Take us through a day at work with HOA.
There are a handful of successful African print designers already doing home décor and I greatly admire them – Eva Sonaike, Banke Kuku, La Petite Congolaise, H is for Home, Binta, Atelier Africa, Samson Soboye, and Yinka Ilori. What sets your brand apart from other African home decor brands? I think that House of Arike already has a unique tone. My brand gives the customer a complete home experience, this means unlike others we are not only focusing on soft furnishing or furniture, we are creating staple print pieces for each space of the home - from the lounge to the dining room to the bedroom. Also no longer are customers limited to ordinary square cushions, they can now get their favorite prints in the different shapes and sizes we offer. Basically we offer a bespoke service for our discerning clients. What was the first product you created? The first ever created HOA product was a plain square cushion using some Ankara that was bought whilst in Nigeria early last year. This material or design is now part of the collection.
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At present I still have a full-time job so I have to work on HOA during any available hours I have. Fortunately my job has been extremely understanding and flexible. In that regards I am truly blessed. A typical day involves waking up really early to check the blogosphere and respond to urgent emails. After all that I’m getting ready for work. On my train journey I’m tweeting away and reviewing my todo list. When I get to work, I focus on my job, and for that time it’s my first priority however when I get any break I’m back to HOA mode. In the evening my main focus is HOA, I don’t finish until all the daily tasks have been accomplished, and that often means late nights. Its hard work but I’m definitely enjoying the great adventure. With African Prints becoming popular, is there a market for interior products as it is for fashion? Funny you asked that question as it was the main question that I asked myself when I started. I definitely believe there is a market for African print home decor. Everyone is always looking for ways to change their home without having a complete revamp and paying a lot for it. You don't have to drape your entire home in print but bring to life your home with a few accents. Prints definitely add a fashionable element to your home; from cushions to furniture to tableware to bedding. The list is endless. Do you think its popularity is something that will fade way? I genuinely believe African print is here to stay. What some people don't know or understand is that African print has been around for many years. Since I can remember my parents have wore African print for parties, church or general occasions. With the emergence of non-African