The House of Hackney Kitchen by deVOL
19th April 2018
It’s amazing what a little sunshine can do. I say a little but it’s 29 degrees here in London today, that’s crazy hot, can you believe it?! especially after the never-ending winter we’ve all had!! Almost instantly everything and everybody just seems to feel better, happier, brighter and bursting with life, it’s the best and my fingers are tightly crossed in hope that this glorious weather will stick around for at least a little while. In celebration of happier, sunnier days I wanted to share a recent project with you, a project so full of character and charm and individuality, it can’t help but leave you with a little smile. Introducing, the House of Hackney Kitchen by deVOL…
Only a few weeks ago, on a bitterly cold morning in mid-March, Tim and Helen headed East to visit Frieda and Javvy, the very cool owners of House of Hackney. Our Classic English cupboards sit in their Victorian East London home, named The Loddiges Townhouse, surrounded by the iconic bold prints and patterns that I have coveted for many years and that House of Hackney have become so well known for the whole world over. To think that this couple, a couple who have undeniable style and a taste for something a little bit luxurious and a little bit different, picked deVOL to design and make their new kitchen, well that’s very cool.
It’s exciting for us to see a deVOL Kitchen with such a distinctive style and it’s exciting for us to be able to share this with our customers too, it’s quite a different look to our recent projects but certainly testament to the fact that our simple, well-made cupboards just seem to work no matter where we put them. The owners very cleverly layered textures and prints, it’s what they do best so I suppose I would expect nothing less, but it will still never fail to impress and inspire me to see it done with such ease. The bespoke deVOL cupboards, painted in Linen to keep the room feeling light and fresh, and little nods here and there to the Moroccan theme running throughout this home have come together to create quite an original and wonderful space.
The island in the House of Hackney Kitchen is made of a hardwood which has been stained, rather than painted, to give it a slightly darker finish. Another new look for us but the result is fabulous and very traditional, what a perfect fit for this old London townhouse. That’s the special thing about our Classic English range, we can make the cupboards to your exact sizes and requirements and with any finish you like. The range cooker is so beautiful and grand and ornate, but not in an over the top way, I love it. It’s by an Italian company called ILVE and this is the first time we’ve seen one of these in a deVOL Kitchen, I really hope it’s not the last.
The Loddiges Townhouse is actually the reason that House of Hackney exists as a company today. Frieda and Javvy bought this gorgeous old place in 2007, it was divided into a number of bed sits at the time, but they quickly got to work with the dream of restoring the whole building back to its original glory. After completely gutting the place, pulling up ancient carpets and painting all the walls bright white, the pair had a totally blank canvas for their future interiors adventures. Frieda and Javvy soon realised that they just couldn’t find the unique fabric and wallpaper they were longing for, and so House of Hackney was born… “Started around their kitchen table in 2010, Frieda and Javvy set out to ‘shake up the otherwise beige world of interiors with a true celebration of print and colour.’ Without a shop or a showroom, the first collections were set up and displayed in the house; ‘Dalston Rose’, ‘Hackney Empire’ and ‘Queen Bee’ all paying homage to the home’s Victorian roots.” As House of Hackney grew from a small business to a household name and global brand, the townhouse was forced to shut its doors, but following another major overhaul and renovation (including the installation of their brand new deVOL Kitchen!) Frieda and Javvy have recently re-opened the doors and the whole place can be explored and shopped on the House of Hackney website here.
I love kitchens that have personality and the House of Hackney project has oodles of it. Having things in your kitchen that tell a story, that reflect you and your family, will always make for a happier place to be I think. The House of Hackney Kitchen is certainly more maximalist than minimalist, but for me, that’s what makes it. It’s a nice reminder that we should all be a little braver when decorating our homes – if you love something enough then go for it, besides, you’re the one who’s going to be living with it, so don’t worry so much about following trends or design rules or perfectly replicating an image from Instagram – just go for it!!
