Inspirations

Ælfred: A King-Size Scandinavian Vintage Emporium

Nina—a Dane—knows what to look for, too. As cofounder of the established interior design practice and gallery Sigmar, she has been dealing with 20th-century decorative art and furniture for two decades. “We are looking for quality and personality at Ælfred,” she explains. “We want our pieces to play a part in telling the story of Nordic design in the 20th century—and there are many different stories within that.”

vintage scandinavian glassware, from £30. 12
Above: Vintage Scandinavian glassware, from £30.

The “curated flea market” will feature a rolling supply of pieces that range in price from £10 for a pair of teak and steel serving utensils to £2500 for designs by the likes of Arne Norell and Kristian Vedel. Since rolling back the shutters, accessories from makers such as Royal Copenhagen have been snapped up by shoppers, as have many of the original oil paintings on offer.

a cluster of louis poulsen’s ph 4&5 pendants. 13
Above: A cluster of Louis Poulsen’s PH 4&5 pendants.
an alvar aalto table and chairs (£1600) and a selection of teak bowls (fr 14
Above: An Alvar Aalto table and chairs (£1600) and a selection of teak bowls (from £25). “These products are so well made they have lasted for decades, and they have decades more left in them,” says Nina.

“We live with pieces in the real world, so I think we need to choose them in the real world, too,” Nina says of her decision to open a brick-and-mortar shop. “So much information is lost or misrepresented in an image, and I think we’re becoming aware of this. Finding something that reflects you and gives you joy on an everyday basis—that’s the fun part.”

To visit Ælfred in person, head to Autumn St, Hackney Wick, London E3 2TT.

And for more Scandi shopping destinations, see:

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