Some occasions deserve more than a single moment of celebration. As Neptune marked its 30th anniversary in 2026, we commemorated three decades of timeless British design with a series of events and new product launches honouring the people, ideas and craftsmanship that have shaped our story.
1996. The year that Jerry Maguire was released, Dolly the Sheep became the world’s first cloned animal, and Microsoft introduced something called Hotmail. It also marked our beginning. Starting with a simple garden hammock, John Sims-Hilditch, along with friend Giles Redman, founded Neptune. In the first year of designing and making hammocks, they sold over 5,500 of them. The following year, they launched an innovative rocking deck chair, before expanding into garden furniture and later freestanding kitchen cabinetry and whole home collections.
Thirty years on, it felt fitting to mark the occasion with events that would welcome customers old and new, friends of the brand, and influential journalists to celebrate with us.
Our stores are such a pivotal part of Neptune’s story. Throughout the summer, small events were held in stores across the UK, with drinks and sneak peeks at new collections to reward our customers and continue to share our vision for creating homes with heart. In Wimbledon, customers enjoyed an evening with food author Meera Sodha, where she shared the inspiration behind her recipes, the importance of keeping food traditions alive, and the process of designing her colourful Neptune kitchen.
Marking thirty years provided us with the opportunity to release our iconic jute bag in a limited-edition Orla thistle print as an homage to our love of nature. We also unveiled the Henley curved cabinet at a press retreat in April. The new piece speaks to our core vision to create furniture that features natural materials, focuses on technical engineering and heritage carpentry, and celebrates innovative, quality design.
In May, we exhibited at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show for the third year running, which was a wonderful opportunity to showcase our outdoor collections to new and existing customers. And the exciting launch of Broadway, our first outdoor kitchen, only enhanced the experience. Drawing on our expertise in crafting solid timber fitted kitchens, the weather-proofed Shaker-inspired Broadway is made with the same attention to detail and craftsmanship as our indoor collections.
Back at the start of spring, our milestone moments began with our Kin House press retreat. Journalists and friends of Neptune were invited to the Georgian manor in Wiltshire for workshops, panel discussions, and conversations over dinner. With a brief break in April showers, sunshine overhead and tulips in full bloom, the setting felt perfect for the occasion.
The timeless nature of Neptune’s designs meant that our furniture and accessories seamlessly integrated into the stylish spaces of Kin House, creating a welcoming backdrop. Guests enjoyed a talk between Neptune co-founder John Sims-Hilditch, design director Fred Horlock, design service lead Lulu Keyzar, and leading interiors editor Suzanne Imre, where they discussed the delicate balance and creative tension between enduring design and fresh innovation. Discussions flowed from Neptune’s philosophy on creating forever homes and resisting flash trends to how the rise in ‘soft’ decorated kitchens has turned them into more emotional spaces at the heart of the home.
The event included lunch with John and Emma Sims-Hilditch at their Wiltshire home and a chance to see the new Broadway outdoor kitchen in action. John shared how, in 2007, a search for a well-crafted kitchen at an affordable price led him to designing his own freestanding cabinets – the foundations of which became the Chichester collection – which are still looking as good as ever in their family kitchen nearly 20 years later.
So, what have we learnt from over 30 years of design? Maybe that, while trends come and go, designing homes with heart is timeless.
This article is taken from Stories Volume 24, coming in October. Order the latest volumes to enjoy at home or dip into the archive online.
