- Interior
- Architecture
This past crazy year made us yearn more than ever for more peace in our heads, in our lives and in our living environment. At Imagicasa, we're all in awe of House of Grey's projects, designs and collaborations, which are all about health and happiness.
The world of architecture and interior design was not unknown to Louisa Grey when she took her first steps towards a career as a designer. ‘My parents are very creative and met at an art school in the 1960s. They always encouraged me to think differently,’ she tells us. In the meantime, Grey has built up more than twenty years of experience, which she converted into her own studio, House of Grey, just over five years ago. In addition to commercial and residential projects, the team can also be called on for styling advice and production design. At House of Grey, they speak of 'circular salutogenic design'. Imagicasa contacted the British designer and was happy to be immersed in her unique and interesting philosophy.
With what idea did you found your own studio? ‘The turning point for House of Grey was that I couldn't find a creatively satisfying job. What I did at that point was make the decision to start my own company where I could work. This has allowed me to make lifestyle choices, which in turn has made me incredibly happy. I also founded House of Grey out of an instinctive need to change the way we live and build our homes.’ 
What is the starting point of House of Grey?
‘As a design studio, our fundamental goal has become to leave a positive designer legacy when renovating and restoring modern and historic spaces. Every material and raw material we specify is researched so that we can understand its impact on human and environmental health during production, use and once discarded. Our studio perspective is that if we do not design for human and environmental health, we are making unintelligent choices.’
The simple goal of salutogenic design is to build structures that make people healthier.
Is this what we may consider 'salutogenic design'?
‘Indeed it is. Our residential and commercial projects merge our aesthetic and studio philosophy with the principles of salutogenesis to design a home retreat for our clients who want to actively invest in the pursuit of health and fulfilment in their lives. The simple goal of salutogenic design is to build structures that make people healthier, a principle that has its roots in the building of many of the world's leading modern hospitals. It is the ultimate investment in people in an architectural sense.’
How does that translate concretely into your work?
‘Our interior design focuses on improving human health as well as aesthetics. Wherever possible, we use local, high quality, natural and sustainable materials and design spaces that connect with people's intuitive way of working and living and grow with them as their needs change. The studio is focused on understated luxury and simplicity, so the palette and materials used in our projects reflect this aesthetic. All elements within a project are carefully curated to nurture and restore our clients on a daily basis.’ 
How do you see the further future of the studio?
‘Our goal, as we constantly innovate, is to build a creative studio and community where we can develop and support together and dig deeper with our product collaborations and creative efforts. We had predicted a shift in consciousness through the development of natural, sustainable product lines, but this has been accelerated by Covid. Therefore, we predict a cultural movement of awareness of what we surround ourselves with in the coming years and the exciting thing is that we now have more choice.’ If you want to learn more about House of Grey, be sure to read our full article in Imagicasa Summer 2021.
Cover Image: House of Grey x Armadillo Ellipse Rug Collection, photography by Emma Lee
Collage 1, ltr, bottomdown:
Interior design by House of Grey, photography by Michael Sinclair
Interior styling by House of Grey for Cereal Magazine, photography by Jake Curtis
Interior design by House of Grey, photography by Michael Sinclair
Collage 2: all images::
Interior design by House of Grey, photography by Michael Sinclair