Interiors company Sigmar creates a Scandinavian modernist haven in London
Founded in 2005, interior design firm Sigmar turned into born out of ardor for traditional Scandinavian furniture. Driven by using ‘a preference for satisfactory and integrity’, proprietors Ebba Thott and Nina Hertig have developed the practice right into a multidisciplinary tour depressure. Alongside the layout studio and flagship London showroom, Sigmar additionally components different stores and consults on international projects. In 2007 (W* ninety-seven), Wallpaper* visited one among their ultra-modern initiatives, a Knightsbridge townhouse.
Hen, a Swedish hedge fund supervisor with an ardor for Scandinavian modernism, desired to do up his ‘Euro chintz’ townhouse in London’s Knightsbridge; he went instantly to Sigmar, an interior layout outfit primarily based in Chelsea. Run with the aid of Swedish/Danish duo Ebba Thott and Nina Hertig; it specializes in unfashionable furnishings from Scandi greats including Finn Juhl and Hans Wegner, as well as smooth, modern-day portions from the likes of Finnish enterprise Sector and Israeli clothier Yedidia Blonder, and anyone else who does new-college modernism. According to Thott, they’re difficult to discover. ‘Young designers working in the actual modernist spirit are few and a long way between.’
‘When we started, anybody said, “You’re a very area of interest, and we’ll provide you with six months.” That becomes -and-a-1/2 years ago,’ adds Thott, who trained as a product dressmaker and labored in interiors in New York earlier than transferring to London some years in the past, whilst the fashion for Scandinavian design changed into pink hot. Since setting up collectively, the duo has performed some of the residential projects. Still, the house in Knightsbridge is the maximum formidable to date, belonging because it does to a modernism fan who stocks their passion (and has a large budget).
The proprietor became open to a few of the duo’s hints, which protected blending classics – Serge Mouille lighting, unique Castiglioni lamps, Hans Wegner teak beds – with rare portions, which includes a sweeping rosewood dining table embedded with coins by Finn Juhl, and a table, designed in 1959 through Bodil Kjaer, one in every of which was utilized by James Bond baddie Blofeld in Diamonds Are Forever, and You Only Live Twice. (Michael Caine and Prince Philip have also been proud proprietors.)
Hertig, who studied at Sotheby’s, scours auctions and income worldwide and likes not anything greater than getting her palms on uncommon portions (a current coup changed into Austrian Bauhaus architect’s estate Ernst Pollak). Thott masterminded the indoors, which turned into about ‘setting furniture that appears new however is not new’ along with the house’s authentic length capabilities.
Dotted with only a few key pieces, the three-story bachelor pad is pretty minimal. However, he insists the proprietor is crowded compared with his former condo, which consisted of a mattress and sofas. So starting afresh become smooth, and having grown up with Swedish modernism, he felt it turned into a time to revisit it. ‘I didn’t honestly adore it as a toddler, but this time around, I enjoyed coming up with an entire idea. It’s a house that’s very a great deal approximately non-public spaces, and it works’.
