‘Fashion for your furniture’ startup, Circlehome, is brand-new to the Australian market, but is already creating a buzz in the industry.
For founder Kelly King, Circlehome was born out of a personal philosophy that people matter and that personality should be celebrated and embraced.
“When you think about it, a circle represents how we live our lives,” she explains. “We always circle back home for inspiration, to refresh and start again.
“I have always looked at interiors as a mixture of old and new―replace things when necessary but also refresh with accent pieces when things are feeling a little stale. That is where Circlehome comes in―we are about the accent pieces.”
Indeed, the brand’s focus is on smaller furniture that is fashion for your home and its signature piece is the ottoman.
“Adding a cool new ottoman is like buying a new pair of earrings. We are passionate about colour, and about giving customers the confidence to buy colourful pieces for their home. We are primarily focusing on an audience who are finally looking to make their home a reflection of them―less about their parents or flatmates style.”
While King has been in the home industry for more than 15 years, Circlehome is only a few months old and a challenging timeline was set from the outset with the aim to have stock to sell for the Christmas lead up.
“In the past four months we have designed our own product, worked with our makers, built our website and now fulfilling orders. Our business is focused on key customers and we have built our business to respond to them.
“I think the products are a great new take on what can be a ‘commodity’ product, which will make it both fun and difficult for us. It will be about educating our potential customers on how great our products will look in their home and whenever they have a corner in their house that they want to freshen―we will have just the thing.”
King adds that colour will always be at the heart of Circlehome as will new designs. Its products are trend driven but will always resonate with customers that like traditional pieces.
“I have seen all the trends come full circle, but what is exciting is the way that the market is embracing product that is new and interesting. You can build a whole following of people through social media and they will play an active role in what you are designing and sourcing.
“Across the globe there are trends that will impact our customers in Australia, we have always found that Australia is thirsty for trends, always ready to consume new colours fabrics and designs. The Milly button ottoman in forest green has already been popular, which is a reflection of all the green in interiors that we will see in 2020.”
King also believes people will gravitate towards companies that are trying to produce less waste and she hopes they will appreciate the effort the company has put into the packaging for its products.
“All products are packed in biodegradable woven bags, which can also be reused in the home―blanket bags, laundry bags, etc. We are hoping to create a program to reduce potential waste from our products―that will be a focus moving forward.
“But along with that, we are always designing additions to the range and considering new product categories, finishes and materials. As we grow we will launch products constantly throughout the year―rather than sticking to the traditional seasonal launches,” she enthuses.
