Connection through Communication
As our pace slows down with the year drawing to an end, at House of Grey we feel immense gratitude for the stability in our working practice and an inspirational creative tribe that has kept us grounded and optimistic throughout this year.
Our Native Elements collection which launched in October this year is guided by the symbiotic principle of using natural materials that are good for human health throughout their use and actively feed the earth upon disposal.
We crafted KOTO in collaboration with the olfactory studio AOIRO. The idea seed itself from our inability to find a 100% organic scent that truly grounds you in every sense. KOTO, meaning voice of the woods, is an organic purifying mist formed of ancient, sacred woods and organic botanical essences which naturally cleanse the air and nourish the soul. We have developed a whole-person-whole-world approach to designing and building spaces and this was a key element in the development of the purifying mist.
We recently shared our ‘One Lesson Learned’ which was drawn from our experience with this collaboration on the educational platform Creative Voyage, whose mission is to help creative professionals up-level and a lead an empowered life.
“If you take enough time to express yourself, your thoughts and your vision, it will be valued, appreciated, and in like manner returned. Only by taking time to discover shared values, design philosophy can you develop a synergy between brands, clients, or collaborators.” - Louisa Grey
Photography by Genevieve Lutkin
This ideology has been nurtured in continuance with our interior design projects where we take the time to build a connection through open communication with both our clients and collaborators. Our recently completed project in Highgate displays the positive consequence of these human exchanges.
House of Grey commissioned and co-designed the master bed, bedside tables, wardrobe (with the internal made from cedar wood to prevent moths), vanity unit with Sebastian Cox who make ‘for a better future in a forward-thinking, zero-waste, carbon- counting workshop and studio in London’. Our selection of choice materials such as ebonised oak, blackened ash and English cedar wood all constitute to an improved emotional state while encouraging easier breathing and improved air quality by moderating humidity.
Photography by Michael Sinclair
Just as those visible parts strengthen human health, we have honed in on the details to make sure every element is considered. The master bed has been upholstered using a combination of rubberised hair comprising of animal hair (typically a mix of hog, cattle, horse short hairs) with natural latex and layered with a 100% wool wadding. Our choice of bedding and mattress from NaturalMat is from a sustainable resource that is harvested according to Fair Trade principles and is 100% biodegradable, so they will return to nature as nature intended.
Photography by Michael Sinclair
Consuming responsibly by opting for eco-friendly products and being more green in our actions will help us to lead healthier and more sustainable lives. Sustainability is a mindset. It is a lifestyle choice. Communication and collaboration are parallel in effectively ensuring the collaborators and clients that we work with share our vision and design philosophy which impact not only aesthetics but more importantly, long term health of us and the earth. By integrating environmentally sustainable materials and principles into our renovation projects, it is possible to significantly reduce environmental impacts through less energy consumption, less natural resource depletion and pollution, plus less toxicity for both the occupants and the entire ecosystem.
With all of the projects that we embrace as a studio, each decision made in our design process is based on our symbiotic principle of using natural materials that benefit human health throughout their use and actively feed the earth upon disposal. We are no longer simply finding sustainable design solutions, our work is now focused on eliminating the problem altogether.