Tastemaker's Choice
Pil Kallesø for Helsinki Design Sale
With Tastemaker’s Choice, we invite inspiring voices from the worlds of art and design to share their favourite pieces from our quality auctions, objects that capture their eye and spark their imagination.
In connection with Helsinki Design Sale, we are pleased to partner with the Danish architect Pil Kallesø. Together with her husband, she runs Kallesø Arkitekter in Helsingør, and in this feature she shares a selection of favourites from the auction, reflecting her appreciation for timeless Nordic design.
It’s actually quite difficult for me to pinpoint exactly when it began. I come from a family with very young parents and many siblings, and my upbringing wasn’t shaped by design - we also never really travelled. I think for me it has always been more of an inner drive, a natural fascination with space, colours, shapes and materials that eventually led me to architecture school. It wasn’t until I began my studies at the Royal Academy of Architecture that a whole world of design and history truly opened up to me - and I haven’t looked back since.
I find the idea of “style” quite interesting, because I can honestly imagine myself living in many different ways. For me, it’s always the architecture and the space itself that guide the choice of furniture. We live in one of Jørn Utzon’s iconic Kingo houses from 1957 in Helsingør, and from the very first day we got the keys, the house has shaped our interior. Some might describe our style as mid-century Scandinavian, others might say it feels like their grandparents’ home - personally, I would describe it as nostalgic.
For me, it’s always the architecture and the space itself that guide the choice of furniture. We live in one of Jørn Utzon’s iconic Kingo houses from 1957 in Helsingør, and from the very first day we got the keys, the house has shaped our interior.
Our Artek Tea Trolley is a piece I’ve dreamed about since my time at architecture school. I’ve long been deeply fascinated by the Aaltos, and to me the Tea Trolley is a true design icon. When I found a vintage one a few years ago, I was absolutely thrilled. I can honestly say that I look at it every single day and feel a sense of joy.
Material and form are very important to me. Function matters too, but I also believe that beauty is a function in itself - art, for example, serves the purpose of bringing joy simply by being looked at. When choosing furniture, I consider how the form language and colours relate to the space and to the pieces I already have. I’m also drawn to materials that can be maintained over time, especially as we have small children, so I often choose natural materials. Patina adds character, and if I have the opportunity to find something I love vintage, I will almost always choose that.
When choosing furniture, I consider how the form language and colours relate to the space and to the pieces I already have. I’m also drawn to materials that can be maintained over time, especially as we have small children, so I often choose natural materials.
First of all, that we are collectors ourselves, and several of the items have already been on my personal wish list for quite some time. In particular, the dressing table and the display cabinet designed by Aino are two pieces that rarely come up for sale here in Denmark.
On a personal level, I also dream of bringing more of Aino’s work into our home. She was an extraordinary architect and designer, and it is impossible to speak of Alvar Aalto without also mentioning Aino Aalto. As a female architect myself, I admire Aino tremendously, and I would love to have more of her work represented in our home.
Helsinki Design Sale
Auction Online April 24 – May 3
Pil Kallesø’s favourites from Helsinki Design Sale
