We rented before we bought, to see if the vacation home lifestyle was right for us

How did you become summer house owners?

:box[title="Her bor",layout="aside",body='Rikke, Andreas og deres tre børn fra Vesterbro i København. De er begge undervisere og elsker at stikke af til deres lille blå oase, når der er brug for et afbræk i hverdagen. Betty Blue er ikke kun familiens favorit, for alle vennerne elsker også at nyde roen og naturen der, så det bliver tit samlingspunktet. Sandstranden for enden af vejen er et dagligt "must" - her ses de smukkeste solnedgange året rundt og om sommeren er en aftenbadetur i de sidste solstråler fantastisk. Du kan følge med i sommerhuslivet i Betty Blue på Rikkes Instagram @rikke.k.b.hald Gåture ved stenstranden ved Klint og de store skovområder i Odsherred. Om sommeren er Tuskemarkedet i Vig en favorit til gode loppefund og den lokale loppebutik "Stig og ko" er et dagligt besøg værd. De elsker også at besøge Nygårdens Gårdbutik og Birkemosegaard og i sommerhalvåret er en is fra det lokale ishus i Lumsås en ekstra forkælelse. Oplev Rikke og Andreas’ sommerhus her'] One of my boarding school friends owned the house before us and suddenly wanted to rent it out cheaply for a longer period. We live in Copenhagen and had actually never considered getting a summer house, but we drove out anyway to take a look at it. We saw it from the outside on a day when the grass was a meter and a half high and the yard was completely overgrown. As we drove down to the beach, we had a feeling that it was too good to be true. Despite the overgrown yard and the huge amount of work ahead of us, we could tell that this place was perfect for us. That’s why we agreed to rent it. At first, it was only supposed to be for a short time, but it ended up being four whole years. It was such a great way for us to experience life in a summer house, and we realized that a sanctuary like this, right in the middle of beautiful nature, was just right for us.

Of all your many well-thought-out dreams for the house, what have you actually done since you bought it?

We’ve done both small things and some really big ones. The biggest expense, financially speaking, was without a doubt the bathroom, but my dad was kind enough to take care of that. Next was our open-concept kitchen and dining area; we tore down the entire old kitchen so we could open up the space. It used to be freezing cold in the kitchen, and there was no way to get heat in there. Now it’s become incredibly cozy, and it’s exactly as we’d hoped and dreamed. During last year’s fall break, we cut down a lot of tall trees and got a lot of work done in the garden. The latest thing we’ve had built is a guesthouse in the garden, so all our guests have a lovely place to stay.

What role does the summer house play in your lives?

It’s made a huge difference in how we spend time with our friends. Our apartment isn’t very big, so we rarely invite friends over to Copenhagen. Up here at the summer house, however, we see them often—everyone loves coming up to Betty Blue and experiencing the very special, relaxed atmosphere here. When you’re coming from the city, it’s incredibly nice to just be able to open the door to the garden and run in and out. The garden is also often used for camping.

My sister and her husband have actually bought a summer house in the same area as ours, so now we can bike back and forth between the summer houses. It’s hard to describe just how cozy it is. In reality, Betty Blue is just a fantastic gathering place—in summer, winter, and for the world’s best New Year’s Eve parties.

> For us, renting the vacation home while we saved up to buy it was absolutely perfect. During the time we rented it, we completely fell in love with vacation home life. It convinced us that this was definitely the right choice for us.

What’s your favorite thing about Betty Blue?

My favorite spot is definitely the new open-concept kitchen and living area. I always set my alarm early when we’re at the cottage. Then I enjoy making a cup of coffee, lighting the wood-burning stove, and soaking in the peace and quiet before the rest of the family wakes up. And of course, I also love the terrace in the evening sun. That’s where we have lovely dinners and drink wine with our loved ones as the sun goes down.

What hidden gems or beautiful spots should people visit when they’re at your summer house?

We go for a new walk almost every day, because there are so many great trails all over the area. In the summer, the area has plenty of vegetable stands, and the beach is nothing short of fantastic. That’s what really won us over. It’s a perfect beach for kids because it’s all sand. The cliffs and rocky beaches are also great to bike to—especially if you have slightly older kids. In Lumsås, there’s the coziest ice cream shop. We generally just enjoy the nature and the quiet—our road ends at a dead end by the water, which means there’s practically no traffic. It’s quiet and completely dark here, and at night the sky is absolutely starry. It’s hard to believe there can be so many stars.

> My favorite spot is definitely the new open-concept kitchen-living area. I always set my alarm early when we’re at the summer house. Then I enjoy making a cup of coffee, lighting the wood-burning stove, and soaking in the peace and quiet before the rest of the family wakes up.

What would you recommend doing if you’re considering buying a summer house?

For us, renting the summer house while we saved up to buy it was absolutely perfect. During the time we rented it, we completely fell in love with summer house life. That convinced us that it was definitely the right fit for us. At the same time, it was also a great way to experience the house in a relaxed way and get a feel for what we’d want to change if it ever became ours. So by the time we bought it, we knew exactly what we wanted to change and had already saved up for it.

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