Spaces of Intention: Katrine Gislinge’s Bohemian Apartment in Copenhagen
In concert pianist Katrine Gislinge's home, everything is shaped by inheritance. Many objects carry traces of past lives, yet form part of a contemporary whole in which nothing remains static for long.
With its stucco ceilings and original wooden floorboards, Katrine's 154-square-metre apartment in Frederiksberg provides an elegant frame for the layered narrative that defines her home. Books are stacked on floors, tables, and shelves; colorful artworks cover every wall; and antique furniture and design classics are placed loosely throughout the generous rooms.
Much of the interior has been inherited from her parents—her mother in particular began collecting furniture early on, and several of these pieces are now part of Katrine's home. Along the way, however, it has been necessary to edit, she explains, so the home would not become a mausoleum.
As a professional musician, Katrine became acquainted with Hanne Vilhelm Hansen, long before she developed an interest in Finn Juhl's furniture. Hansen headed the music publishing house Vilhelm Hansen and was not someone you easily contradicted:
"When I met her as a very young woman, she said: 'You will be mine'—and there wasn't really much to discuss," Katrine says with a smile about her agent. At that time, Finn Juhl had already passed away, and furniture design did not interest her at all.
"But gradually I began to see him—and today it almost feels as if I am related to him, because my knowledge of him goes back so many years." Among the pieces that hold particular significance are the sculptural Reading Chairs, placed alongside Eames' DAR chairs in fibreglass around the Nyhavn dining table. "What I truly love about Finn Juhl's furniture is that you can almost climb into it. I never sit in a chair in a conventional way," Katrine says, letting her hands trace the chair's rounded back piece.
Tactility also plays a central role in what surrounds her—materials must be natural, and everything should feel good to both touch and sit in.
"I re-oiled the tabletop of my dining table with linseed oil yesterday, and I spent the whole day just walking around smelling it," Katrine says, continuing: "I love leafing through my books, touching my furniture, walking barefoot on freshly washed floors. And Finn Juhl's furniture has a sensuality, because all joints and edges are sanded completely soft and rounded."
In the living room, a large Steinway grand piano occupies half the space. Katrine spends many hours each week at the keyboard, and for her there is a clear connection between the instrument and the furniture she has chosen to invest in. Both are symbols of a particular craftsmanship, created with a deep understanding of material and form, and ultimately concerned with the quality of experience—whether it is sound or the act of sitting in a chair.
