Header: Courtesy of Garde Hvalsøe, shared by Tomorrow PR
In the coastal landscape of Tisvilde, on the northern edge of Zealand in Denmark, a couple held a dream: to own a quiet spot where they could run away from the city and enjoy warm summers by the sea. Drawn to the area’s raw character, with its dunes, cliffs, and wild terrain, they wanted a home that would sit comfortably within the landscape and offer space for family holidays. Their dream finally came true, and the region gained a new picturesque summer house.
Working closely with Henning Larsen and Garde Hvalsøe, the couple designed a holiday home that perfectly fits its surroundings. The Tisvilde Summer House is set within heath, woodland, and open land, and the team managed to blend it with its setting through careful attention to detail and material choices.
Inside, the house is dressed in a mix of natural tones and textures, which gives it a calm, understated atmosphere. Light curtains add softness to the space while filtering natural light, and Italian stone covers the floors. Garde Hvalsøe designed and built the custom furniture, including the bed, wardrobes, hallway cabinet, wall panels, and flooring, using only wood, marking this material as the key element of the design.
The exterior architecture by Henning Larsen is simple and grounded, as the designers used natural materials and focused on low-impact design. The facade is clad in cedar, which will weather over time to match the tones of the surrounding landscape. A green roof, planted with mosses and succulents, helps manage temperature, supports biodiversity, and encourages insect life. The garden follows this approach, having been planted with meadow flowers and grasses that connect visually and ecologically with the roof and surrounding environment.
Large windows offer sea views and bring natural light into the interior throughout the day, shaping the atmosphere across different areas of the home. Furthermore, a central feature of the house is the custom kitchen island by Garde Hvalsøe, which serves as both a practical workspace and a place for gathering.
The house is a simple place for the owners that brings them closer to the landscape. What began as a dream eventually became a quiet retreat where the sea, greenery, and the house help give the couple the relaxation they’d longed for so long.
