Get to know Hill House Home: The brand behind the nap dress and so much more | CNN Underscored

Although Hill House Home has become synonymous with the nap dress, when Nell Diamond launched her company in 2016, the brand’s focus was actually on selling bedding. Since then, Hill House Home has expanded its offerings to include clothing, accessories, swimwear, baby products and shoes, and yes, has had its hero product — the Instagram-famous nap dress — shoot to cult-level status.

Recently, the lifestyle brand dropped its 2022 Fall Fashion Collection, which features everything from nap dresses in fall-ready prints to wool knitwear and crepe skirts. The collection, which is inspired by British interiors and textiles, also features the work of London-based artist Diane Hill, who collaborated for a second time with the brand to create an exclusive print.

To learn more about Hill House Home, we spoke with CEO and founder Nell Diamond.

For people who are unfamiliar with Hill House Home, what do you most want them to know about your brand?

Nell Diamond: We really believe that just because something looks great doesn’t mean it should be uncomfortable. That’s something that we try to tie through to every product we make, whether it’s swim — making sure it’s super comfortable but at the same time looks really great and is sunscreen-safe and chlorine-resistant — or it’s our hero product, the nap dress, which has this extendable, really practical, comfortable smocking that makes you look great but still has a great design that you feel dressed up and good in.

ND: From all over. This summer we were really inspired by the Amalfi coast, so we took a bunch of prints and designed them with elements from an Italian summer — everything from lemons to the octopus to the color palette of the Amalfi coast. We tend to start with one thing and then tie in little pieces into all the prints and styling we do.

What three words would you use to describe your brand and why?

ND: Happy, feminine and fun. We’re all about bringing joy and happiness to everyday things. Whether it’s brushing your teeth or making your bed, why not make those things happy and joyful?

ND: Hiring our team. It’s been really wonderful and exciting to build a team of people who I’m so excited to work with every day. I have some team members who have been there with me since the very, very beginning and being able to build this alongside them is definitely one of my favorite parts of the journey.

ND: The biggest challenge of the past couple of years has been raising my kids alongside the business. I’ve had three kids in the last six years, so becoming a mom for the first time and trying to manage that transition and figure out that side of my life alongside figuring out what it means to be an entrepreneur and build a business.

ND: Our bestselling products all have that combination of practicality and beauty. In our bedding category, one of our bestselling products is our duvet cover. Even though it harkens back to old-school, traditional, very high-end bedding, it still has all those truly practical elements like a zipper to keep the duvet in and ties to keep the duvet insert attached and not moving around all night. Then our bathrobe is a big bestseller. It comes in a very wide range of sizes for all genders, all ages and people love to have matching family bathrobes.

ND: Right now, my favorite shoe is our City Slide in blue feather rhinestones. Those are super fun and super comfortable and just really exciting for a flat. In our dresses category, my favorite dress right now is the Ophelia Dress, which is so easy to dress up and dress down — just a great dress to have in your arsenal. And then in our bedding, our Trellis Bedding is my favorite right now.

The Ellie Nap dress in Raspberry Red Poplin is a beautiful berry color that lives up to its name. With deep pockets and a stretchy smocked bodice, I found the Ellie to be cute, practical and comfortable. It’s available in 12 prints and colors, easy to slip on and machine-washable. I had no issue fitting into my usual size (small, for reference) and love that the dress is bra-strap-friendly and has ruffled shoulders for some added flair. As someone who appreciates the little details, I was pleasantly surprised by the embroidered logo at the bottom of the dress.

I decided to get this nap dress in the print Midnight Garden Cotton and I’m so glad that I did. Like the Ellie, the Daphne is available in different prints and has deep pockets and those elegant ruffled shoulders. I loved how cute and playful the print was without feeling childish or too busy. On the Hill House Home website, the product description for this dress describes it as being a “more structured, dressed-up version” of the Ellie, which I wholeheartedly agree with. Unlike the Ellie, the Daphne has a side zipper, and because it only has the smocking on the back, the bodice of the dress doesn’t have much give. I was able to fit into my usual size, but would suggest sizing up if you have a fuller bust.

A current favorite of Nell’s, these statement-making shoes in Blue Feathers feature a custom brooch and (you guessed it) blue feathers. Available in four different designs, these handcrafted slides have a padded insole.

The Charlotte Sleep Tee is made from organic cotton and is available in four different prints. To create a matching set, it can be paired with the brand’s Alice Sleep Pants or Gemma Sleep Shorts.

This cozy robe is available in five different designs and made from ultra-absorbent, zero-twist micro cotton. For a customized look, you can opt to have it monogrammed with up to 10 characters.