#shopscandismall Cloudberry Living

Jennifer Morgan chats to Cloudberry Living’s founder Alicia Gibert about how the brand began and where it is today…

Back in 2007, Alicia Gilbert and Steve Davey wanted to create an online destination, a place where you could find beautifully made pieces for the home created with an artisan, functional feel that made everyday life stylish, yet easier. The couple had always loved Scandinavian design, so it seemed the natural choice – and cloudberryliving.co.uk was launched, as Alicia explains…

Why did you start the brand?

We found it hard to find what we really liked for ourselves and our home. Steve and I have done various jobs – from retail designer to aromatherapist to property developers. At the time, there weren’t many brands selling genuine Scandinavian pieces online. Most people think of Scandi as pale, with cool colours and muted tones, but there’s also a lot of colour from brands such as Marimekko and Pappelina. So we decided to take the plunge and launch our own website. That was 13 years ago. We’ve just opened our shop in Falmouth, which is a dream for us. It’s similar to Scandinavia, with its rugged, wild environment and closeness to nature.

What makes a ‘Cloudberry’ brand?

Brands with a strong ethical and sustainable ethos and beautiful products that really make my heart sing. I have so many favourites, but family-run Lapuan Kankurit (below) I just love for its beautiful textiles. We were one of the first UK stockists of Ferm Living (above), so they will always have a place in my heart, while my Glerups slippers are a must when I get home from the shop. Ooh and Iittala for its iconic glass, heritage and stunning details.

What’s your top tips for a small Scandi brand?

Be prepared to juggle. There’s only Steve and I working at Cloudberry. We tend to split the work, but you have to learn to do a bit of everything. We are loving having the shop and meeting customers. We’ve strived over the years to give a warm, personal service, showcasing those products that we really love ourselves – we do get a bit passionate about Scandinavian design, but we also don’t take ourselves too seriously. I hope that, in the future, people really embrace the notion of shopping small while also understanding quality, buying better and buying to last.