A creative consultant working across multiple disciplines and a musician-entrepreneur, Amanda Karoline Lindegaard Stilling and Mohamed Ahmed aka Skinz describe themselves as opposites that balance each other perfectly. Intentionally slow days with morning swims, coffee on the terrace and calm evenings together, they’ve created a relaxed summer sanctuary to escape the intensity that comes along with the city life in Copenhagen.
Let’s start with introductions, who are you, and how did you meet?
Mohamed: We’re curious, spontaneous, and passionate about travel and food. We also love adventure!
Amanda: We met through my sister, who was friends with Mohamed. For quite a while, we were just friends. When we first met, neither of us thought much of it. But over time, we got to know each other better, became close friends, and eventually something more. Now, this is our seventh summer together — so it’s been quite a few years.
Mohamed is a musician, and I work as a creative consultant. I manage my own projects and collaborate with other brands. I also have a regular client — a cosmetic clinic — for whom I handle marketing.
How would you describe your personalities, and in what ways do they balance or complement each other?
Amanda: We’ve talked about this recently. Mohamed is definitely the more spontaneous, impulsive dreamer, while I tend to be a bit more cautious. He’s outgoing and social, and I’m more introverted. But that actually works well because we balance each other out. I often find myself growing and stepping into situations I wouldn’t normally try on my own.
Mohamed:
I completely agree. Our differences pull us in opposite directions, which helps us find balance and learn from each other. Sometimes it’s not about overthinking things first. And other times, I learn from her to be more careful. But often, I encourage her to take the leap - we usually land on our feet. It’s a great balance!
What does life look like for you right now? What are you each dreaming of - whether big or small, together or individually?
Mohamed: We have a lot of dreams, both personally and professionally. I don’t think we’ll ever stop dreaming, and lately, we’ve been having a lot of conversations about them. Career-wise, we’re exploring many different ideas and directions. I really enjoy experimentingwith new business ideas - I’ve been doing that for some time now with projects I’m involved in. It’s brought some great results, which motivates me to chase the next success. I’m always planning ahead, and Amanda and I often talk about fun projects we haven’tstarted yet. Maybe we’ll create something together, or maybe Amanda will pursue something independently.
Amanda: Yes, instead of just consulting, I’m thinking about starting my own business within the creative field. And beyond that, we dream of enjoying life, traveling, and having many amazing experiences together.
What inspired the decision to get a summer house?
Mohamed: That “get-away” feeling - escaping the traffic, tourists, and car exhaust, especially now that we live right in the city center.
Amanda:
I grew up just 10 minutes from our summerhouse, so I’m used to being surrounded by nature and calm. The last few summers, though, it’s been tough to avoid the chaos that comes with city living. We’d drive a little outside the city, but not too far, since we still needed to get back. Around Christmas 2023, Mohamed started casually browsing for places, and then we decided it was time. Everything just clicked into place perfectly.
When designing your summer house, what kind of atmosphere were you hoping to create? How does it contrast with the feeling or style of your home in Copenhagen?
Amanda: It was important to us that the interior felt warm. I took a bit of a chance painting all the walls a color I usually wouldn’t choose, but creating a cozy atmosphere was key. We focused on a more traditional style with new elements, while keeping that classic country feel.
Mohamed:
I’d say it’s all about coziness and the beach cabin vibe here - more low-key, and it doesn’t have to be so polished or design-focused. Personally, I think our apartment in Copenhagen feels more like a showroom, but the summerhouse gives us room for fun, quirky touches. Being the opposite of Amanda in that way, it’s nice to have that space for it here.
How do you typically spend your days when you're at the summer house?
Amanda: When the weather’s nice during the summer, we love to start our mornings with a swim. It’s honestly the best way to kick off the day. Mohamed actually introduced me to it - something I hadn’t done before and now I can’t imagine starting the day any other way.
Mohamed: After the swim, we enjoy a cup of coffee on the terrace and have breakfast. Then I usually get to work in the garden and make plans for the day, while Amanda takes care of things inside. There’s plenty of projects to keep us busy.
Amanda:
We’ve spent a lot of time exploring the local area and discovered a lovely little spot called Rabarbergården, where everything is locally produced. We’ve also had friends over for dinner. In general, we’ve really taken the time to slow down and be present. I think both of us have used this place to disconnect from our screens and just be in the moment.
Mohamed:
Exactly - just taking it all in. It’s a new experience for me, since I haven’t had nature this close before. I’m constantly noticing new things. For example, it actually took me a while to realize we have a pretty big cherry tree just over there!
What we value most in our summer house is…
peace and nature!
To us, a summer house should always feel…
cozy and relaxing.
The FRIDAY sofa speaks to our decor by…
Amanda: I really love the minimalist style, especially here in the summerhouse where we want it to feel cozy and warm. The sofa is spacious and flexible - we often rearrange the modules to make a large bed, and we even have a projector to create our own home cinema.That’s actually why we fell for the FRIDAY sofa when we first looked at it: it offers so many options. When we have guests or family visiting, we can easily switch up the living room layout to fit our needs. Plus, its look fits perfectly with the different types of wood and colors in our home, and it has such a clean, simple design.
One thing we can always agree on is…
Mohamed: We’re always on the same page when it comes to spontaneous getaways to nearby European destinations.
But something we can never quite agree on is…
Mohamed: Everything from home decor to the little everyday things. For instance, Amanda is an early riser, while I’m a night owl - she’s usually in bed by 9 or 10 p.m.
Amanda:
We’re fundamentally quite different, but that contrast also brings balance to our relationship.
For a perfect day at the summer house…
Mohamed: We’ll begin with coffee and a bun at ‘Rababargården’, where we also can visit the animals. Then we’ll head to the ‘secret beach’, a hidden gem known only to the locals, to soak up the sun and enjoy a refreshing swim in the ocean. In the evening, we’ll make our way to Tisvilde for dinner at ‘Badehotellet’ and watch the sunset - a beautiful way to end the day.
It brings us joy to…
go on summerhouse trips.
On our wish list is…
FRIDAY Outdoor.
Our favorite destination is…
Sicily - the latest addition to our list!
A person who inspires us is…
each other. We inspire one another every day, in all aspects of life.
This summer, we’re excited about…
spending more time in the summerhouse! But actually, we’re heading back to Sicily.
Mohamed: want to tell the story, Amanda?
Amanda: Last time, I was in charge of booking the hotel. When we arrived, the receptionist looked a bit puzzled - I had accidentally booked for July instead of April, oops. It was non-refundable, so now we have to go again! Luckily, we fell in love with the island!
If you're looking for the best coffee in Tvisvilde...
Rabarbargården is the spot.
When we're at the summer house...
we love to visit Café Havestuen, Havgaarden and Badehotellet.
For date night, we love…
going to Helenekilde Badehotel.
Our favorite hangout spots in the summer…
are the ones near the summer house - we love getting out of town and enjoying the peaceful surroundings.