A Danish Summer

The Danish summer house experience could be described as the polar opposite of the internationally perceived “Hamptons experience.”Many Europeans believe the stereotypical Hamptons summer weekend to be filled with supercharged, chicly-dressed New Yorkers accelerating luxury sports utility vehicles through their glamorous gala-filled Saturdays, draped about their Olympic-sized manses while sipping exotic mixed cocktails and returning to Manhattan Sunday afternoon in their private jets and fabled helicopters. (Well, at least, that’s what they perceive!)

The Danes, on the other hand, could not be more low-key. Modest by nature, egalitarian to the extreme and self-effacing to a fault, the Danes find their weekend recreation revolves around friends, food and conversation.

What struck me immediately was that most summer homes were clustered in closely gathered enclaves, at close hand to the sea, in walking distance, but not necessarily hugging the shoreline as our seaside communities tend to do. The shoreline and dunes are publicly owned, allowing the Danes to enjoy one of their national pastimes, taking long walks in rather unspoiled, natural forests, dunes and beaches. The area we visited, just north of Copenhagen, facing Sweden on one hand and the open North Sea on the other, featured spectacular cliffs with vast sweeping views overlooking a crystal blue sea.

With a distinct lack of oneupmanship, a majority of the summer homes are one story, constructed of wood or plastered brick, painted black (yes, black) and trimmed in white. Some are yellow brick with red tile roofs. These tend toward a slightly more traditional style, but almost all veer toward a more modern sensibility, with large expanses of glass opening onto wooden decks. Because the concept of rest, relaxation, escape and simple conviviality remains foremost in Danish recreation, the cultivated grounds surrounding their summer cottages remain distinctly shaggy, natural and weedy, without time-consuming flower beds and vegetable gardens. (Our hosts actually are passionate gardeners—to the good-natured derision of all of their friends who view their passion as simply ridiculous.)

Dining, whether breakfast, lunch or dinner, is al fresco—no matter how cold. Soft blankets rest in simple baskets placed right alongside the backyard doors, to be grabbed easily by the hosts and draped warmly about their guests’ shoulders.

Weekend dinners are long affairs. While dining on roasted chicken, crisp pork or delicate fish accompanied by superb boiled Danish potatoes (sounds bland, but there’s nothing like them!) and the season’s bounty of tomatoes, greens and excellent cheeses, the Danes share long stories, discuss politics, travel and relentlessly tease. True, after a few hours, we Americans may tire and retire, but the Danes persist, fueled by good food, great beer and after-dinner coffee. In fact, I once entertained Danish friends at my yearly Thanksgiving dinner in East Hampton, and the Danes were baffled as to why all my guests left after a three-and-a-half-hour dinner.

Modesty and thrift aside, the Danes spend a good deal of their income on their interior furnishings and decoration—even more than on their cars! Danes showcase their national heritage with enthusiasm for their history of great design in lighting, textiles, ceramics and furniture. The great modernist designers are revered, and their weekend homes reflect an edited, minimal yet cozy predilection for spare interiors with stylish, attenuated, sculptural furnishings sporting clean, straight lines (though, frankly, they are oft-times uncomfortable). Sofas and chairs sit low (appropriate to their low modernist ceilings) with small coffee tables and side tables. Unstained wood floors are sprinkled with small rugs, and everyone takes off their shoes before entering the home!

Despite a minimum of five weeks of vacation (and most of it taken in July), the work force migrates for the long summer nights to these modest summer houses that feature few bedrooms and even fewer bathrooms. So the low, futon-like sofas are frequently convertible, and all means of comfortable hammocks and modern daybeds sprinkle the smaller-scaled rooms. Kitchens are sleek, modern, and efficient, but small, because al fresco living encourages escape from the hot stove as well. Outdoor showers proliferate and, of course, with the Danish fearless lack of propriety and nudity as common as pastry, the showers are completely exposed.

After the long nature walks, which are the primary focus of the day, the long meals are taken very seriously, as seen by their table settings. A prized set of Royal Copenhagen porcelain may be brought out along with exquisite Georg Jensen flatware. Their honey-toned lagers sparkle in restrained crystal, and always, the flickering candles burn cozily through the late, magical, evening twilight.

These charming summertime gatherings are usually small, intimate and focused on conviviality and a relaxed respite from the busy week. They truly seem to enjoy and relish the humor, conversation and upbeat celebration that comes with their summer retreats. As the crisp, late, summer light faded amid the happy candlelit faces around us, our shoulders warmed by the Danish wool blankets and our palate sated with food and lager, we thought, “Perhaps this might be nice in the Hamptons.”