Are you looking to stamp your own style on a rented flat? Are you obsessed with vintage and looking for creative ways to display collectables? Or maybe you're in search of storage ideas for a period home? If you are then take a tour of Maria Toft's apartment in Copenhagen, which is brimming with inspirational ideas.
See more real home transformations on our dedicated page, and find out how to renovate a house in our detailed guide.
Maria loves everything about French style; the vintage story begins as soon as you step into the hall. Even though most of the basic elements of the flat are more than a hundred years old, there is nothing museum-like about the interior. Maria’s relaxed mix of textures and materials keeps the style fresh and contemporary
THE STORY
Who lives here? Maria Toft, designer of her own brand Etc Etc and owner of interior store Boho Habits in Copenhagen.
Property A two-bedroom flat in the Frederiksberg district of Copenhagen, built in 1909.
What she did Redecorated throughout and filled the space with a mix of vintage French finds and treasures gathered on her holidays around the world.
Step inside Maria’s luxury flat in Copenhagen, and you might initially feel a bit overwhelmed. Not just because of the grand scale of the place, but because the interiors are an explosion of artefacts and curiosities that Maria has collected for most of her life. The colourful results are a wonderful mix of French vintage, modern art, hunting trophies, African masks and antique Moroccan rugs.
The bay window in the living room gives a lovely flow of light throughout the day and makes the perfect reading corner. The side table is one of Maria’s favourites, though she is unsure of its original purpose. It has a robust oak frame and a thick granite table top
‘I must have lived in France in a previous life,’ says Maria. ‘I love everything French - the food, the country, the interiors, the lifestyle - and I feel at home every time I travel to Paris or visit my father, who now lives in the south of France.’
The large sitting room is decorated with the same basic elements from French markets, but here there is a significantly warmer and organic feeling.
Maria’s penchant for all things French is evident at every turn, and here in her Copenhagen flat she has created the perfect illusion of early 20th-century Paris, a look that originates in the French capital’s Montmartre and Marais side streets.
Apart from being tremendously comfortable, the sofa from Bolia is the only modern element in the living room, adding a welcome change of pace to the vintage look, with an antique Moroccan rug used to define the space. The coffee table is available at Boho Habits
She loves searching for treasures in French flea markets; in fact, her passion for antiques inspired her to open her own French vintage store in Copenhagen. Maria likes things to look interesting, comfortable and relaxed, but has no set criteria for the things she buys for her home or her shop. She simply picks objects that give her pleasure, and that includes the larger items of furniture as well as the smallest decorative details.
An antique grocer’s counter with a table top of terrazzo is used for displaying beautiful findings, books and magazines. Above the sofa hangs a collection of widely different pictures, prints, photographs and mirrors in just as different frames. Browse more inspirational gallery wall ideas or if you want to recreate the look and to find out how to hang a gallery wall.
With such a diverse collection of treasures, things might easily feel cluttered, but Maria keeps things light by playing with layers of contrasting textures in neutral shades and opting for translucent lace panels, shimmering mirrors, and sparkling glass and crystal accessories.
In this corner of the living room, a classic French console is paired with an Art Deco-style side table
Maria thinks this beautiful old Frederiksberg apartment complements her bohemian interior style perfectly. The tall panels, large rooms, beautiful mouldings and classic parquet floors epitomise the vintage style of early 1900s Parisian salons, which are her inspiration.
The apartment’s original features – panelled doors, tall panels and intricate mouldings – create the perfect setting for Maria’s laid-back, bohemian style. Around the rustic table is a characterful collection of mismatched chairs. The wall is filled with empty frames and vintage mirrors – Maria loves the way they present an ever-changing view of the room from different angles. Check out more ways to display mirrors
Having worked in Danish fashion her entire adult life, Maria now works as an agent for a number of French brands that she discovered and introduced to the Danish market.
It isn’t always easy to personalise a kitchen in a rented flat, but Maria has added her own touch with large cabinets from France and a huge table with a marble surface, which she also uses as a dining table
At times her flat has doubled as her showroom and many of her fashion clients have fallen in love with the quirky interiors, and asked her to source things for them, while many of her friends said she should open an interiors shop.
The bedroom is the only room where Maria has used wallpaper. The headboard and dark bed throw, from Rue Verte, create an intimate hotel ambience
But it was not until recently that Maria decided to take the plunge. On her last few trips to the south of France, Maria has been more focused in her treasure hunting at the brocantes and now has the perfect excuse to buy much more than she used to as she now must ensure that her new shop, Boho Habits – which opened last year –
is fully stocked with beautiful, unique finds.
Maria created storage for her shoes from old apple crates. Voile curtains, a turn-of-the-century lampshade, and straw hats from the promenade conjure up a romantic dream of a glamorous life in old Paris or on the Riviera
Small fixes can be used to great effect to personalise a rented space. Maria added a decorative antique mirror above the sink to give her bathroom a touch of bohemian style in keeping with the rest of the apartment