Exclusive Interview

Notes from Louisa, Founder of House of Grey

House of Grey was founded in 2013 by Louisa Grey whilst she was 3 months pregnant with her son.

Grey had previously designed two restaurants and a number of private residential homes and she felt, and knew, there was another way to design and build, a more positive way, which would have less impact on the earth and offer more health benefits for its inhabitants.

Meet Louisa Grey,

Founder of House of Grey

House of Grey is a female-founded interior design studio that intentionally focuses on collaborating with a collection of like-minded, female-founded companies to further develop their product offering. Every item is designed and produced using the brand's 7 principles of Circular Salutogenic Design®.

Circular Salutogenic Design® is about creating interior spaces and environments that allow humans to live in harmony with the planet and themselves.

The company’s residence and design studio, Home of Holism, was restored inside and out, from the roof to its foundations, using House of Grey’s Circular Salutogenic Design® principles and materials throughout.

Minimalism is a central theme in House of Grey's design aesthetic. How do you strike a balance between minimalism and functionality?

House of Grey’s ideology is focused on creating a personal world for our clients, where aesthetic, ethics and experience go hand in hand.

We create spaces which are retreats that aim to limit stress by removing the unnecessary and simplifying life. However, the most important factor is to create conscious design that has longevity, places that nurture the inhabitant, creating environments they want to relax in, spend time in and live in.

House of Grey's interiors and lifestyle products often reflect a sense of timelessness. How do you approach the design process to create pieces that endure changing trends and seasons?

We work intuitively not by following trends.

Our products and interiors are focused on longevity and we intentionally seek out clients who identify with our integrity and vision to create a design legacy beyond our own parameters.

This is underlined by the products we use, sourcing and making pieces that will not only last a lifetime but that are crafted, so that they will be handed down from generation to generation.

Collaborations seem to play a significant role in House of Grey's product offerings. Can you tell us about a particularly memorable collaboration that has helped shape the brand's identity and philosophy?

In 2021 we launched a range of lime wash paints in collaboration with Bauwerk around the concept of ‘Visual Silence’. The affinity between the two brands was immediate, we both hold similar values: limiting waste, bespoke products, natural materials and we are both independently owned, family run businesses.

Our design principle on the project was to embrace the imperfections of natural materials and create a collection of beautiful soft colours that we hadn’t been to source for our Interior Design Projects. The whole collection of ‘Silence’ paints is designed to cocoon you in the home space, and none so more than ‘Quiet’ - Louisa’s personal favourite.

The ‘Quiet’ hue was crafted over time to create a shade which reflects the light with nuanced contrast from wall to wall, from eye to eye. Slightly green, with heaps of warmth, it is designed to aid contemplation and restore calm.

House of Grey has gained recognition for its commitment to sustainable and ethical practices in design. Can you share some key principles that have guided your brand's sustainability journey, and how have they evolved since its inception?

At House of Grey there are 7 core principles which drive our design but most importantly it’s about creating a way of life, not just an interior aesthetic.

These principles include embracing nature and harnessing its abundance to create interior environments that have a minimal environmental impact, and purposeful design which means selecting timeless classics that last a lifetime and avoid unnecessary waste.

As mentioned above, we use cradle-to-cradle materials (meaning they are non-toxic and recyclable) and other certified, circular materials where possible.

Furthermore, we always strive to work with small businesses and artisans who are aware of the conscious impact consumer choices have on a societal and environmental level, brands such as Bauwerk - a family-run company who create their paint in small batches so that there is no waste in the process.

We are constantly seeking to improve our practices and minimise our environmental impact.