For more information on Country Living Events for 2024, please contact Ellie Craig, Artisan Growth Manager at [email protected]
Selbrae House
We recently caught up with Scotland-based family business Selbrae House, maker of beautiful hand-crafted homeware products to learn a little more about the brand’s origins, inspirations and upcoming projects. We were lucky to have Selbrae House joining us at the Country Living Christmas Fair in Glasgow this year.
Company Overview
We are an established, independent, family business that offers a wide range of quality products with their design and manufacture rooted in Scotland.
We started doing what we love back in 2006 as The Just Slate Company, initially with a small range of hand-crafted slate place mats and coasters. Today, we offer a wide range of hand-crafted homeware products that make unique presents for all occasions.
How did it all start?
A seed was planted – quite literally – over 30 years ago, which bloomed into a family entrepreneurial adventure; the result of which is Selbrae House, our craft-driven, family run Homeware & Gifts Company. Donny is the owner and director of Selbrae House, and the big bro. Little sis Emma is Design Director, and little bro Colin is Production Director. Our mother and father are also actively involved in the day to day running of Selbrae House; so it’s truly a family affair.
The story behind the name…
The families entrepreneurial adventure commenced with mum Louise, who started off selling dried flowers, the company was named SEL standing for Scottish Ever Lasting. Keeping in line with our rich Scottish heritage we also incorporated the Scottish word for a steep hill – Brae.
We’re a Scottish design house that creates meaningfully made pieces for your home. Made by our family for yours!
Where are you based?
You’ll find us on said brae (hill) in Kirkcaldy.
What inspires you?
Natural, tactile materials, that have been skilfully handcrafted into useful and beautiful wares that we all covet for our homes.
What is your creation process?
Taking Inspiration – Keeping eyes wide open to new trends, visiting inspirational concept stores, Trade shows and obviously Instagram! Then thinking of materials that we have to hand, or what can we source to make these at Selbrae House.
Framing – Joining the materials and ideas, this often involves a lot of photoshopping and drawings etc..
Prototyping – The making of the samples, some work instantly, others need a little tweaking! Often these will sit around our showroom for a time, for all to pass comments on, then will be taken to our photoshoot to be ‘brought to life’ for our customers, hopefully in an inspiring way!
What makes you, your brand or products unique?
Our products are unique in that they are undeniably Scottish, without being ‘twee’. They’re elegant, durable and meaningfully made. We celebrate the most iconic and beloved British wildlife through our designs, using native materials and manufacturing everything by hand right here in Scotland, while being intentional and careful with our design and finishing processes to ensure that we still allow the beautiful natural materials to do the talking.
What is your next project?
We will continue to make innovative products with stunning new British illustrations.
What are your plans for the next 12 months?
To continue enchanting our customers with charming hand-crafted homeware products.
What is your biggest achievement?
Our biggest achievement so far has to be the wide array of bespoke projects we have worked on. However, collaborating with The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews was a team favourite for us! Emma, our Design Director, worked closely with the R&A buying manager to develop a stunning range of products which featured a number of different designs, ranging from a beautiful custom sketch of the clubhouse to a stylised ‘150’.
What is your best-selling product/line?
Our mini cheeseboard sets have been unbelievably popular – especially those with our country animal designs.
Your experience of your first Country Living Fair (year, exhibiting or visiting)/ What are you looking forward to the most about exhibiting at the Christmas Fair?
Our first show was back in 2010. It was great to meet our customers in person and share with them our lovely family story, we’ve been every year since!
What do you love about Country Living Fairs?
We have been attending Country Living for many years and absolutely love the Fair’s Christmas buzz – everyone is on that Christmas high and is super friendly. We can’t wait to get into the Christmas spirit this year, we’ve already got our Santa hats looked out.
Your three top tips for crafters and makers…
Make sure you tell people your story.
Never get complacent, make sure you’re always innovating.
Push yourself out of your comfort zone.
Any advice for fledgling businesses…
If you are genuinely passionate about what you do, go for it! As Steve Jobs once said, “the only way to do great work is to love what you do”.