Taking long walks in the Portuguese sun, and growing your own family of artisans and craftspeople, and even knowing who threw the pottery you’re drinking your coffee out of - David and Arren from Casa Cubista certainly know how to make the most out of life on the Algarve, whilst playing their part in keeping traditional Portuguese craft alive.
At LAMP LDN we make it our mission to work with independent makers, artists and designers, and these creators become the fabric of our LAMP LDN community. We like to think of them as the Light in the LAMP, and this series gives us a few minutes to get to know them a little better. So, grab a glass of something cold and pull up a chair, as we chat to some of our makers - David and Arren, co-founders of independent Portuguese homeware brand Casa Cubista.
We’ve stocked Casa Cubista’s brightly distinctive ceramics at our shop for a few years, and we love their ethos - a celebration of the perfectly imperfect, and a belief that it’s handmade that makes a home. Founded as a happy accident in 2016 in Olhão, a bustling fishing port on Portugal’s Algarve coast, Casa Cubista celebrates traditional Portuguese craft, championing small, family-owned businesses and the use of traditional and honest materials.
Tell us about your journey - how did the Casa Cubista begin?
We were living in Olhão on sabbatical, and through friends met tile makers who made tiles by hand, the same way that they’d been made back in the 16th and 17th centuries. For fun, we worked with them on recolouring some of their traditional tiles, and the final pieces received such a positive response that we began working with a local potter on some original designs we had in mind. This became our classic Ray, Dash and Stripe collection, as well as our Bold Stripe Pitcher. They were the first ceramics that we ever made, and they continue to be bestsellers today.
It wasn’t long after that a buyer from Le Bon Marché saw some of our pieces in a shop in the north of Portugal and reached out to us. That order was packed up on our bed! Since then we’ve grown organically, collaborating with the craftspeople we love to work with, and building the collection as it stands today.
Is there anyone in your life who has had a lasting influence on your taste and style?
David has always had craft in his life, handed down through generations. His Azorean grandmother crocheted and wove, and his mother still crochets today, as does he. Arren was always encouraged to explore art and design, and as a kid spent summers at a hippy-run art colony in the English countryside. So we both do come by it naturally!
What, would you say, are the biggest inspirations for your creations?
We like to make the everyday special, with a contemporary take on traditional Portuguese craft. The mugs we drink our coffee out of every morning - we know who threw them on the wheel, who painted them. It’s that kind of connection to handmade that we love.
You’ve both spent large portions of your lives in Canada - what inspired you to make the move to Europe?
Well, we’re very much back-and-forth still! But it was the pace of life, and the sun that drew us to Portugal, not to mention the true appreciation of nature and the moment. We learned a lot about slowing down and not rushing through our lives with our first move to the Algarve. It also helps that David has Portuguese roots, and the fact that Arren has had family living in Portugal since the 70’s, so such a transition was easy for us both.
You work closely with local artisans and makers - do you have any favourite moments of the making process?
We love the collaboration. We might come up with a design, or a pattern, but once that’s handed over to the craftspeople that we work with we have to let go, and that’s always very exciting!
Tell us about your supply chain - where do you source your materials? Do you try to remain conscious of longevity and sustainability?
Everything in our collection is made by hand in Portugal. We’re happy to be a small part of keeping traditional Portuguese craft alive, and want our pieces to be enjoyed for years to come. In pottery, clay is recycled back into the process to reduce waste, our rugs are made of thread recycled from the fashion industry and our linen towels are woven of locally grown flax. Plus in our packaging we have moved to 100% paper. Difficult, if you think we mostly ship ceramics, but we make it work!
Tell us something you love about your own home?
More than anything? Our dogs Spot and Alfie! Spot is our now 16 year old whippet, who came to Portugal with us. Alfie is a galgo, a Spanish greyhound, that we adopted in Faro, while living in the Algarve.
What’s your favourite thing about being a small business?
The people we get to work with on a daily basis. They’ve become like family to us. Our business feels more like a community, and we enjoy getting to see everyone grow together over the years.
The Light in the Lamp Quick Fire Round
Your favourite cocktail
Gin & Tonic! We made our own Casa Cubista gin this year, which was such a fun project.
Your ideal Sunday morning
Definitely a long walk with a stop to pick up a good coffee and pastel de nada on the way.
We’re coming round for dinner - what’s on the menu?
David is the better cook! He’s much more creative on that front, and recently mastered a great peri-peri chicken.
Your rainy afternoon comfort movie
A classic Hollywood musical, sometimes just for the costumes.
Your favourite pick from the current LAMP LDN collection (that isn’t something of yours!)
We’re totally coveting your marbled paper lampshades. Gorgeous!
You can follow Casa Cubista on Instagram