You can’t help but smile when chatting to Ebi and Emmanuel Sinteh, their enthusiasm is infectious.
Creative, passionate and with crystal clear vision, it’s no wonder the pair have appeared in interiors magazines far and wide.
Or rather, their home grown business, Our Lovely Goods.
The endearing name cuts to the chase without appearing blunt, how can you not smile in the face of all things lovely?
From skincare and candles to eye catching baskets made in Nigeria, there’s just something about Our Lovely Goods which makes you want to part with your cash before you can blink.
The products are now stocked in the likes of Anthropologie, which isn’t bad going for a business which has only been running for two and a half years.
But as Ebi tells me, the idea and the fierce yearning for something creative started a long time ago.
We caught up with Our Lovely Goods, and found out why a family from Aberdeen are determined to help anyone and everyone create a place to call home.
The couple’s youngest daughter is gurgling away in the background when Ebi comes on the line, and the pair juggle running the business with family life.
They believe Our Lovely Goods is an extension of their story, and although Ebi and Emmanuel are both from Nigeria – they met more than 4000 miles away at a Christmas concert in Aberdeen.
Whether it was luck or fate which intervened, they were inspired by their two children to go into business together.
“We always wanted to launch our own business,” says Ebi,”and Our Lovely Goods was launched in May 2019.
“We were both still working in other jobs. I was in occupational health, and Emmanuel was and still is an engineer.
When I was maternity leave, we bit the bullet, maybe because there was that extra time at home.”
“It felt low risk and we had the time to experiment. We’re an interiors and lifestyle brand.
“We started off with skincare and candles, before expanding the range to include homeware.”
Nigeria is never far away for the couple, when it comes to inspiration at least.
Their rich heritage has provided an incredible backdrop, filled with colours, textures and the people who shaped their childhoods.
“It’s really important to us to share our heritage, and to share our items in an authentic way,” says Ebi.
You won’t get more authentic than beautiful raffia baskets, and gorgeous handwoven rattles.
“Our woven products are skilfully made in Nigeria, very close to where Emmanuel grew up,” says Ebi.
“So we have those close connections, and when restrictions allow, Emmanuel travels back to work directly on the collection.
“There is no exploitation, which is also very important to us.”
All gorgeous smelling candles are made in-house, as in the skincare range.
“We started off in our garage,” says Ebi.
We’re an online business only, but we’re stocked in lots of independent shops – including Rosemount market and Indi and Will.
“Business was fairly slow when we started out, we were going to markets and doing personal things like workshops.
“It took a year to take off, and then in person events stopped due to lockdown.
The pandemic allowed the couple to spend more time on their website, and they experienced a leap in sales.
“I think a lot of small businesses saw an increase in sales during lockdown, because everyone was at home,” says Ebi.
“We experienced a big uptake, I think because people were looking at their homes and thinking to themselves – how can I make this more comfy?
“Our gift boxes were also really popular, because people were not able to see family and friends.
“Our brand is an extension of both of us. We’ve always loved the home, we’re real homebodies.
If you have a nice curated space, it is cosy and inviting. When you come home, you’re happy to be there. It’s not just the way it looks, it is the way it feels.”
But what does Ebi and Emmanuel’s own home look like?
It is a family home first and foremost, but the pair have still left their comforting signature mark.
“We’re drawn to lots of greenery, there is neutral tones as well,” says Ebi.
“We like colour as well though and lots of natural textures.”
What’s next for Our Lovely Goods? Well, Ebi and Emmanuel aren’t reaching for world domination.
But they do have some exciting plans for the future.
“There’s lots of things we’d love to do, and that includes having a retail space,” says Ebi.
Having an actual shop is a dream of ours. A really welcoming space where we can share our products and hold events.”
“We’re working on lots of other little projects in the business, some of which are top secret.
“We’ve got some new products launching, including diffusers and homewares.
“Our workshops will be starting up again, where we teach people how to make candles in the studio.
“We’re really proud to stock other brands who have a similar ethos to ourselves.
“Living together, working together, we wouldn’t do it if we didn’t enjoy it.
To find out more, visit https://ourlovelygoods.com/
