With Emma Agersø
A home where drawings cover the walls and pancakes sometimes replace dinner.
In a 1960’s house in Odense, Denmark, Emma lives with her husband Nikolai and their two boys - Eskild (6) and Freddie Frede (4).
They’ve modernized a classic 60s house while keeping its retro soul alive. Their home is full of wood, warmth, and the kind of colorful chaos that happens when creativity is allowed to spill everywhere.
What is important to you when creating a home for your family?
For me, home is a place where we all fit - with our quirks, needs, and moods.
The walls are covered with drawings, proudly taped up by the boys themselves. Furniture is secondhand, nothing is too precious, and the sofa is made for jumping. Even the dining table sometimes becomes a dance floor.
I like the idea that our house tells our story - a family that plays, creates, and lives fully.
How do you keep your home functional and fun at the same time?
Honestly? I’m a bit messy. I leave things everywhere, and my patient, amazing husband often picks up after me. To keep the chaos from tipping over, we have functional and fun storage boxes in every room. We’re all learning to put things back where they belong - it’s still a process.
What role do colors play in your home?
Our house is from the 60’s, and we wanted to keep its original soul alive, while making it work for our lifestyle. Wood runs through every room - it’s the backbone of our home.
But wood also loves a little company. A bold vase here, a bright painting there - pops of color that contrast and shine against the warm tones.
How do you make room for play and creativity in everyday life?
We don’t take life too seriously. Routines are there, but they can bend. Sometimes dinner is pancakes, sometimes food turns into silly faces or animal shapes on the plate.
The boys also have their own creative room - though, truth be told, they prefer being where we are. Eskild (6) is the little artist of the family. He draws when he wakes up, he draws before bed, he even decorates his bed and treehouse with his creations. We try not to limit him. Creativity belongs everywhere.
How do you encourage your children’s imagination?
We keep pencils in almost every room, inviting the boys to draw whenever inspiration strikes.
We remind them that there is no right or wrong. A snake can suddenly become snake spaghetti. A cat can turn into a tiger. The “mistakes” often lead to the most magical creations.
Can you share a tip for creating a playful, creative home?
Don’t buy things that are too precious for kids to use.
Let them sing as loud as they can. Let them jump in your bed. Let them dance naked in the living room to their favorite song.
Childhood is loud, messy, and chaotic – but it’s also short.
Life is now.