Nicola Kragh Riis: How to upcycle your kitchen handles

How to do it

1. Remove your handles and clean them of dust.

2. Buy jute yarn in the thickness you desire.

3. Tie a knot at one end around the handle.

4. Begin to wrap jute yarn around your handle and hide the knot. It should be very tight and well-tensioned.

5. Once you have wrapped the entire handle, glue the loose end in place.

6. Finish with a varnish. The handles will become resistant to dirt and greasy fingers.

A super smart trick, if you want to save money, is to use the things that are already there when you need to renovate.

Q&A with Nicola

What were your thoughts on the transformation of the summer house?

I saw it as the ultimate declaration of trust to be given the keys to strangers' summer house and to transform it. I took it very seriously and spent a lot of energy creating an interior design that suited the residents, their lives, and their taste, so they could feel at home despite the fact that we had made a lot of decisions for them.

Which transformation in the summer house are you most happy with?

I am most happy with the dark green windows, which took the couple many minutes to discover. That transformation told me that we had really hit the mark, and that the house almost should have been born that way. I also thought the painted kitchen was a bit of a stroke of genius - a transformation from bland to personal with few resources.

What three things did you collectively emphasize when transforming the summer house?

We emphasized that the family should have multi-purpose furniture, so there was room for both children and adults, play and relaxation. We also emphasized good and cozy lighting, as it means the world for whether a house or room is pleasant to be in. And we made sure there was room for all the good things and furniture the family already had.