Take a trip into the most Goodhood house of all; explore the art emblazoned walls of Goodhood founders, Kyle Stewart and Jo Sindle's house in East London. Captured by The Modern House, journey through a simple material palette, graphic accents and space-saving fixtures. Free thinkers and creative advocates, we spoke with Kyle and Jo about everything prized possessions, creative endeavours and pre-Goodhood living.
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Goodhood: East London has been your home for a long time now, as well as the home of the Goodhood store for almost 15 years. What sets East apart from any other part of London?
Kyle Stewart: Maybe it’s something like there is no dominant culture, it’s somewhat hyper novel. It’s always been an area of severe poverty and displaced people. 30 years ago you couldn’t get a taxi to come this way, it was famous for being a dump, and dangerous. It went through phases of gentrification which have obviously changed the look and feel but I think it still has a really dynamic mix of people and an abrasive mix of culture.
GH: If not England, where would you and your family live, and why?
KS: Ibiza has a good energy for us. We’ve had many great times there in the north of the Island on chill time. It has great beaches, great people and because of it’s famous reputation there’s always things going on, which even if I don’t go to the parties and raves I think it gives the island an exciting energy.
GH: Favourite artwork in the house, and how you acquired it?
KS: I have a lot of very special artworks from some great friends I have made over stew years including, Russell Maurice, Lucas Price, Mudwig, Paris and many more.
JS: For me it’s an artwork by our son Duff, it’s from one of the first times he got very into drawing, and was all about weapons and battles… he was in hyper focus for hours doing it. I love it for the colour, composition, and for posterity.
"EVEN IF I DON'T GO TO THE PARTIES AND RAVES I THINK IT GIVES THE ISLAND AN EXCITING ENERGY"
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GH: You’re spending a Sunday at home. What does your day look like?
KS: Music, reading, outside in nature, big lunch dinner and a movie.
GH: What is/who are the inspirations behind your current interior design choices?
KS: Beautiful Losers, Dieter Rams, Alvar Alto, Japanese shop design, Californian hippy culture.
JS: I don’t have any specific references…I just soak up what I see and love, and it comes out when I plan a space in the house. Then the bits I pick up along the way all become part of the space and the family. It’s simple and eclectic at the same time.
GH: What’s the key to balancing personal life with work life? Being parents, CEOs, designers, buyers, creative directors is a lot to juggle.
KS: Admittedly this is seriously hard advice to take, and it’s taken me a long time to be comfortable doing it. But don’t mix work and life. Meaning don’t be available when you're not working. We live in a culture that demands we are on call 24/7, but the kids need time when their parents are fully attentive to them.
JS: I guess balance is the key, and discipline to achieve that. Everything needs its own time, focus and space to be in harmony. The priorities are always on a par, especially when work is your own business, and your direct responsibility. It’s been a hard thing to achieve at times but I think like many things, it gets better and easier with age and experience.
"I GUESS BALANCE IS KEY, AND DISCIPLINE TO ACHIEVE THAT. EVERYTHING NEEDS ITS OWN TIME, FOCUS AND SPACE TO BE IN HARMONY"
GH: Pre-Goodhood, how did you guys initially get your foot into the creative industry?
KS: I moved to London and just tried to get involved in anything I could. A pivotal moment was when someone stopped me in a shop and asked about a jacket I made. That lead to a meeting with the design office of the company and from there I met some people who showed me the ropes and took me on a bit of a journey. I’m still friends with those people to this day (shout out Mark and Jonman) and cross over with them sometimes on projects.
GH: Did you always know you’d be where you are right now, back when you worked for other people?
KS: Absolutely not.
JS: Yeah I think I did. I always knew I'd work for myself in some way, I hated being told what to do in old jobs… and I was forging plans for creative space, studio, shop since I lived in NY in the late '90s and got inspired by what I saw there.
GH: Out of all your creative endeavours, what is it you most enjoy?
KS: I think a lot of happiness can be found in flow states of working, where you are intuitively working at something you are good at. For me I think I most get that doing graphic projects.
JS: I've been designing clothes again for the first time in about 10 years for the Goodhood line that’s launching this year…it’s been a surprisingly enjoyable experience. It’s a change and so long since I did it full time and fell out of love with it that it’s genuinely been fun and creative. Apart from that, my newest creative adventure is planning a large vegetable garden for a community farm I’m setting up on Somerset…this is a new learning, and so rewarding.
"I THINK A LOT OF HAPPINESS CAN BE FOUND IN FLOW STATE OF WORKING"
GH: “The Independent Mind” is a phrase closely associated with Goodhood; what does it mean to you both?
KS: Essentially someone that can think for themselves.
JS: Ignore the bullshit, trust your instinct, retain integrity and think for yourself.
GH: What advice would you give to yourselves 15 years ago?
KS: Buy artwork from the artists you like that you can almost afford. Believe in yourself.
JS: There’s waaaaay too many things to put in a one liner here! I guess just trust that what life throws at you and the lessons you learn are part of the process - you become better for all of it.
