Part of our Swedish Summer of exhibition and events, Jobs Handtryck’s specially curated selection of fabrics have taken centre stage within our Heal’s showrooms. To learn more about their timeless textiles, we spoke to the printers behind these stylish Scandi designs. Where is your workshop based? The workshop is based in a small town […]
Syjunta: Come together through craft
Syjunta is a Swedish word for a group of people getting together to sew, crochet, knit, embroider and socialise. The word ‘syjunta’ first appeard in Sweden 1857 and in the beginning and mid-20th century it was a common and easy way for women to socialise. With the emancipation of women and migration from countryside to […]
Redfining Luxury
At our Swedish event in 1974 we displayed the new Volvo 244 as an example of Swedish design at its best (see image below). In 2015 we are doing it again, this time we are one of the first places to showcase the new Volvo XC90. See it in store this week (5th – 10th […]
Swede Ease
Design writer Ellen Himelfarb reveals the quiet charm of Swedish design. “The first time I saw an all-white room was in Stockholm. In a perfectly quaint gabled house, past a lane of shops whose windows were meticulously curated, the owners hand painted the walls and wood floors an almost bluish white that faded out into […]
Fika: The Art of the Swedish Coffee Break
If there’s one thing that brings Swedes together, it’s coffee. As one of the biggest coffee consumers in the world, fika, the Swedish coffee break, is an essential part of everyday life. Fika is a chance to take a break from the work routine, gather together with friends, or just spend a quiet moment alone. […]
Swedish Summer at Heal’s
This isn’t the first time Heal’s has had a Swedish event in store. In 1951 Heal’s introduced Scandinavian furniture to the UK. It was an immediate hit and several Scandi events ensued. In 1971 one particular Swedish event included a huge party including a ‘smorgsbord’ on the fourth floor, a Swedish beer cellar in the […]
Festival of Britain
Described by the Labour deputy leader, Herbert Morrison, as a “tonic for the nation”, the Festival of Britain set out to convey a sense of recovery and progress after the Second World War. The 1951 festival was a landmark for British design, and – due to the vision and energy of its employess together with […]
In The Family
Designed by royal appointment, Katie Walker’s exceptionally crafted furniture shot into the limelight in 2013 when she provided Prince George with his own bespoke high-chair. Whilst you’re highly unlikely to get your hands on this one-off piece, Walker has applied her unique approach to traditional British furniture to the Windsor Rocker, an exclusive design available […]
Celebration (Robin) Day
To mark the birthday of the late great British designer Robin Day, we’re looking to the Heal’s archive to rediscover the award winning storage unit that helped launch his name. A man of many talents, Day began his career in the 1940s as a teacher at Beckenham School of Art where he first met fellow […]
Happy Birthday Marcel Breuer
It’s hard to believe that, were he still alive today, visionary designer Marcel Breuer would be celebrating his 123rd Birthday. Born in Hungary in 1902, he went on to become a professor at the infamous Bahaus school of design in Germany and throughout this period produced a number of iconic designs such as his infamous […]
Modigliani: A Unique Artistic Voice
Like so many creative catalysts, Amedeo Modigliani set the art world ablaze for all too short a period. To celebrate such a fleeting, yet prolific talent, a new exhibition at London’s leafy Estorick Collection is giving visitors a rare chance to view his distinctive style within an intimate setting. Bringing together a selection of works […]
Fired Up: Lyngard Ceramics
Nestled in the heart of the Potteries in Stoke-on-Trent, Lyngard Ceramics are continuing the areas rich cultural heritage through the production of beautiful hand-made pendant lights. Headed by Carmen Pattinson, this family run ceramicists has a long lineage of pottery that dates back over six generations. Notable ancestors include Carmen’s great grandfather who, in […]