In the Company of Nature: Regenerating Business, Community and the Living World - Hardcover

by Frieda Gormley (Author)

What if a business could be beautiful not only in what it creates but in how it considers and cares for the living world.

In the Company of Nature tells the extraordinary story of House of Hackney, the B Corp design house that set out to bring Nature into the home and ended up rewilding the idea of business itself.

Seeking interiors for their home that were beautiful, responsibly made and inspired by Nature, Frieda and her husband, Javvy M. Royle, founded House of Hackney--a brand grounded in British craftmanship, creativity and community with Nature as design muse.

When Frieda and Javvy realised Nature was inviting them into partnership, they embarked on a radical journey to rebuild their company around the principles of regeneration. From appointing Mother Nature and Future Generations to their board to birthing new materials and business models rooted in life, they began to answer the profound question: what might business look life if it actually served the living world?

Through moments of courage, crisis and creative awakening, In the Company of Nature invites us all--creators, leaders and citizens--to fall back in love with life and to let Nature guide the way we build, work and live.

'Creativity with purpose, integrity in action, compassion for people and planet means working with Nature as our partner.'

Author Biography

Frieda Gormley is the co-founder of House of Hackney, the British B Corp interiors brand that is redefining what business can be when it works in partnership with Nature. Born in Ireland, her early years were shaped by creativity, curiosity and a back garden that was her endless universe. Inspired by her grandmother's love of antiques and textiles, Frieda developed a deep appreciation for heritage and craftsmanship. Alongside her creative instincts, her entrepreneurial talent surfaced early and she was named Young Entrepreneur of Ireland at just thirteen.

Frieda began her career in fashion buying at Dunnes Stores, Ireland's largest retailer, where international sourcing trips exposed her to the exploitation inherent in high-street production. In 2004, she joined Topshop in London under the mentorship of Jane Shepherdson, who first showed her that business could be a force for good. Confronted with the environmental toll of fast fashion and the deeper question of legacy after becoming a mother, Frieda felt called to root her work and life in a more meaningful relationship with the living world.

While seeking interiors for their new home that were beautiful, responsibly made and inspired by Nature, Frieda and her husband, Javvy M. Royle, identified a gap in the market. They founded House of Hackney in 2011 as an alternative to disposable design: a brand grounded in British craftsmanship, creativity and community with Nature as design muse.

A pivotal shift came in 2019, when they became custodians of a nine-acre Cornish castle and its wild gardens. Immersed in the landscape and guided by regenerative farmer neighbours, Frieda experienced what she calls a remembering as she began to understand Nature not only as inspirer but as teacher and strategic guide.

This awakening led House of Hackney to become only the second company in the world to legally appoint Mother Nature to its board.
Today, House of Hackney is recognised as a pioneering model for regenerative business, showing how creativity, profitability and positive impact can coexist.