West London to East London is always one of those trips that in your mind seems like a gruelling journey, but in reality, it's nothing, and you wonder why you don't make it more often. That was my thought as I rocked around the corner heading for the 'ÆLFRED, the largest showroom of Scandinavian mid-century furniture in London'. This colossal warehouse filled with ravishing mid-century furniture is the brainchild of Nina Hertig. Nina, the co-founder of design practice & gallery Sigmar, set up ÆLFRED as "a fun way for customers to access great quality vintage Scandinavian pieces at fair prices. Pieces start at £15, and furniture will cost no more than £2500, so there is something for everyone. Rather than putting everything online, we want to celebrate the dying art of discovering treasures in real life." So rest up your index finger, give your eyes a break from those hypnotising screens and pop down to ÆLFRED. Do bear in mind that the showroom is only open from Thursday to Sunday - 10 am-6 pm.
What makes Aelfred different?
With the scale and access to stock at the source, the set-up runs almost like a pipeline, allowing us freedom in terms of stock and minimising the boring costs of customs and transport.
What is the worst & best thing about being a shopkeeper?
The best thing about being a shopkeeper is the people you meet, many you would properly not have met in any other setting or profession. Don’t think there is a worst part
Your favourite thing about the area?
The mix of so many different trades and people from manufacturing to the creative industries, hospitality and beyond. All nestled right next to each other and mixing
