Frieda Gormley’s passion for interiors began early in Dublin, Ireland, where she spent her childhood dreaming up room designs and rearranging friends’ bedrooms. Inspired by her grandmother’s appreciation for antiques and textiles and the chintzy British interiors of her aunts’ homes, she developed an early love for heritage and craftsmanship. Alongside her creative instincts, her entrepreneurial spirit emerged early, winning Young Entrepreneur of Ireland at just 13.  

Frieda began her career as a fashion buyer for Dunnes Stores, Ireland’s largest retailer. It was during buying trips in the Far East that she first began questioning the ethics of high-street production, a concern that deepened over time.  

In 2004, Gormley moved to London and joined Topshop’s buying team. Under the mentorship of Jane Shepherdson, she was introduced to the concept of business as a force for good, but as Topshop shifted towards a profit-at-all-costs model, she found herself increasingly disillusioned. The birth of her first child sparked a turning point, leading her to rethink the legacy of mass production. Seeking beautiful, well-crafted interiors inspired by nature, she and her husband, Javvy M. Royle, struggled to find products that aligned with their values. Determined to create something different, they founded House of Hackney in 2011, envisioning it as the antithesis of the high street, rooted in British craftsmanship, longevity and community support.  

In 2019, Gormley and Royle unexpectedly became custodians of a nine-acre Cornish castle and its surrounding gardens. Immersed in this landscape, they began to observe nature more closely and were influenced by their regenerative farming neighbors, who introduced them to the principles of regeneration and ecological stewardship. The more they learned, the more they questioned how these principles could be applied to House of Hackney. Today, the brand stands as a living testament to the idea that business can be a force for restoration, rather than extraction—a company evolving not just for profit, but for the flourishing of all life.