
