someday meets houseof.
We have been big fans of modern British lighting brand, houseof since it was launched back in 2019 by Helen White and Michael Jones. In fact they are old friends of someday with our founder Emily, having worked with Helen before. Look how grown up we are now having both since set up our own businesses!
So we were delighted when they approached us to become their latest partner. houseof is the climate friendly lighting company. A carbon neutral business with a focus on producing high quality, on trend, environmentally conscious lighting.
To celebrate the launch and welcome houseof at someday, we had a chat with Helen and Michael to hear more about houseof their own interior style and what is coming up next for this exciting brand.
Read the interview below >
What inspired you to set up your own brand?
Helen: houseof was born out of a shared passion for lighting. We wanted to make lighting a focal point in homes again. We want to banish the spotlight and show people how to use lighting to create mood and atmosphere in their homes. Lighting can create impact - whether that is good or bad. Good lighting creates a sense of warmth and envelops a home whereas bad lighting can make an interior feel cold and uninviting.
Michael: We like to say “We make lights which make homes happy” which is a simple sentiment full of meaning. Our lights are all designed to be low glare but with high light output reducing eye strain and potential for headaches. We also make our lights in a poppy colour palette and each colour creates a different mood and feeling in the home.
What is the best thing about running your own start-up business?
Helen: There is nothing better than seeing our lights installed in customer homes. I will never get over that feeling. Our customers are so proud to share their interiors with us and I am so glad that they do. When you see something that you have designed and taken months to craft and perfect finally launch and sell it is a great sense of achievement.
Michael: I have always been a people person and my favourite aspect of the job is managing the team. We have created our dream place to work, giving all of our team unlimited holiday, social events at our colourful head office and really flexible working. After working in larger companies we noticed the importance of change in working styles and it is amazing to make such a difference to the standard working week.
How would you describe the houseof design style?
Helen: houseof is happy. That is our style and mantra. We love to combine simple shapes with bold colour palettes to create lights which bring smiles to faces. We combine the latest trends in colours, shapes and materials, taking inspiration from catwalks and the best interiors.
How are you approaching sustainability and environmentally responsible design?
Michael: We are a cool brand - not just in style but we don’t want to contribute to global warming. We offset all of our production and employee emissions making them climate neutral. From launch we also made sure that our packaging was fully recyclable and no plastic is included. Offsetting is just the start of our journey and we are on the hunt for new production methods which are climate neutral and low impact for the environment.
What is your favourite houseof piece at the moment?
Helen: My favourite will always be the diffuser floor lamp (below). It is a calming light which is designed for the living room. The light is low glare as it is concealed behind a metal panel. It is available in our rainbow of colours too and my favourite is the pink. When lit, the pink omits a sunset like hue which is perfect for a relaxing evening.
Michael: My favourite product is the new brass plate ceiling light (below). It is the perfect pendant for a small room or hung in pairs over a breakfast bar or dining table. It is a small light with crafted design details which make it special.
Houseof is known for its love of colourful lighting - what is the bestselling colour? Are there new shades in the pipeline?
Michael: Pink has always been our best selling colour and we think it is a new neutral. People aren’t shy about incorporating pink into their colour schemes and it is definitely here to stay.
Helen: We have a brand new colour launching in the Autumn and although it is still top secret we think it will be a best seller. As a clue…It is a very happy colour with a sense of warmth.
What is your top tip for people when considering lighting for their home?
Helen: Lighting should always be thought of in layers. Layer one being fixed lighting and this should provide enough light to light up the whole room. You may not use layer one in the evening to relax to, but you might use it when the kids are playing or when you are having a family dinner. Layer two should be accent lighting and this is used to either light dark corners which are not reached by the main light or in the evening when you want a light which is less bright - think floor lamps and table lamps. The third layer is decorative lighting and these don’t always serve a purpose but add spots of light to places you want to highlight. Using small table lamps on shelves or larger lamps with statement shades to bring the interior scheme together.
What does your own home look like?
Helen: Mine is quite eclectic (above). I like to mix ultra modern pieces with antique heirlooms and eclectic finds. I love colour too and so at the moment my office is houseof pink and our hallway is houseof Pine! My lighting is normally brass but I do have a pink diffuser floor lamp in the corner of my office!
Michael: Our house is modern with a pop of colour (below). We like to play with colour and texture in our fixtures and fittings rather than accessories like Helen. We have an inky grey kitchen with a teal living room offset by cork and terrazzo flooring. I have used our lighting to add pops of colour too, choosing the pendant ceiling lights to hang over the breakfast bar and the lilac diffuser floor lamp as a contrast in the living room.
What’s next for houseof? Any exciting plans for the year ahead?
Helen: We have new products launching throughout the year and we have some exciting collaborations coming up. We have designed a light with Volume Creative Studio and it uses new production methods which have a low impact on the environment. We are super excited about this one as it showcases the use of bio plastics and bio resins and has been 2 years in the making!
Michael: As well as new products we have new product areas launching. We have a range of lighting accessories coming out in the Autumn which will see us venture into new territory. They are functional but all have the signature houseof twist.
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