Scandinavian Palette Collecting
KLINT STRAND AT SPRING EQUINOX | NykøBING SJÆLLAND, DK
We have just returned from a lovely weekend at the Danish coast with friends and our families. It had all the trappings of some true Danish hygge. Laughter. Good food. Fresh fish from the local smokehouse. Skål (cheers) with snaps. Fab tunes. Fun games. Dips in the frigid sea. Warming up. Soaking up sunshine. Walks on the beach. Toasted marshmallows over the fire under a sky full of stars.
It was beautiful. And needed. A perfect start to spring. We stayed near the far northwest corner of Sjælland, the island where Copenhagen sits. Our summer house rental was almost to Sjællands Odde where you catch the ferry for Aarhus in Jutland. This area is called Odsherred. It’s little over an hour from Copenhagen. And it is definitely not odd. It is decidedly the opposite. It is truly lovely. And I was taken with the tones. The colors of the beach. A Danish beach. This is Scandinavia.
The beach here is sandy, but striated with rows of rocks and shells. The stones have been part of this place since the beginning of time, it seems. Truly, this granite has been rolling around this land for 1-2 billion years. That’s a long time people. The red sandstone that pokes out against the sand in warm reds, pinks and peaches was formed over 600 million years ago when Denmark sat south of the equator.¹ Dark black basalt and charcoal flint balances the light colored lime and sand stone that litter the shore.
What used to house snails and mollusks and mussels lay empty and waiting to be discovered. Look carefully for bits of amber and fossils. Find some of these coveted bits and they’re yours to keep. Sprays of seaweed sprawl gracefully along the sand in complimentary colors and states of decay. There is a sense of permanency and transformation, at the same time. Everyday. The beach you find is different. But the colors remain.
At the Danish beaches, you are allow to collect rocks and stone, sand and other things as long as you are able to carry it with you, without having to use assistance. If you collect rocks and/or sand on private property, it is a good idea to check with the owner first.”
With my daughter and her friend, we scanned and we scoured this beachy flotsam and jetsam. We chose and we curated. The best bits. The perfect examples. In the widest array. We pulled a pile of all the beach colors. These are my favorite. Of the colors that we culled. Here is my Scandinavian beach palette for this spring. And a few ways to bring it into your home.
Danish Beach Colors
Something about the Danish seaside at this time of year is like a tonic for the soul. The beach, the sea, the sky and the landscape all resonate with a palette of peace. And calm. Breath in. Salt air. Breath out. Listen. Rain gently rolls off the roof onto the mossy yard – plod, plod, plod, plod. Open the window. Sleep well.
NYKØBING SJÆLLAND
DON’T MISS WHEN IN ODSHERRED | DK
ODDEN FISK
Vestre Havnevej 39A, 4583 Sjællands Odde | DK
Right off the harbor, sits this fiskerøgeriet. Racks of house smoked fish sit just inside the door beckoning you to enter. But don’t linger too long or lose your place in the line. This place is popular with the locals. Fresh fish from Danish waters and just beyond. In warm weather, there are tables outside for sampling the wares with a cold beer or snaps. Taste the smoked mackerel or the frisk fiskefrikadeller – try saying that five times fast. Better yet – just taste them!
Birkemosegaard Farm Butik
Oddenvej 165, 4583 Sjællands Odde | DK
Stop by for organic vegetables and biodynamic meats available Friday-Sunday. Your source for local beers, honeys and jams. Pick up some kartofler (potatoes) to serve with fresh fish for dinner.
VIKING PASSAGE GRAVES | JÆTTESTUERNE
Birkehøj Passage Grave | Oddenvej 22, 4500 Nykøbing Sjælland | DK
Dotted around the landscape in Odsherred are Viking burial mounds. The largest is Birkehøj and sits just off the road for you to explore. These hillocks of history are remnants of the stone age. Crawl in and sense the space of time.
Featuring DANISH DESIGNS PRODUCTS FROM:
Ferm Living, Kortkartellet, Skandinavisk
Sounds perfect Erin. I am really craving some fresh sea air. If you have grown up near the sea I don’t think you realise how important it is to you until you are no longer near it. What are you going to do (if anything) with your fossicking colour palette?
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Sounds so peaceful, I feel calm just reading this. Lovely antidote to horrific world news. Thanks! #farwayfiles
Right? A getaway, but a real one. Nearby and necessary. Ahh.
Yes – wish I could get to a place like this every weekend for a recharge! A girl can have dreams – right?
Looks like a beautiful wintery escape! I miss the beach and scavenging for shells and stones while wandering along. #farawayfiles
Yes – I think that if I weren’t near the coast, I might go a little crazy. Living in Ohio was hard for me!
Sounds like a really relaxing weekend at the seaside! My soul has been missing being near water! #FarawayFiles
I was landlocked when I lived in Ohio and it was very hard for me!
Same for me in Montana but we at least had thousands of lakes!
And Montana has MOUNTAINS! I miss mountains. I could do those in lieu of the sea I think – gives me the same source of Ahhhhhhh. So if it’s one or the other – Denmark has the sea! Good for me. Germany has mountains! Right?
Germany has the Alps! Which are incredibly beautiful and also satisfy my soul when we go down there!
Sounds like such a wonderful day out! Having just read a year of living Danishly I’d really love to experience a day or two like this myself! #FarawayFiles
Yes! It’s all about the recharge! Cheers from Denmark!
That sounds wonderful, does it get crowded in summer? #FarawayFiles
Not really to be honest – probably because the temps never get what normal people would think super beachy. Tops out between 22-25C with water temps around 19-20C. I personally think that is perfect. But some like it hot.
Not me!
Then Denmark will do you right! Cheers, Erin
This is so beautiful – and whimsical – is that the right word? I loved the area around Aalborg when I worked there for a while, I really need to come back to Denmark soon. I miss my travels around Scandinavia.
Denmark is here and waiting! We’re thinking of heading to Jutland for part of our Easter break – haven’t done a ton of exploring over there!
Sounds idyllic #farawayfiles
lovely beach #farawayfiles
Sounds like the perfect way to bring in Spring. I love a good beach vacation. #FarawayFiles
“The beach, the sea, the sky and the landscape all resonate with a palette of peace. And calm. Breath in. Salt air. Breath out. Listen.” I love your description of the Danish ‘palette of calm’. The change of seasons into spring always ignites the soul. You’ve just shared another reason why Scandinavia is high on mu bucket list. #FarawayFiles
Yay! Happy to help! Yes. It is lovely and so different from Australia! Cheers from Scandiland, Erin
Oh I adore that color pallette! Such beautiful beach shades! There’s something about being near the ocean!
Perfect! The colours are so beauitful! Sounds like you had an amazing trip #FarawayFiles
Oh my goodness, this is literally the perfect beach escape for me, particularly at this time of year. There is something so healing in the sounds, tastes, textures and sight of the seaside. Such a tonic for the soul, as you say. I’m craving it right now. Thank you! Cx
Love the colour palette! I’d be happy to have my home entirely in those hues. My future house will definitely be Nordic/Scandi inspired!
What a beautiful beach escape. I can imagine it would be very healing and therapeutic. Cold, but beautiful. Nothing like the sea air to cleanse the soul. My husband would love collecting the rocks – he likes finding odd-shaped shells and rocks and items from various beaches we visit! On another note, I’ve now decided to add Copenhagen on my list when I travel to Ireland in October. Yay! I can’t believe how cheap flights are from Dublin…cheaper than flying from one part of NZ to the other…
Ooooh! Awesome! Let me know if you need tips!
I’ll be headed to Denmark in 3 weeks and can’t wait for some time at the beach! Nothing like Danish weather (well when it’s good anyway) and sandy beaches 🙂 It’s so waaaayyyy to cold here at the fjord!
YES! It’s all relative isn’t it Van? Hope you get a few nice days in Denmark – it is amazing when the sun is out!
This is beautiful I love the colour palette you have made. I live at the beach and you have inspired me to look more closely at the colours and even try making my own colour palette. Thanks for hosting #FarawayFiles
Oooh – yes! I would love to see if it’s different! Do you have Adobe Illustrator? I used the dropper tool and plucked the colors right out of my photo! Fun!
No I don’t have that! Will have to see what I can do. We have a lot of brown mud! Shades of brown…..
Love your description but none one else has picked up on your ‘dips in the sea’ comment. In March! Very brave ?♀️ #Farawayfiles
HAHA! YES! Good pickup! It was 4C outside and 4C in the water! BRRRRR! I definitely didn’t say SWIM. You run in and RUN OUT. Brutal on your feet, but so exhilarating! Felt so very Danish!
Your trip sounds heavenly – though it’s cold at this time of the year (well for me) but sea air is good for the soul. It refreshes our minds and bodies, a rejuvenation is what we need sometimes 🙂 #FarawayFiles
Sounds like a truly cozy weekend! What a perfect way to start spring 🙂
Beautiful, and I love how you were able to translate your beach finds into design items! I find the differences in beaches around the world so interesting and beautiful! Even my own beach down the street takes on a different look from day to day! #farawayfiles
Yes! Right? When the sun is out and the sky a brilliant blue – it definitely feels different on a Danish beach and a new palette to discover!
Sounds totally idyllic and a perfect place to spend a weekend. I love the colour palette! Beautiful! #flyawayfiles
I am in love with that desaturated color palette! its so calming and pretty!
Gosh your palette is very stylish! Talking fish… I would like to visit Odden Fisk as I enjoy smoked fish, smoked trout is one of my favourites.
This sounds lovely! The pastel colors of “cold” beaches (Oregon and Washington are my two faves) are my favorite colors in the world. If and when we ever own a house that is the coloring we will decorate everything with. #farawayfiles
I love a cold beach – but you probably already knew that! The Danish beaches miss that forest green of the evergreen trees from the Pac Northwest for me. But the sand and sky tones are very similar! Cheers, Erin
What an utterly beautiful testament to Denmark and its beaches.
I’ve only once been to a Danish beach and that was some years ago on our trip to Copenhagen when we took the train out of the city to Hellerup to see an exhibition. On our walk back to the station, we stopped at the beach and the colours were just as you’ve described. My son sat on a large rock looking out to see and was like a little merman. The memory of that day has stayed with me and always makes me smile.
#farawayfiles
Thanks so much Trish. Appreciate it!
Tonic for the Soul. And body, since we have many of the same minerals as sea water! Although, we both come from southern climes and prefer our beaches just a bit warmer. Picking your color palette from the beach is an awesome way to bring it inside, and enjoy it every day! #farawayfiles
I love the colour in the palette! It’s got a very calming and soothing feeling to it.
Getting slightly envious reading this: a trip to the seaside from Luxembourg is a bit of a faff, and even once you get there it is only Belgium (sorry Belgium: you may have great beer and chocolate, but you simply cannot compare with the glorious Irish coastline of my youth. No hard feelings.). Gorgeous colours and a super description of a great weekend break. Cheers! #FarawayFiles
This colour palette is spot on, Erin. Looking at it and reading your evocative words brings back so many happy memories of our Danish adventures. Oh and I love just about everything by Ferm Living! 😉
#FarawayFiles
Me too! I adored their Christmas collection this winter! Glad to hear it conjures happy memories! Cheers from Denmark, Erin
You got me at Odden Fisk. Feel like making a trip out (I’m the kind who drives an hour out for food, especially fresh local seafood, don’t mind me.) but a bit worried that their Facebook page has no English at all. You think they’ll serve me if I can’t say “frisk fiskefrikadeller” at all? :p #FarawayFiles
Hahaha! You are funny! Yes they will. And try the auto translate function with Google Chrome browser and see if that helps with website!
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