House of Hackney | The Perfect Wingback

Hackney Empire print by House of Hackney

My pursuit for the perfect wingback chair has taken me around the web and back. After months of searching I began to think that perhaps my standards are too high, that I am on an impossible quest for a wingback that doesn't exist...

What's my idea of the perfect wingback, you say? Classic and sturdy construction, large enough to curl up in, comfortable plush velvet upholstery in a vivid print or pattern that would not show dirt. A statement piece of the room, individual and unique, the seat of choice for all.

I came across adequate candidates. Freedom has a great wingback chair and while the materials are fairly basic, the option is there to add your own fabric but it didn't quite do it for me. It wasn't until I stumbled upon luxury British interiors-fashion-lifestyle brand House of Hackney, that I found the one that I have been looking for.

House of Hackney was launched in London in 2010 by husband and wife team Javvy M Royle and Frieda Gormley. Their quest was ‘to take the beige out of interiors’ with an emphasis on quality, design and Made in England.

Reinventing the concept of traditional British home wares for a new generation, Royle and Gormley apply their experience working in fashion and design to their far-from-beige brand. Their aesthetic breaks the traditional rules of interiors, instead using a maximalist approach with whimsical fabrics and vibrant colours. The label includes home furnishings, fabrics, accessories and a clothing line that allude to traditional English patterns but are a much louder, bolder and more youthful alternative to your grandmother’s curtains.

House of Hackney's furniture is traditionally made in Scotland to the highest level of craftsmanship. Out of nine signature print collections, my favourite is Hackney Empire and the print I would choose for my wingback. Inspired by Victorian Hackney in modern times this eye-catching print features eccentric parrots and cranes, bush babies playing the accordion, badgers drinking cocktails, sloths smoking a hookah and a frog in a bowler hat. Playful and utterly unique, this chair had me at hello!

I have finally found the perfect wingback chair! Let the savings begin!