BETWEEN HYGGE, SCANDI-NOIR and such effortlessly cool fashion and interiors that the rest of the world tries to emulate, there’s a lot that the Danes are known for.
And that’s without even mentioning that they’re also known as being some of the most social people in the world - so it’s no real surprise that they produce one of the world’s most famous beers to enjoy it all with.
On a recent trip to Copenhagen for ‘The Danish Experiment’, Jo Linehan was immersed in this unique socialising: “It was pretty amazing. That kind of authentic experience is invaluable and I’ll never forget it.”
As an interiors stylist, co-founder of Gaff Interiors and star of RTE’s The Good Room, she has seriously high expectations when it comes to interiors.
Jo is one of four Irish personalities who took part in ‘The Danish Experiment’, a web series created by Carlsberg which follows the group as they explore the Danish way of living, learning what makes them so different to their European counterparts.
The series also sees street artist Maser, food trailblazer Kevin Powell and Kodaline bassist Jay Boland all discover what they can learn from Copenhagen to take to their creative careers back home.
Travelling to Copenhagen for four days, they were paired with a local creative, exploring how the Danes could influence their approach to interior design, art, music and food.
Here’s what Jo learned during her travels to the stylish Danish city, and her tips for what we could apply to our own lives here.
1. It’s not all about the ‘interior’ spaces
Although they’re known worldwide for hygge-inducing interiors, the Danes don’t forget about their outdoor spaces – it’s something that really impressed Jo during her visit:
“I was really influenced by the green spaces in Copenhagen. There are big beautiful buildings with gardens and green areas that had a mixture of old and very young families, which I think is a great sign – all ages feel welcome and served there.”
2. Minimalism is key
Jo is a big believer in decluttering, and has talked previously about how a lot of us who are living in small spaces are guilty of owning too much. And the idea of ‘less is more’ is something that the Danes absolutely nail, says Jo:
“There is great ownership in having a little and yet having a lot. The minimalist approach to interiors and living is so present with the Danes. One sofa in a living room is more than enough. I love their commitment to decluttering and paring it all back to basics.”
3. Fill your kitchen with food-bearing trees
“I was very influenced by the flowers and use of greenery and natural planting in Copenhagen”, shares Jo, who has already been compelled to bring that colour into her own kitchen back in Dublin:
“We visited a greenhouse and I was struck by how beautiful vegetable plants can be – all that colour. I’ve since added lemon trees and pepper trees to my kitchen and they’re incredible.”
4. Cars and houses are overrated
How to sum up the Danes in one word? Unconventional, says Jo – and their attitude to life and how you ‘need’ to live it is very refreshing, as she explains:
“No one owns a car and most people rent their homes and it’s just the norm. In general, I think they have a very relaxed approach to life and how they live. They seem to live as they please as individuals and I love that.”
5. Don’t underestimate the canine effect
Obviously we’d never suggest that a dog should ever be an accessory, but if you love them, Copenhagen is a very accommodating city for our canine friends, as Jo explains:
“Danes love their dogs and take them everywhere with them and I don’t think anything could ‘hygge’ a room more than a puppy”, so scoop them up from outside and spend some time with your pooch for a moment of comfort.
6. The future is modular
Our lives are becoming very fast-paced and fluid and our furniture should reflect that, says Jo, who explains how modular furniture is “going to be huge here over the next couple of years”:
“Modular furniture is great – it’s basically the idea that you can buy a couch in separate pieces and put it together or take it apart depending on whether you’re home alone or have friends over or need to use it as a sofa bed. I think furniture needs to be more useful and we need to have pieces in our home that adapt to our lifestyles.”
Want to find out what makes Denmark one of the happiest places in the world? Keep an eye out for the second episode of The Danish Experiment, which will be unveiled on TheJournal. Follow Carlsberg Ireland on Facebook and Instagram to tune in to the series and for behind-the-scenes edits . Enjoy Carlsberg sensibly, visit drinkaware.ie.
