inspired / soho house
Welcome to Inspired, a series featuring people, places and things that inspire my creative endeavors. You know that feeling you get when you see something or someone, hear a quote or travel somewhere new and your heart skips a beat? It’s the feeling of finding exactly what your soul is seeking and you didn’t even realize you were looking for it in the first place. For me it’s a mixture of excitement and coziness all in one. Inspiration in every sense of the word!
My intention for this series is to create a space for those sparks of inspiration and find the familiar thread running through. I hope my personal musings will spark new inspiration in you too!
To kick things off, I want to talk about a brand I’ve been fascinated by for years - Soho House.
For as long as I can remember, I have been mesmerized by the idea of member-only clubs. There is something about the commitment you make, the community you become a part of, and the mystery that lies behind the closed doors. I love the idea of choosing to be a part of something tailor-made to your individuality and being intentional about the groups of people you choose to identify with.
As someone with a love for home and interiors, I am especially attracted to a members club that comes with a physical location. A “third space” for members to call their home base. I’ve been involved with a few organizations that have felt like this; a sorority, a gym, philanthropic organizations. But there’s something about the energy of Soho House that draws me in like nothing else has. Although I’m not a member myself, I am inspired by the atmosphere of each space, the keenly targeted membership and the global presence the Soho House brand has created over its 25-year history.
Who / Soho House & Co
What / A private members’ only club for people in the creative industries.
Where / 27 clubhouses including, London, Cotswolds, Mykonos, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Istanbul, New York, Chicago, Malibu, West Hollywood, Los Angeles, Toronto, Mumbai, Hong Kong. Since its establishment in 1995, Soho House has opened 27 clubhouses worldwide and each location is its own unique oasis. From Europe to America to Asia, Soho House acts of a landing pad of sorts for its members. A home base when you’re on a business trip or holiday. I love the concept of feeling at home wherever you go. You could be miles away from home in Mumbai or Hong Kong, but once you step inside a Soho clubhouse, you’ve instantly found a little piece of belonging in a place otherwise foreign to you.
When / Founded in 1995 by London restaurateur, Nick Jones. The first club was opened directly above Jones’ successful restaurant, Café Boheme in London’s artistic Soho District intending to be a private space for local filmmakers and other creatives of the day.
Lifestyle / Soho House offers a multitude of spaces from, hotels, restaurants, weekend getaways, lounge areas, and co-working spaces. Soho House is very intentional about its presence in the hospitality world. Understanding they are not only selling a product but more importantly a lifestyle. “I don’t like the word brand, I think what we’ve created is a way of living” Jones has said. “We aim to be a platform that fosters creativity in all its forms; a place where people can share ideas and make connections in physical and digital spaces, while upholding our values of diversity and respect”
Design / Soho House is renowned for its interiors. From common areas, restaurants and bedrooms, each space is a delicious mixture of texture, color, layers, and pattern. Soho House brings a chic twist to the traditional English style, mixing edging artwork with feminine wallpaper and traditional furniture lines. What stands out the most about the interiors is how each location influences each clubhouse. For example, The Malibu clubhouse offers a laid back collected atmosphere mirroring the California coastline just yards away. With a cool palette, light and airy architecture and loungey energy. On the other side of the coin, Soho Farmhouse (pictured at the beginning of this story) in Oxfordshire England, fits in perfectly with its charming Countryside setting. It offers an upscale summer camp feel with amenities such as an indoor/outdoor pool housed in an old barn, complimentary bikes at each guest cottage, and a strict no photos policy. But no matter the location, there is simply no fabric, texture, accessory, or bookshelf overlooked yet each clubhouse remains effortless and welcoming. Soho also offers a homeware line called, Soho Home, where you can bring a little bit of the clubhouse back to your home.