Home tour series | Episode 8
Dzidra: Isabella and Andreas
In the heart of Nørrebro, Copenhagen, you’ll find Dzidra, known for serving some of the best scones with whipped butter and jam in the city. Owned by Isabella and Andreas, the space is warm and welcoming, set inside a former tram ticket office and filled with beautiful art. Over time, they’ve built more than a restaurant, a community, with a menu that’s always evolving and full of surprises. Today, Dzidra feels intuitive and alive, where every element contributes to its atmosphere.
Color played a central role in Verner Panton’s design philosophy. How do you personally live with color in your home and restaurant? Do you see it as something that shapes the atmosphere and inspires you?
Yes definitely, it shapes us in every aspect. In our café there’s been a guidance of our color scheme, based on different elements we’ve found during our renovations – for example a baby blue color underneath several layers of paint and wall paper, or a rusty red pipe that’s been been hiding in our roof, all have played a role in our choice of colors. We’re also blessed with many talented artists who also have taken inspiration from the space and have gifted us pieces based upon our café. And then last but not least the beautiful wood work that has always been there, is a huge inspiration to us. The wood with the industrial metal zink and fridges, wow I love that combo. Thinking about it, the food that we make is also super very much based on colors and how it makes us feel. A bright green bean stew, a hot pink hibiscus water kefir or a rice bowl mixed with seasonal veggies in all different types of colors, that makes us so happy and inspired always. Especially on those gloomy winter days. It never gets old!
The Pantop lamp comes in a range of bright, expressive colors. How do you approach introducing bold color into your living environment?
Very easy! Especially being Colombian, bold and bright is an essential part of being. In our café we have some amazing bright red stools mixed with our beautiful 2x2m painting by Magnus Fisker Andersen. This talks very beautifully together. But perhaps it’s more reflected in our private home, where we have black floors and a muted and warm white color on the walls with lots of playful art, beautiful hand made place mats in hot pink, and native Colombian replicas of old sacred figures. It’s all mixed together.
Do you tend to choose color intuitively, or is it something you carefully consider?
I think intuition and carefully curated spaces speaks quite well together, I follow my intuition but I also read the room and think about what works for that specific feeling or emotion. It can be a calming experience, using muted and natural colors, or a playful and personal room, with drawings and posters from your life. Maybe talking about it, it feels more intuitive and emotional actually.
Is there a particular color that holds a personal meaning or memory for you?
I’m obsessed with turquoise and pink, perhaps because my parents used to have this bed linen with a hot pink and bright turquoise mixed together. Very 80’s/90’s. I remember it as being something they brought from their time in Miami, where they met each other. It ended up having this impossible softness to it, you only can achieve after years of use. It brought me to collect turquoise stones and rosa quartz as a kid, and the combination has stuck with me until today.
What draws you to the Pantop lamp: the shape, the color, or the way it interacts with the space around it?
It’s playfull and easy understandable in its purpose – like an innocent object that can help you solve local issues. Do you want to read a book here? No problem! Do you need some extra light while applying nail polish? Easy!
Especially in a restaurant, it’s often challenging to set the mood for an intimate talk without the need for candles. This is an easy way to solve it!
