Small Story by Oliver Furniture; BIG CITY DREAMS
BIG CITY DREAMS
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
Family: Katja, Anders, Marta, Wendy, Bibbi
Type of home: An apartment on the historic Nikolaj Square.
"Living here feels a bit like being on a big city vacation the whole time. Nikolaj Square is a small, cozy oasis with a lot of charm," says Anders Hviid-Haglund about the location of the 170 square meter apartment in the center of historic Copenhagen and continues: "The surroundings are really a gift that you're always happy to unpack. There is almost no car traffic here. Instead, there are always lots of people here, as it is a square that invites you to take a short break or meet up with friends, so there is always a lot of life outside our windows. On a warm spring day, it's almost like Paris."
The apartment has many rooms, nooks and crannies and shows traces of life lived. "We simply love this apartment and see it as an opportunity to try something completely new and different. It brings us joy to live in an apartment whose walls can tell an infinite number of stories - you automatically think of what once was," says Anders enthusiastically about the home in which the family has lived for almost six months.
The girls each have their own room, which was a big priority for Anders and Katja. For her daughters, they chose three different beds from the same brand, and to make them more personal, each one was given different expressions to suit their personality and age. For example, Marta, as the eldest, got a larger bed that serves many functions . "This is a bed that will last for many years and that she can take with her when she moves out. Apart from sleeping in it, she uses it as a kind of lounge area to watch films and have sleepovers with friends," explains Anders, and continues: "They all need their own space. Like today, for example, when Bibbi came home from kindergarten, she went into her room and closed the door for half an hour. She does that sometimes and just needs a little rest after a day of being surrounded by other children.
As Anders and Katja are raising their children in the city, they have consciously decided that nature should be an integral part of everyday life. All the girls have therefore attended the nature kindergarten - Bibbi still goes - and the family is really a big fan of exploring their surroundings. "For me as a photographer, it was an amazing experience to see how the light moves here during the day. In the historic center of the city, new details keep appearing in the surrounding architecture. Experiencing these little wonders together with the children is something I really appreciate.
We visited: freelance photographer Anders Hviid-Haglund (45), partner of the creative agency Ruby & Red, Katja Haglund (45) and her daughters Marta (12), Wendy (8) and Bibbi (4).
Text: Marlene Toldbod Jakobsen Photo: Anders Hviid-Haglund Styling: Line Øhlenschlæger