Danish home expert keeps 1980s kitchen after learning to appreciate its flaws

A new study by Realdania shows nearly nine out of ten Danes renovate their new homes immediately—but Kristine Virén, an expert on the Danish TV show Hammerslag, chose to live with her outdated 1980s kitchen for a year before making changes, reports DR.

When Virén and her husband moved into their 1825 thatched farmhouse last summer, the kitchen stood out: cherry wood cabinets, tiles, and salmon-pink walls. “I’ve done nothing but apologize for the style when we’ve had guests,” said Virén, who also serves as campaign and communications director for Realdania, a Danish philanthropic association focused on built environments.

“We’re used to visiting each other in big, beautiful kitchen-living spaces where everything just works. That’s become the norm,” she said. Yet the kitchen remains unchanged—not because she loves the style, but because the couple deliberately decided against renovating anything in their first year.

“Now we no longer see it as an old 1980s kitchen—it’s our kitchen,” Virén said. “The setting doesn’t need to be perfect for a great evening with guests.”

A self-imposed rule: no renovations for a year

The couple set a strict rule when they moved in: no changes for at least 12 months. “We wanted to live in the house first before altering anything,” Virén explained. The decision aligns with her work at Realdania, where she promotes sustainable housing through the Bo Bæredygtigt (“Live Sustainably”) initiative, encouraging Danes to think carefully before renovating.

A new Kantar survey for Realdania reveals that 88% of Danish homeowners make changes when moving into a new property, with 24% replacing the kitchen, 24% the floors, and 17% the bathroom. One in three renovates immediately.

Virén argues that rushing into renovations means missing an opportunity. “You completely lose the chance to get to know your house and the history that comes with it,” she said. She now believes they will preserve far more of the original home than if they had started renovating right away.

“We’re gradually discovering qualities we couldn’t see before moving in,” she added.

Lowering the bar for “good enough”

Virén notes that expectations for what makes a home “good enough” have risen sharply. “Housing has a huge impact on our quality of life, but the bar for when a home is acceptable has become higher and higher,” she said.

Beyond environmental benefits, she suggests that delaying renovations can reduce stress. “It’s also a way to free yourself from all those home projects, which can be incredibly overwhelming.”

Among those who wait more than three months before renovating, 15% do so to better understand their home, while only 1% cite environmental reasons, according to the survey.