This industrial space, perched next to a canal in East London, features a rolling supply of mid-century Danish, Swedish, Norwegian and Finnish furniture and home accessories
Bringing vintage Scandinavian finds and one-off collectible pieces to east London’s Hackney Wick is Ælfred, a new 300 sq m showroom of mid-century furniture and top-quality vintage objects established by Nina Hertig, the cofounder of London-based interior design practice Sigmar.
Hertig is a seasoned design expert and has worked on several collaborations to create contemporary products that follow traditional methods of production.
Taking its name from the king of the West Saxons who spent a great deal of his reign in the 9th century fending off the Vikings, at Ælfred a rolling supply of mid-century Danish, Swedish, Norwegian and Finnish furniture and home accessories, such as secondhand furniture, cutlery, vases and more, fills the vast industrial space like a carefully curated flea market.
Some of the warehouse’s notable highlights include a bookcase by Danish designer Børge Mogensen, a pair of iconic Artek Aalto Chairs 69 and glassware by Iittala. With prices ranging from £15 to £2,500, Hertig believes vintage furniture should be affordable and accessible to everyone.
‘This vast showroom is going to be a fun way for customers to access great quality vintage Scandinavian pieces at fair prices,’ she says. ‘Rather than putting everything online, we want to celebrate the dying art of discovering treasures in real life.’
Ælfred, Unit 2, Autumn Yard, Autumn Street, Hackney Wick, London E3 2TT
Photography by Christian Banfield
Read more in ICON 210: The Finland Issue
