The big reveal

Mette and Tony Mau hit the jackpot after taking a gamble on a badly modernised Copenhagen apartment

- KAREN WILSON/ METTE HELENA RASMUSSEN

Living room

The couple added warm colour and texture to make the big, airy rooms feel cosier. ‘Natural, hard-wearing materials, like wood and wool, create a grounding sense of warmth and quality in the home,’ says Mette.

BUY THE KEY PIECES

Wakefield chandelier, £125, John Lewis & Partners, is similar

Living room

A cool grey-purple colour creates depth and gives the large living room an intimate feel. ‘I mixed it using leftover paint,’ says Mette. ‘This way you get a bespoke colour and can tone it up or down.’

BUY THE KEY PIECES

For a similar wall colour, try Arquerite, £47 for 2.5ltr, Little Greene. Let the light in poster, £24.95, Desenio, would work well here

The grand exterior of the apartment made its interior all the more disappointing when Mette and Tony first viewed it. False ceilings, thick woodchip wallpaper and a dark and dilapidated kitchen were immediate turn-offs. However, the idea of joining a ready-made community appealed: ‘Called Andelsbolig in Danish, it’s a form of property ownership where, instead of buying it outright, you buy the right to use an apartment in a building that’s owned by a co-operative,’ says Mette. ‘It’s very sociable and the children always have someone to play with. We help each other with school runs, and there’s always someone who has a spare egg if you need it.’