Simple pleasures with Georg Jensen’s Helix Collection [ad]

Pause for a moment of simple pleasure with Georg Jensen’s elegant Helix Collection…

[AD – This is a paid partnership with Georg Jensen. All images: Cate St Hill]

Each country has their own word for that moment in the afternoon when it’s time to pause, reflect and recharge with something sweet and warm – the Swedish have Fika, the French have petit pause, and the English have their afternoon tea. I’m not quite sure what the Danish word is, but they do have the now almost universal concept of hygge and finding contentment in the cosy. Each is about creating a ritual to celebrate the everyday.

A ritual is more than just a habit – a daily habit you can do with your eyes closed, without maybe realising that you’re doing it. A ritual on the other hand is about giving meaning to those little moments and doing them with considered focus and intention. Taking time out, even if it’s just five minutes here and there, can help us reconnect with ourselves and our surroundings. I’m often guilty of quickly knocking back my coffee; my mind already on the next task and the day ahead. But by focusing on the details and bringing attention to the moment, it can help create an element of calm in the mundane.

Of course the details start with what you’re drinking your tea or coffee from. Part of the joy is uplifting an everyday moment with something a little bit special – simple objects that are tactile and give you daily pleasure.

For their debut new Helix Collection for Danish brand Georg Jensen, Stockholm-based design duo Bernadotte & Kylberg took inspiration from their childhood. Having grown up with Georg Jensen’s elegant pieces in their own homes, they developed a deep respect for Scandinavia’s rich design heritage from an early age.

This is reflected in the Helix Collection’s understated details and clean, refined lines. The five-piece stainless steel tea and coffee set includes a thermo coffee jug, an insulated tea pot, a serving tray, sugar bowl and milk jug. Each has a simple, functional aesthetic with the same smooth curves – there’s a purity in their expression.

Digging into the Georg Jensen archives in Copenhagen, Bernadotte & Kylberg became inspired by the organic shapes of the brand’s most iconic designs. In particular, the fluid, infinite shapes of the Möbius jewellery range first launched in 1968, and the Infinity range designed by Regitze Overgaard more recently in 2012.

The name Helix comes from the Greek word for a curve that goes around a central shape in the form of a spiral. A key detail of Bernadotte & Kylberg’s Helix Collection is the distinctive curved handle on top of the objects’ lids. It’s practical without being superfluous – adding a beautiful, dynamic flourish to the simple form. It subtly references the designs that have gone before, cementing these new pieces in Georg Jensen’s hall of fame and bringing the company’s heritage up to date today with a contemporary appeal.

‘Our priority is always to make a great product that does exactly what it was designed to do. Then we added the identity and attributes of Georg Jensen from our perspective. Scandinavian design springs from a practical way of using an object. That was our primary thought. Bring back practicality and make it elegant,’ say Bernadotte & Kylberg.

Bernadotte & Kylberg haven’t just thought about the aesthetics. These aren’t just beautiful pieces to have out on display and never use. The tray has a non-slip inlay to keep everything in place and prevent ring marks on the shiny stainless steel (perfect for when you’re delivering coffee to bed!). The coffee thermo jug can keep its contents warm for six hours, while the tea pot has a double steel wall to retain the heat – so there’s no need to cut a lie-in short.

These beautiful pieces have inspired me to be more mindful in my daily rituals and coffee drinking. When a designer has put in so much thought into a piece, I feel like it’s only fair to put the same thought and intention in to using them everyday.

The Helix collection starts from £50 – purchase online here.