dwellings Vines growing off a small balcony connect the indoor space with the lush garden (far left). The family, who reside on the top two floors of this two-family Tudor-style house, kept many of the building’s original windows (left). Original 1925 details include stucco molding throughout the house. A Small-Design Circle table and stools echo outdoor greenery in the room shared by Elliott and Mateo, ages 12 and nine (opposite). The boys’ bunk beds are by Ikea (below). “To be this close to the city and have this big, quiet garden—that’s just a perfect combination.” —Eglantine Charrier, resident while on maternity leave. “When you’re pregnant, you really get to see what kind of [children’s] furniture exists,” she says. “We wanted to make furniture that’s durable and that kids could use for many years, with many different functions—as a table but also as a chair, or to put books on.” All of the pieces in the collection are manufactured locally by Danish carpenters (a definite plus in a global marketplace obsessed with Scandinavian craftsmanship), and <strong>2015</strong> brings new flat-pack versions of Small-Design’s offerings, to service an international audience who might otherwise be turned off by shipping costs. With three sons, Charrier has a built-in focus group for developing her designs. The two younger boys— Elliot, 12, and Mateo, nine—share a spacious room that doubles as a playroom for their collective group of friends. It’s equipped with bunk beds, nooks and crannies for stashing toys, and, naturally, an impressive selection of Legos. There’s also plenty of convertible Small-Design furniture, like a grassy-green table Charrier picked for the room. “I loved this shade of green growing up,” she says. “It gives the impression of the garden coming into the house as well.” Outdoor space is crucial for a family with three boys. Luckily, the house is just 10 minutes from the beach at Kastrup, where the children can dive off the slatted, spiraling Sea Bath, designed by Swedish firm White Arkitekter. Closer to home, there’s the garden right outside the front door, where, this year, the Fonnesbæk-Charrier clan added two new beehives, yielding enough of a harvest to host a honey festival, in August, for family and friends. Luckily, for those yet to fall for Amager’s budding charms, it’s just a quick 20-minute bike ride back to Copenhagen’s city center. 114 SEPTEMBER <strong>2015</strong> DWELL
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