House Notes Overview: The Great Reset

Right now, the need to be mindful is more prescient than ever. Whether that means having to cook thoughtfully with what is available to you, creating daily structure for your wellbeing, or even having designated physical activity time slots – albeit, perhaps, making it work with limited resources. Then there’s figuring out how to be more imaginative with how you spend your time alone, or with loved ones and any small people that you might be sharing your immediate space with right now. 

As you’re spending more time in your own house than ours, we will be bringing you the things you love about Soho House straight to your sofa. Our new digital events programme showcases the inspiring things our members are doing across the world, from interviews with a few friendly faces, to home workouts and cooking classes that you can stream any time.

We want to shine a light on your talent and creativity, so Open House is for everyone - members and non-members alike. Please do get in touch via membersformembers@sohohouse.com if you have any ideas, we’d love to hear from you.

We will be exploring creative ways to up the positive ante. The home can become a working studio (and a visually appealing backdrop to a Zoom call in the process – check out our Pierre Frey interiors collaboration for some inspiration). Curated culture fixes and playlists might be the perfect addition – or even antidote – to Houseparty fatigue; so we’ll share those, too. Digital technology may traditionally be synonymous with isolation and solo scrolling, but here we will celebrate the warmth and connectivity of the medium. Staying connected will rule our orbit.

In our first cover story for relaunch, authors Jeremiah Emmanuel and Derek Owusu, who are both on rapper Stormzy’s #Merky Books roster, share their frank discussion about achieving through adversity, no matter your circumstance. Their mentor, the multi award-winning wordsmith, Stormzy, also shares the books that influenced and continue to inspire him as an artist. All three are trailblazers of words written and spoken, offering us a timely reminder of their power – not just as means of escapism, but as manifestos of hope; a vital precursor to change. 

While columnist Raven Smith aims to teach us how to find a meaningful balance of living online and offline. And, through activities like craft, we can put this theory into practice. In our video looking at the practical skills taught at artisanal London studio Earl of East, we celebrate creative tactility, a sentiment that’s echoed across the Our Artisans series. Here, we meet makers from all over the world – loomers, ceramicists, furniture designers, et al – who have filled our Houses with their much-loved pieces over the years. 

During this time, food and drink, as well as film, music, exercise, love and laughter will all be a much-needed tonic – keep an eye out for our myriad recipes for both food and drink favourites that will be released in the forthcoming months (including the picante recipe). Remember to be kind to yourselves. These needn’t be big acts – even something as simple as a set skincare routine can set you up for the day ahead. And, if you so wish, why not make it an indulgent or luxurious part of your day? (Cowshed has just launched a new range of triple-milled vegetable soaps in all your favourite moods).
 
We’re in this together. We might not be able to turn 2020 off and on again, but we can use this time to reboot and refresh.