A.S.Helsingö Sideboard

Commercial collaboration with A.S.Helsingö.

I moved into my apartment six months ago and it has been obvious from the beginning that I would need more storage space. My vision was to either invest in minimalistic sideboard or have it custom-made. Ideally, the sideboard would fit into the vibe and character of the apartment seamlessly. Like it had always been there.

For this project I have teamed up with A.S.Helsingö, a Finnish brand that specializes in unique, tailor-made kitchens, wardrobes and sideboards. It is a brilliant concept; their product offering is highly customizable and the selection of colours, handles and worktops look modern and beautiful. The A.S.Helsingö sideboards are built on top of IKEA metod cabinets, which are bought separately. This combination enables a lower price whilst maintaining a high level of quality.

I settled on a 180 cm width x 80cm height sized INGARÖ sideboard in the frame style. From the outset, I also knew I would opt for the push-open doors instead of handles to maintain that minimalistic vibe. However, choosing the right colour proved difficult; probably because their selection of colors is superb. I was given a colour sample box to take home with me. I think that is quite vital in order to ensure the wanted result.

I reckon I would have been happy with almost any choice, but I eventually I went with Feather Grey - my first pick. I was pondering between Feather Grey and Thermal Grey, but somehow Feather Grey felt more fresh and right for the space. The room has an original 20th century wallpaper, which features a green floral pattern, on one of the walls. Hence, adding more greenish tones could have been too much.

Even though my vision was to design a simple storage solution, I always gravitate towards something edgy or quirky. Adding a worktop is another way to customize you sideboard; they come in classic marble, clay and quartz for instance. I wanted a worktop from the get-go. Here I had two options again, which were linked to my colour options. Had I picked Thermal Grey, I would have combined it with a marble worktop, but that felt too cliche. And when I visited the A.S.Helsingö showroom, I fell in love with the Coral Clay.

The selection of worktops. Some only available for kitchens.

Using the sideboard design tool that you can find on the brand’s webpage, I finalized my order and went with the Feather Grey and Coral Clay combination. I think one of my reference points was the decor in Céline stores during the Phoebe Philo era; mixing up unexpected surfaces. But not everything goes as planned. Once my order arrived, in about 4-6 weeks after the order had been placed, I quickly realized that the combination does not go well together in my apartment.

I want to share this story because these things happen. I have never renovated or decorated any of my previous apartments, so this has been a good learning curve. I think it is good share what goes on behind the scenes, because people tend to think I always get it right when it comes style and aesthetics. Well, that obviously is not true. I just try my best. Anyway, I love my Feather Grey sideboard, even without the worktop. It works well in the space. I have also decided to keep the worktop, as you never know what the future holds.

A.S.Helsingö have just opened their first overseas showroom in Stockholm located on Birger Jarlsgatan 71. If you are able to visit, definitely do! My experience with A.S.Helsingö has been such a smooth ride.