A
t a time when everything
was minimalist, Frieda
Gormley and Javvy Royle,
the husband-and-wife team
behind interiors brand
House of Hackney, sought
the opposite. “We were looking to decorate
our house and although we were two young
people working in a creative industry, with
our fingers on the trends, we couldn’t find
wallpaper, print, colour or texture to bring
into this space,” says Frieda, when we sit down
to chat in the kitchen where it all began.
“We spoke to our friends who were
buying their first homes and were needing
to go to antique markets to find interesting
stuff. So we very bravely, and naively at
the time, decided to abandon our secure
jobs and create the House of Hackney.”
At the time Frieda was working as a buyer
at Topshop, under Jane Shepherdson, who
was brand director. “It was such a good time
to be part of the company. It really showed
me how a successful brand operates. Jane
FROM TOP
Luxurious fabrics
and prints
abound in the
living spaces;
leopard and zebra
prints add to the
maximalist look of
this family home