British-based furniture, lighting, and interiors company Ochre is a Rue favorite, thanks to their timeless, contemporary aesthetic that brings style and beauty to everyday living. Founded by Joanna Bibby, Harriet Maxwell Macdonald and Solenne de la Fouchardiere, with a showroom on Pimlico Road, the brand works with the finest craftsman to create their made to order pieces. Of course, with such stunning style, we’re curious how the founders live themselves…and are excited to join Solenne at her home today. 

Tell us about your home. Where is it located and what do you love most about the area?
The home is a Grade II Listed Georgian townhouse located in Barnsbury, Islington. We love the location as it’s on a cobbled street, with two lovely traditional pubs at the end of the road – the area is steeped in history, and little has changed to the architecture over the past 200 years.

How long have you lived there, and how has the design evolved since you moved in?
We have lived here for nine years. The building still has all the authentic features of a traditional Georgian house. However, we have changed the house slightly as we put down 18th Century French cobbles from the kitchen all the way out to the garden – we wanted to connect them and open up the space.

How is Ochre reflected in the space, either with products or even just the brand’s ethos?
We have styled the house by sourcing vintage products and mixing them with contemporary Ochre pieces. This aligns with the uncomplicated and raw style of the house which is very similar to Ochre’s. Our favourite piece in the house is Ochre’s Gaia Lamp.

Working in the home industry, how do you strike a work / life balance?
We manage to work from home some days and we have great communication within the team, so everyone always helps each other out if things get too busy in our personal lives.

What does a “perfect day at home” look like for you?
Spending time in the kitchen cooking and relaxing during the day. We also love preparing for a party which we often host in our basement and garden.

What is next for Ochre? Any exciting launches that should be on our radar?
Ochre recently launched a selection of new lighting and a collection of vegetable dyed hand-made rugs. The ‘Drifter’ lighting is a personal favourite – a timeless piece, hand-crafted and made from recycled cricket bats. The Drifter casts a warm glow above bars, kitchen islands and dining tables and is great for the dark winter months. Ochre focuses on the importance of timeless pieces made from responsibly sourced materials, and matchless craftsmanship. We have been exposing this new collection at various art fairs across Europe and the UK such as Rossana Orlandi, Focus/21 and attracting the media to our showroom for in person meetings and during London Craft Week