When I came to Dubai I really wanted a new style for my home,” says Svend Dyrvig, a Danish freelance photographer whose work appears regularly on the pages of InsideOut.
“When I lived in Copenhagen I had a really neat apartment. Everything was brand new and was arranged perfectly. All the lines were matched. But I felt that I wasn’t able to really live in it,” he says. “I spent a lot of money on really expensive furniture so I was always quite concerned about the pieces whenever anyone came over.”
For his two-bedroom apartment, which features massive windows, light walls and an incredible view of Dubai Marina as it opens out to the sea, Svend wanted something more liveable – a comfortable place for him to entertain friends, edit his pictures and hang his hat at the end of the day.
“I love the amount of light and the clean lines. But really, it was the balcony that sold me,” says Svend. And the fact that it’s a two-bedroom apartment was essential for the photographer, who spends hours editing after long shoots. “It’s perfect; I can just walk into my office with a cup of coffee in the morning.”
Svend is a design and interiors connoisseur. “I just love designer furniture. It’s kind of like sculpture to me,” he says. And although original iconic pieces were out of reach, Svend carefully researched reproductions and found the best ones he could. In the end he chose Eames-inspired Lounge and Eiffel chairs. “That’s what I love about these pieces. Yes, they are reproductions, but I was able to buy some of the designs that I’d always dreamt of having.”
Most impressive is the way Svend has carefully, put together an eclectic array of mismatched pieces and accessories that works effortlessly. His home is like a treasure trove of framed posters, photographs, toys, accessories and cameras. “I don’t look for items with a certain style,” he says. “I just find things that I love and I try to bring them together.”
In stark contrast to the iconic designs Svend has in his home are old, vintage pieces from a Danish charity shop. His father bought the green sofa, orange armchair and two deep red armchairs for a café he built, but in the end he didn’t need them, so Svend laid claim before they were discarded. “Originally I had them in mind for something else, but I never got around to using them in Denmark. They were in storage, but five years later, I brought them here, and they work really well.”
A creative soul, Svend has repurposed or re-imagined some of the furniture and many of the unique little items in his apartment. He removed the kitchen cupboard doors – because he found the space too dark and oppressive – and added Anglepoise-inspired and retro desk lamps along with some funky toys and tins for the shelves.
He spotted someone carrying a grey locker out of his building – destined for the dump – and gave it a new lease of life with handles he fashioned out of leather straps from an old bag. “The guy I got it from is an artist so there’s a bit of paint on it here and there, but I like that,” says Svend.
With the help of an electrician friend, he even refitted the aeroplane that soars high above the living room. “It’s actually remote-controlled,” Svend explains. “We removed everything from the inside and put a lamp in it. So when you turn on the switch, it lights up.”
Walking through this quirky home full of interesting design, vintage cameras, playful toys and posters, you immediately get a sense of Svend, his interests and his character. “My apartment is personal. I’ve brought in a lot of stuff that doesn’t necessarily fit together, but they’re all the things that matter to me. I enjoy having the things I love around me.”
This story first appeared on InsideOut in January 2014
