Our Story
They say every great design begins with an even better story. At Be Home, we’ve certainly found this to be true.
Founder Jonathan Hankar first arrived in California from Belgium on business in 2005. Upon discovering an immediate fondness for the west coast’s entrepreneurial spirit and understated modernity, a new vision began to emerge. In a market brimming with plastics and polymers, Jonathan saw an opportunity to bring an easier, more organic elegance to the table—literally and figuratively. However, it wasn’t until meeting his wife and copilot Patricia Hankar that the full Be Home story began to unfold.
Bonded by a shared affinity for eclectic tablescapes and travel, the pair frequently ran into each other at industry trade shows around the world. She would give him product pointers; he would give her travel tips. Soon the relationship grew. With 14+ years of related experience, it wasn’t long before Jonathan began partnering more closely with Patricia to bring the Be Home mission to light. Together, they set out to invest in responsibly made products that not only last, but add a sense of purpose and adventure in people’s day-to-day routines. “Our cupboards are a reflection of our travels and the relationships we’ve built with our talented friends around the world,” says Patricia.
Since the very beginning, the couple has focused on building Be Home relationships with family and women-owned artisan groups, multi-generational craftsmen, and independent makers around the world. When asked where Be Home’s product inspiration comes from Jonathan will tell you, “Creatively, it’s a lot of collaborative work. Oftentimes, they are the ones coming up with the new techniques and ways of creating beautiful, sustainable products. Sometimes the ideas are ours, and other times we are simply a catalyst to production."
"Creatively, it's a lot of collaborative work."
Beneath it all though, Be Home is a culmination of two major influences: The Hankar’s maternal grandmother who shared with them her love of flea markets as well as a knowledge of antiques and their paternal grandfather, a great entrepreneur, who always encouraged them to ‘dare to start something new’. It is with this in mind that, after 15 years of continued growth and success, Jonathan was able to fulfill his dream of bringing Be Home back to Europe with brother Gregory Hankar at the helm.
When they go out to eat, Patricia tells us her and Jonathan are still flipping over plates and mugs in hopes of learning more. Most importantly though, the two are focused on modeling Be Home’s values of making less waste, embracing imperfections, and preserving nature whenever possible to their three children. “At the end of the day,” Jonathan says, “at Be Home, we’re all about making sure that every area of the home is covered. That it’s beautiful, well-made, and that the people behind each product truly care.”
About Be Home
Wherever you discover your first Be Home product, we hope it fills your heart with dazzle and delight.
Our love for entertaining goes far beyond your first impression. We’ve been designing beautiful, ethically sourced home goods from around the world for over 15 years. Each of our products was crafted by a pair of hands before finding itself in yours. We are obsessed with serving the customer, and as you can see, that passion has brought us to where we are today.
To ensure peak quality, our products are designed in-house by our dedicated team in Northern California and crafted in small batches, making each truly one-of-a-kind. We pride ourselves on supporting independent makers around the world who share our passion for ethical innovation and sleek design. Our dedication to creating a positive impact in people's everyday lives, from our customers to our employees, artisans, and everyone in between, is what drives us to exist.
Be Home offers a wide variety of custom partnership opportunities for wholesale clients with the ability to tailor our products to your exact specifications. From product development and design consultation to logos and branding, our team of expert designers are at your service. In addition to our core "Be Home" collection, we've kept busy designing and crafting exclusively for key partner brands. Be sure to check them out here.
