Shop: Danish Country

It's no secret that I love decorating. Whether it's putting together a brand new room, giving an old space new life or entertaining friends and family in my home, I can't ever get enough of beautiful furniture and decor.

On Friday evening I was treated to a very special experience - a private tour of the furniture store Danish Country on Charles Street in Beacon Hill.
 

The store is located at the top of the street, directly next to Savenor's and JP Licks.
 

Inside, owner Jim Kilroy takes great pride in each and every piece in the shop. He hand selects everything during bi-annual trips to Denmark and Sweden.

Pictured below, Jim showing my fellow tour guest, Kristen of The Boston Fashionista, a piece that can either be used a writing desk or a makeup table.
 

The furniture throughout the Beacon Hill shop runs the gamut from dining room tables to armoires to desks to clocks to lamps. Jim was particularly fond of this table in the front of the store. It's shape is called a super ellipse.
 

This table, and many others in the shop, are decorated with delicate dishware like these white and blue floral tea cups.
 

There were many storage pieces crafted with intricate details, like the top of this piece pictured below. The decorative element on top reminds me of a castle gate or a carousel.
 

In the center of the piece is a secret compartment, flanked by one male bust and one female bust. The center can only be opened with a key.
 

At the back of the showroom floor was a tabletop so stunning I could feel my jaw drop as I noticed it. Look how elegant that design is and how warm the colors of the wood are.
 

The coolest thing about this table is that is spins up or down if you want to change the height. It can be a dinner table or you can spit it down a few inches and it becomes a coffee table.
 

Though you would never know it from the street, Danish Country has an entire second level which is in the basement. Hiding down there are even more unique pieces, like this oval shaped dining room table.
 

In the downstairs space there is a plethora of dressers and chests, like this one Kristen is exploring, which has built-in cubbies in the top drawer. Jewelry anyone?
 

Jim was particularly excited to show us one of the dressers.
 

This specific one was signed by its maker, but in order to see the authentic signature, we had to take out all the drawers and use an iPhone flashlight to see it clearly.
 

Jim knows the details of every single piece and when he's standing in front of one, he remembers the exact reasons it first stuck out to him and why he wanted to find it a great home.

In the back corner he and his daughter have staged a chest to function as a baby's changing table. The sign over the chest reads, "Your baby's diapers are disposable. Your baby's changing table could be an heirloom."
 

After fully exploring both levels of the store, Kristen and I fell in love with the same piece of furniture - a black love seat with wood trim.
 

I don't have a single inch of space in my condo for another piece of furniture, but I was standing in front of this love seat thinking, "Well, if I moved the arm chair to the guest room and then shifted the couch, maybe, just maybe, I could fit it."
 

You know if that couch made it to my house, that accent pillow would be sequined.

When we were ready to leave the Beacon Hill store, Jim provided us with directions to meet him at our second stop of the evening, his showroom in Newton Upper Falls.

A 30 minute drive later we were parked outside a huge stone barn. Inside, Jim has a treasure trove of additional pieces.
 

When we first walked in, he insisted we try out these leather chairs. The leather itself was soft as butter and the chairs were surprisingly comfortable. I also love the set of three side tables that can nest into one another.
 

Just beyond the leather chairs was a dining room table that reminded me of the table my parents had in my childhood home. Looking at it was flashing me back to all the times we celebrated special occasions on a table just like this.
 

Further into the showroom there was a piece just like the one Jim showed Kristen when we first arrived in Beacon Hill. At first glance, it looks like a makeup table. But when you slide that mirror to the side, it reveals storage that feels more like a desk.
 

There was a larger piece just a few feet away with similar hidden details.
 

In his Newton space, Jim has several credenzas, each hiding unique details behind their sliding doors. Almost all of them have a built-in bar which includes a mirrored back wall.
 

Just beyond the credenzas I found this head turning black and white bench. It's so beautiful it looks like it should be in a museum!
 

Kristen and I each found pieces we felt we absolutely had to have and mine was this black leather recliner with a matching ottoman. Not only it was it super comfortable, but I could totally see myself making this my new blogging perch every night.
 

Kristen was swooning over a set of reading chairs.

Just when we thought we'd found our unequivocal favorites, we both gushed over this recliner. I said, "It makes you feel like you should be poolside with a cocktail," which Kristen was kind enough to model.
 

Just before we left, Jim wanted to be sure to show us one final piece, a side table with a scene etched into the wood. He lit up like a Christmas tree telling us all the ways he felt it was rare and special.
 

One common detail shared by almost all the furniture in both the Beacon Hill store and the Newton showroom was keys. Most of the armoires, chests and trunks have keys to open and close both drawers and secret compartments. I think the keys make each piece feel like a private treasure for the person who owns it. Here are a few of my favorite keys:
 

After touring the Newton showroom, we were welcomed into Jim's home in Newton Centre to dine with him, his wife Ruthie, his daughter Leanne, her husband Eric and their daughter Stella.

Jim gave us a tour of their home, pointing out each piece of furniture he selected. In the master bathroom, Jim and his wife converted a chest of drawers into a piece that is topped with his and hers sinks. I would never have thought to transform a dresser in that way.

We began the dinner portion of the evening with the most magnificent charcuterie spread - sausage, four kinds of cheese (including a heavenly gorgonzola dolce), dried and fresh figs, freshly cut bread and a tray of gravlax on endive leaves, sprinkled with chives.

For the second course, Jim's daughter Leanne prepared us a pasta dish with pistachio pesto. It was served on the same dishware Jim sells in the store.
 

For the main course, venison, which was sourced locally. Jim prepared that course himself while we enjoyed the pasta. He made the meat and a cream sauce to go with it. We were also served a delicious salad of greens, tomatoes, feta cheese and a light dressing.

Though we were super full, we couldn't resist the dessert course - carrot cake with a cream cheese frosting, sprinkled with pomegranate seeds.

It was truly a special evening. Jim has the same passion for furniture as he does for entertaining. He was the most generous host.

I have my eye on several of his pieces (I just have to figure out where to put them!). If you are on the hunt for the perfect piece to complete a room or you are decorating a new place from scratch, you have to visit Danish Country.

Shop at either (or both) locations:

- 138 Charles Street, Boston, MA 02114
- 44 Oak Street, Newton Upper Falls, MA 02464

A huge thank you to Jim and his family for such a fabulous night.

 

Molly Galler

Welcome to Pop.Bop.Shop. My name is Molly. I’m a foodie, fashionista, pop culture addict and serious travel junkie. I’m a lifelong Bostonian obsessed with frozen confections, outdoor patios, Mindy Kaling, reality television, awards shows, tropical vacations, snail mail and my birthday.

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