Review: The Norrmans An Escape to the Danish Countryside

A passion for interior design and renovation led Swedish couple Anna and Lars Norrman to transform an old farm into a charming bed and breakfast, located just an hour south of Copenhagen. The boutique hotel has been in operation for two years now, and this season Fanny Waller and Scott Chancellor have joined the team to run the restaurant, The Norrmans Kitchen. We took a little weekend getaway to explore this bohemian oasis, and we’re already planning our return visit. Keep scrolling to read all about our stay.

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THE NORRMANS


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Bækkemosevej 14, 4672 Klippinge, Denmark

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Meet The Norrmans

Swedish couple Anna and Lars Norrman previously lived in both Oslo and Copenhagen before leaving the big cities behind and escaping to the Danish countryside. They spent six months renovating an old farmhouse, barn, and its surrounding property into a magical oasis. The Norrmans are world travelers, food enthusiasts, and happy hosts, and the space is filled with furniture and art they’ve discovered on their travels.

A cartoon bear painted on the side of a large black barn is the first to greet you as you pull into the driveway. Gather your belongings, and head down the string light-illuminated path through the trees. The footpath leads you to the orangerie, a beautifully decorated greenhouse filled with plants and velvet couches. The scent of the fresh flowers is intoxicating, but the sound of jazz music draws you further inside, into the reception area. It’s hard to believe that this room was once a pigsty – the only traces of animal life now are the exotic prints and furs decorating the walls. The effect of this enchanting space is instantaneous – the outside world is completely forgotten, even if only temporarily. With all of the floor pillows, incense, draping curtains, and big lamps hanging from the ceiling, it feels more like you are in Morocco than Denmark. As Fanny comes to greet you with a homemade brownie and a cup of coffee, you let yourself relax. This is a place to let your body unwind and your soul recharge.

The Villa – Luxury Farm Life

If your idea of “roughing it” on a farm includes chandeliers and a gilded kitchen, then you’re going to want to book a room in The Villa. The rooms here are a bit more grand and luxurious, with wooden floors, patterned rugs, high ceilings, vibrant wallpaper, and canopies over some of the beds. The design feels very Scandinavian, but with playful, exotic elements. The house has a lot of common spaces exclusive to residents of The Villa, including a private kitchen, dining room, and living rooms – perfect for socializing.

Our bedroom was situated on the top floor, which feels a lot like an upscale treehouse. Unlike the slightly fancier downstairs, the attic has a more rustic charm, with slanted roofs, exposed beams, hammock swings, and lots of cozy nooks for reading and relaxing. If you want to stay in The Villa, book fast – only four double bedrooms are available here. If you desire more simple accommodations, the Norrmans also have eight rooms in The Stable. These rooms are dark and cozy, largely furnished with items found in local flea markets. All overnight stays include breakfast and dinner.

The Norrmans Kitchen

Husband and wife team Scott Chancellor and Fanny Waller have a background in fine dining. The duo previously worked at restaurants like Frantzén in Stockholm, and Amass, Iluka, AOC, and Relæ in Copenhagen. This year, they joined Anna and Lars on the farm to take over the restaurant, The Norrmans Kitchen. Scott and Fanny planted a large kitchen garden on the property, where they grow vegetables, herbs, berries, and more. The restaurant’s menu is vegetable-focused and most of the food comes from the garden; the rest of the organic produce comes from nearby farms. There’s a little bit of protein at the end of the menu, but you can be sure that the animals were treated with respect and had a happy life. The goal at The Norrmans Kitchen is to one day be entirely self-sufficient – they are working to be as sustainable as possible on the farm, and with zero waste. Just like the food, the wines available are all natural – some of our favorite producers on the list included Costadila, Muster, Strohmeier, and Tschida.

The same philosophy applies to breakfast at The Norrmans. Scott makes an incredible sourdough bread with local grains, and you can top it with raw cow’s milk cheese, soft boiled eggs, charcuterie, and kefir cultured butter. The breakfast buffet also offers skyr, which you can top with granola, honey, and jam (all made in house). We enjoyed coffee from both Tim Wendelboe and Koppi Roasters during our stay.

Things to Do On The Farm

Once you arrive at The Norrmans, you’ll never want to leave! Fanny opens her gin & tonic bar at six each evening, and board games, decks of cards, and a chess set are all available. Don’t leave without taking a stroll around the beautiful gardens, and be sure to bring a swimsuit in case you want to take a dip in the heated outdoor jacuzzi. If you’re an animal lover, you just might be lucky enough to meet the Norrmans’ dog, Helium, and their two Icelandic horses who live on the property. For those with a competitive streak, note that the barn is set up for boule (bocce ball) tournaments and is open all night – you can even play your own music through a Bluetooth speaker.

If you’re looking for a souvenir, the Norrmans have an interior shop selling furniture they have found at flea markets, or imported from around the world. Some items on offer during our visit were chairs from Sri Lanka, a bed headboard from Bali, floor pillows, hammocks, lamps, mirrors, ceramics, and so many more unique pieces. If you fall in love with a piece of furniture you see in your room, ask nicely and it might be for sale too. We are in the middle of decorating our new Copenhagen apartment, so we couldn’t resist picking up a few items to bring home with us. Come with a big car in case you are tempted!

The Norrmans have quite the following in Sweden, so typically the entire hotel is booked up by Swedes, but this year the rest of us Scandinavians are lucky to have access. If you want to visit, snag a reservation now before the borders to Sweden reopen! Also, stay tuned to their Instagram for announcements of special events, like the “bring your own vinyl record and barbecue party.”

Have you been to The Norrmans? Let us know in a comment below.