Being an interiors blogger, it’s always exciting when a new brand emerges on the scene. Last week I was delighted to attend the press breakfast for houseof, a new online homewares retailer who are launching their inaugural collection this March, focused on lighting. You could be forgiven for thinking that the marketplace as far as lighting is concerned is a little crowded but for a small brand, houseof pack a punch and have a fantastic background prior to launching.
I had the chance to have a lovely long chat with founders Helen White and Michael Jones. Having previously worked together and spoken of dreams to set up their own company, they seized the opportunity to turn their dreams into reality when they were made redundant last year. As difficult as changes like that can be, sometimes it’s a now or never moment where it really feels like the universe is listening to you. Oh, and that former company is BHS, who have a cult following where lighting is concerned so Helen and Michael definitely know their product.
We’re familiar with seeing black and brass these days when it comes to light fixtures and fittings, with brass replacing the eponymous copper (although I still have a couple of copper lights and I love them!) But colour still hasn’t quite made it on the lighting spectrum, at least until now with the new collection from houseof. Taking 5 colours (pink, coral, blue, green and black), houseof are committed to producing a capsule collection of pieces available in the different colourways to complement any décor scheme. As they explain:
The entire collection is exclusive of houseof and has been designed in-house, using a clear design philosophy that combines creativity and function. Bold and consistent use of colour injects personality into an edit that includes curated pieces of statement lighting, each designed with a specific, individual purpose.
Not only are the pieces stylish and beautifully made but the price point makes them comparable to other lighting ranges and extremely affordable for a small, bespoke collection. What matters as much to me though is the passion that Helen and Michael clearly have which shines through their commitment to everything from packaging to their warehouse location. This is based in Devon and Michael initially pondered the wisdom of having a warehouse so far away from their London base. However, on speaking to the warehouse owner who explained how long its been operating and that houseof will always have a dedicated familiar person to deal with, it ties in perfectly with their ethos.
Ultimately their goal as a business is to ensure that they remain customer-focused and customer-led, listening to what their audience want rather than flooding the marketplace with hundreds of different lighting styles. As they grow, the houseof collection will expand to other homewares and the branding, company name and so on has been deliberately established with this expansion in mind.
I’m so excited to follow the journey of this young brand. Imagine an online shopping experience where you can call the customer service and actually receive advice and tips on choosing the correct product for your home, rather than hanging up the phone feeling frustrated. They are officially launching at the end of March and I’m definitely going to be shopping when the time comes. Judging by these beautiful images I’m sure I won’t be alone.Thank you so much to houseof for inviting me to their press breakfast. I was not obliged to share any information but I love to support small business and think this is one you will all really enjoy. To keep up to date with their launch, follow them on Instagram.