There’s no place like home, as the saying goes, and nobody knows that better than the founder of the aptly named Hommey, an Australian home decor brand known for its known for its funky bathroom collections, cosy cotton sheets and vibrant home decor.
The brand’s most famous string to its bow might be the oversized robes (or dressing gowns, if you prefer), which went viral on TikTok this year thanks to their funky block colourways and ultra-soft cotton.
Now Hommey has released a chic pinstriped bathroom collection (find our favourite picks here) to give your bathroom the elevated aesthetic it deserves.
We chatted with founder Justin Kestelman about beginning a business borne out of a pandemic – and a desire to find some of the comfier things in life.
Tell us about Hommey’s inception; where did you get the inspiration to start a home decor brand?
Back in 2020, I moved into my South Yarra apartment right before Melbourne’s first lockdown. In preparation for the move, I had sorted a lot of big-ticket items (like a couch, dining table, and bed frame) but hadn’t given much thought into what would make my new space feel like home. In hindsight, this was more important than I realised—like everyone, I spent most of my time inside for the next two years.
When I started researching where to buy soft furnishings, I started to feel really overwhelmed. Nothing appealed to me, and the idea of styling products from multiple brands required a skillset I didn’t have. As I started looking at multiple brands, I began to feel the anxiety of decision paralysis. Through these feelings, I had a moment of clarity: why wasn’t there one home décor brand focusing on design, quality, sustainability and affordability, which had a differentiated approach to content that would make it easier for me to make a decision? The inception of Hommey started there.
What does the process look like when designing new Hommey collections?
Our process for design is incredibly collaborative. I work closely with Abbie (our Design & Production Manager) and my wife, Sophia — the interior expert of the two of us — to identify inspiration and trends. Often what we desire in colour, hand-feel or curation are already gaps in the market, making ideas flow naturally.
Once we decide the direction, Abbie and I will spend months sourcing fabrics, developing the right colours, and testing products rigorously to make sure it stands the test of time. From there, we run our range by our wider team, key customers, wholesalers and focus groups to pick up on sentiment before we go into production.
You’re straight up about your dedication to ethical and environmentally friendly production processes. Why is that so important to you?
What’s the point of building a home décor brand, if the next generation of people can’t enjoy what we’ve created? We’re passionate about reducing our impact on the planet, and simultaneously advocating for more sustainable practices in our industry.
Right now, we’re currently working through our first-ever impact strategy. We’re taking our time with this, so Hommey can influence positive change across things we’re passionate about—including climate change, mental health, and the community.
Are there any surprising lessons you’ve learned as a founder along the way?
Absolutely. To me, being a founder and resilience goes hand-in-hand. People always talk about how hard it is to start a business—there are no truer words—but the hardest part is actually being vulnerable, not having an ego, and being open to change. You need to find the balance of not knowing every answer and backing yourself, evolving as a person, and directly tying that into the evolution of your business.
What’s next for Hommey? Are there any exciting new moves in the pipeline?
I won’t give away too much, but here are some headline topics to give you a reason to continue following the Hommey journey: new stores, new categories, international expansion, collaborations and more. But most importantly, think comfort.
Find Hommey’s full range of soft furnishings on the website, including the chic new pinstriped bathroom collection.
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The post The man behind the robe: Hommey founder Justin Kestelman’s tumble into soft furnishings appeared first on Your Home and Garden NZ.