Mads Holm Rabjerg is head of product development at the long-established design company Carl Hansen & Søn. The furniture specialist company is a third-generation family-run Danish business based in Fyn, a laid-back island in the archipelago nestled right at the heart of Denmark.
Fyn is also where Mads has spent the last 10 years, and these days he lives in Vejle with his wife Louise and their three kids.
My favourite weekend routine:
To be awakened by my kids crawling into our bed. Going for a run and eating a huge breakfast, always with an espresso, a soft boiled egg and some toasted rye bread.
My favourite cultural spot:
The Clay Museum of ceramic art in Middelfart. The historic building and the new architecture are worth a visit alone.
My favourite place for dining out:
Restaurant Bacchus in Odense, a classic French kitchen run by French-born Stephane Libourel that also happens to be a friend of mine. The absolute best Crème Brulee you will ever get.
My favourite breakfast place:
At home, with 3 kids we usually start the day before most places open.
My favourite excursion/city escape:
I have a 35-year-old Swedish sailboat, and I live 10 minutes from the harbour. So visiting the small harbours like Kongebro Habour is the perfect getaway.
My favourite local entrepreneur or creative we want to promote:
I quite like Galleri Sandberg which is a small gallery in Odense, they have an interesting portfolio of established artists, but they are also willing to take chances on new artists.
Also what’s called Kunsthåndværkerhuset Glasværket. They are a non-profit association in Odense, whose mission is to work for a more inclusive labour market, where they take social responsibility and create space for diversity for the benefit of the people who today live on the edge of society. They have an open glass workshop and have helped me with their experience on different development projects involving mouth-blown glass. A good project with skilled people.
My favourite hotel for a staycation:
Hotel Vejlefjord, not on Fyn but close by and have a fantastic view and spa area.
My favourite route for a run or walk:
When I lived there I always got on a run in the forest Fruens Bøge in Odense and never the same route twice.
My favourite place for fashion:
I simply can’t answer that, as I always shop online.
In that category, I’m extremely conservative and always goes for basic items, in neutral colours in good quality. Right now I buy a lot of my basics t-shirts from the Danish/Dutch brand Lab Fresh that started as a crowdfunding campaign.
Nothing extraordinary about the design, but it’s sustainable and a good product that works exactly like intended.
My favourite space for great design:
The owners of Carl Hansen & Son, Knud Erik and Inger lives on an old estate called Hellerup from 1670. And this home is filled with an extraordinary furniture collection. It’s of course not open for the public, but it’s a fantastic place.
Otherwise, I will have to say the other private homes I’m so lucky to get to visit quite frequently. Like the home of Hans J. Wegner where I have every meeting with his daughters.
And also the summerhouse of Børge Mogensen, now the private home of his son Peter Mogensen both of which are filled with unique pieces of furniture.
My favourite example of tech innovation at Fyn:
The company Universal Robots was started by two students attending the University in Odense at the same time as me.
They started with a focus on user-driven design and made programming of robotics accessible, they still only have around four products, but they are over 700 employees and doing great.
My favourite local media (newspaper/magazine/website/social media account):
I’m not following any local media. But I read the Danish magazine Dossier online, and for news, I use the platform Zetland.
My favorite thing at home:
I have a CH28 Wegner Chair that was the first piece I bought after I started working for CHS.
