Vitra is a Swiss furniture brand established by Willi and Erika Fehlbaum in 1957, with the licensed production of furniture from renowned brands such as Charles & Ray Eames, Alexander Girard, George Nelson and Isamu Noguchi.
Known for its commitment to forming lasting relationships with talented designers, the company is famed for enhancing living, office and public spaces.
Bringing together the best in iconic, contemporary design, Vitra's modernist products and concepts are installed worldwide by architects and companies to create inspirational living spaces. Luckily for us, we can celebrate and incorporate its designs into our homes.
Here are five classic Vitra furniture pieces you can add to any home:
Eames Lounge Chair
The Eames lounge chair was designed by husband and wife duo, Charles and Ray Eames and has been in production for over 60 years. It’s one of the - if not the - most iconic designs of the 20th century.
Since 1956, when both design and designer debuted on national television, this classic chair has remained true to the handcrafted details that define its luxurious design. Today, the Eames lounge chair is a staple in any contemporary furniture collection.
Made from soft leather and sturdy plywood, it’s still regarded as the most comfortable seat of its time.
The Eames Lounge Chair
Eames Plastic Chair
The Eames plastic chair range is another iconic collection by Charles and Ray Eames. Introduced to the market in 1950 with the launch of the plastic armchair and plastic side chair, these designs were the very first mass-produced plastic chairs in the history of furniture.
The chairs epitomise the playful functionality of mid-century American design, created to fit the contours of the human body. The plastic chairs fully exploit the advantage of the material they’re crafted in: rigid, durable and easy to mould.
Only one feature from its original design has been changed, with the replacement of the fibreglass shell to a more environmentally friendly polyproline seat.
The Eames Plastic Chairs
The Eames plastic chair also introduced a new furniture typology: the multifunctional chair whose shell can be joined with different bases to serve diverse purposes. Today the seat is manufactured in multiple variations, so whether you’re looking for a curvaceous chair that provides back support, a rocking armchair or an office chair on wheels - Vitra has the plastic piece for you.
There are a multitude of bases, colours and upholstery options, which will work in everything from dining rooms, living rooms and home offices to outdoor terraces and gardens.
Vitra Utensil Silo
In 1969, Dorothee Becker designed and brought to market the first wall-mounted organiser, followed by a smaller model a year later. The Vitra utensil silo has since been deemed an icon of plastic design and has become a staple in design-savvy homes, particularly in Europe and the US.
The Utensil Silo by Vitra
This wall-mounted organiser keeps your household utensils neatly together in one place - making it easier to find everyday objects. It features different-sized and shaped containers, metal hooks and clips, and it offers a practical storage space for all your odds and ends.
The utensil silo is very versatile, allowing it to be easily added to different rooms in the house including the kitchen, office, bathroom and children’s rooms. Offered in black, red and white, this holder is a stylish way to get your bits and bobs organised.
Vitra Noguchi Coffee Table
Designed in 1944 by Isamu Noguchi, this mid-century design is renowned for its free-form, unpredictable and flowing appearance. “Everything is sculpture,” said the Japanese-American sculptor – renowned for his ability to make sculptures out of anything that was available to him including clay, wood, stone, metal, paper and bone.
The Noguchi Coffee Table by Vitra
The organic formed Noguchi coffee table boasts a solid wooden base that consists of two identical pieces. These create symmetry and stability, while supporting an elegantly-shaped glass top. Offered in a choice of black ash or walnut,it's the perfect centrepiece for a mid-century modern style living area.
The Vitra Home Desk
The iconic home desk was originally designed as a women’s working table by George Nelson in 1958. It’s manufactured today by Vitra, bringing the colourful, curvy station to a new audience.
More than 50 years since it was first produced, the sophisticated home piece still has many uses as a small workstation in any modern home. This Vitra desk is detailed with attractive divider finishes and features swooping lines and chrome feet that support classic walnut panelling.
Its vibrant rainbow-coloured compartments are sure to bring your home office to life. This sought-after compact piece adds an inspired accent, perfectly suited to any contemporary, mid-century style workspace.
The Vitra Home Desk
Although these quintessential designs were established over 60 years ago, their popularity and reputation are sustained by the power of good design. From the understated Eames lounge chair and Ottoman to the exciting Vitra clocks, Vitra consistently produces timeless designs. Explore our collection of furniture and incorporate Vitra’s classic and contemporary lighting and accessories into your home.
Come in store at Tottenham Court Road to visit our Vitra showroom, the largest in the UK.
[ INSPIRATION ]
Behind the design
Our new SS18 collection has arrived, bringing with it new and exclusive designs, a fresh colour palette, and noteworthy collaborations from some of the world’s most talented designers.
We’re taking a closer look at the range, from concept to completion, discovering the inspiration and ideas behind this characterful and colourful collection. - The story of the new range begins back in May 2017, when the Heal’s buying team started to turn their attention to the forthcoming spring/summer season.
“It was a very collaborative process” explains Kris Manalo, the Senior Furniture Buyer at Heal’s. “We started by visiting the big design shows – Cologne, Stockholm, Milan – and from there we identified the key colours and trends coming through which we used as inspiration for building the collection.”
The initial moodboard assembled by the Heal's buyers Through various show and tells, workshops, and brainstorming sessions, our buyers pulled together a colour palette and direction for the collection.
“We’re always surprised by the similarity of the images and ideas we bring to the table,” says Kris. “As a team we always seem to be on the same page and a predominant look and feel usually comes to the fore fairly quickly.”
The result was one collection split across the two seasons: Spring Simplicity and Summer Haze. Creating a feeling of understated grandeur, considered designs are set against a backdrop of modern pastels and earthy terracotta tones, conjuring images of crisp spring mornings to hazy summer evenings.
Blurring the line between indoor spaces and the world outdoors, the new collection celebrates eclectic and characterful design for the contemporary home.
The final Spring/Summer 2018 moodboard The final mood board (above) highlights this gradual shift through the seasons from the cooler mints and pale greys of spring to the punchier, vivid summer-inspired tones.
There are also subtle references to the colour trends tipped to be popular this year; terracotta in particular. Our bestselling Mistral got a makeover for 2018 and was upholstered in a beautiful Varese velvet in terracotta.
“We are mindful of trends but also of the fact that people don’t treat furniture like fashion,” says Sabina Miller, Head of Buying at Heal's. “Designs for the home aren’t replaced seasonally like clothes so we wanted to create a range that can evolve over time.”
This timeless quality can be seen in new pieces for the dining room. Blake combines contemporary and mid-century styles with tapered legs and a clean, modern profile. The table is available either with a fixed Italian Carara marble top or an extending wooden surface giving flexibility to the Heal’s customer.
In a similar vein, new dining chairs are as elegant as they are practical; Heal’s own range sits perfectly alongside brands such as Vitra, Case, Kartell and Fritz Hansen. This season there’s also a focus on designer collaborations which saw firsts for many big names.
Russell Pinch has designed his first ever bed to join the Wallis range, which marks the first anniversary since the original collaboration of Pinch’s exclusive sofa and armchair design. Upholstered in Iced Mint smart velvet, it balances a luxurious aesthetic with carefully considered design features that will keep it contemporary.
Matthew Hilton has also created his debut lighting collection exclusively for Heal’s. Reflecting the minimalist aesthetic from his bestselling furniture collections, Hilton’s lighting range is expertly crafted and strikingly simple.
The new pieces sit perfectly against the beauty of the oak and walnut featured in Hilton’s Case furniture ranges to create a chic and contemporary feel throughout the home.
“Given the prestige of Matthew’s name at Heal’s it was an obvious move to work together on his first lighting collection,” explains lighting buyer Elena Paparozzi. “Working in harmony with his existing furniture, the sophisticated LED designs fit the moving market trends in lighting, and subtle nuances with colour add to the simplicity of the range.”
The new Dome and Orb pendants by Matthew Hilton Following on from his first ceramics collection at Heal’s, Myer Halliday has transferred his love of pattern to textiles for the SS18 collection. Halliday’s Wave motif has been reimagined onto different homeware as well as the delicately proportioned Elgin chair, new to Heal's for SS18.
Homeware buyer, Emily Rubner says of Halliday’s work: “It was clear that Myer’s creations lend themselves perfectly to textiles which lead to the development of the cushions, chair and lampshade.”
To explore our entire SS18 collection, head to our website.
Our passion for contemporary design extends far beyond our own range and we're proud to work with some of the world's best designer brands. We are delighted to welcome the latest addition to the Heal's family: Muuto, a Danish brand with a passion for bringing new perspectives to Scandinavian design.
We caught up the Muuto team to find out a bit more about them.
Tell us a bit about the story behind Muuto. What is the brand all about?
Muuto was established in 2006 with the ambition of bringing new perspectives to the Scandinavian design tradition, characterized by enduring aesthetics, functionality, craftsmanship and an honest expression.
By expanding this heritage with forward-looking materials, techniques and bold creative thinking, our ambition is to deliver new perspectives on Scandinavian design.
In fact, our name, Muuto, comes from muutos, meaning new perspective in Finnish. We handpick leading contemporary designers who are strong interpreters of our philosophy and combine their talents with the passionate Muuto creative team.
You will know our design because it has muutos: objects made sublime through new perspectives, enjoyed across the world, representing the best of Scandinavian design today.
The Outline sofa, from £2,619
Muuto pieces have a beautiful Scandinavian aesthetic. What elements of Scandi design inspire Muuto pieces?
We’re inspired by the approach that was set out by the Scandinavian master’s of the 1950’s and 1960’ They designed from the value points of functionality, honesty, quality and craftsmanship.
At Muuto, we take those epochal elements of design and combine that with the techniques and materials of today alongside the creative approach to design that co-defines our brand.
What are the most popular pieces in the Muuto range and why do you think this is?
We believe that we’re strong across our three categories of furniture, lighting and accessories. In particular, our Outline sofaand Rest sofa embrace the Muuto DNA to the utmost extent by having a simple and refined design language yet a unique expression thanks to an emphasis on details and materials: Outline has an elegant and slim expression with a wide, soft seat while Rest has an incredibly soft seat and contemporary look.
The Ambit Rail Lamp, £625
Our furniture category also includes Stacked, a storage system comprised of different modules that allow customers to bring their own perspective to the design as they can create their own unique configuration that suits their space and storage needs.
Looking at lighting, one of the most recent designs that we’ve introduced is the Ambit Rail Lamp; the lampshades are made from handspun aluminium and have an easy expression that adds to the atmosphere of the room.
The Stacked Storage System,from £89
In our accessories range, two of our most iconic products are The Dots and the Restore Baskets. The Dots are a family of friendly coat hooks, available in 18 colours across four different sizes, meaning that customers can mix and match The Dots according to their personal taste, style and needs.
The Restore Basket is a functional storage basket that comes in 13 different colours. Restore brings a new perspective to the storage basket by being made from a felt that uses fibres of recycled plastic bottles.
You can now find Muuto on the second floor of our flagship store on Tottenham Court Road as well as on our website.
Furnishing your home can be a balancing act between design and cost, with the best quality pieces coming with the highest price tag. But what if you could have great design at a great price?
Whilst it’s easy to fork out a fortune on big name brands, we’ve made sure our range offers good design at any budget. Read on for our guide on which Heal’s designs to invest in if you’re furnishing your home on a budget.
Living Room
With many larger items of furniture found in the living room, the costs of furnishing it can quickly add up. Often the budget is blown on seating alone before things like coffee tables or rugs have even been considered. With that being said, here are a few key pieces that won’t leave you feeling out of pocket.
The Brunel sofa, from £999
The Brunel sofa has remained one of our bestsellers for 5 years, largely in thanks to its versatile design and comfortable sit. Starting from £999, the Brunel sofa is a carefully considered blend of mid-century and industrial influences.
Its tapered feet are reminiscent of 1950s and 60s design yet they are made from aluminium which give a much more industrial feel. The mixed material aesthetic is also bang on trend for 2018.
The Brunel Range
The Morten sofa, from £999
From just £999 the Morten sofa is one of our most affordable. Undisputedly Scandinavian in style, it boasts a clean silhouette with rounded arms and seat cushions that can be easily be dressed up with chunky throws and tailored cushions.
Despite being economically priced, it is still made from the finest white washed oak and upholstered in a luxuriously soft grey wool.
The Morten sofa
The Joule Lighting Collection, from £89
A piece of statement lighting is an easy way to give your room an entirely different feel. It immediately draws the eye and adds personality.
While eye-catching chandeliers can be on the more expensive side, floor lamps and table lights are a more affordable way to add layers of light to your space.
Metallic touches are as popular as ever and our Joule Collection has proved to be a favourite amongst design lovers since its launch. If you’re looking for something long lasting it’s important not to compromise on materials – the Joule Floor Lamp has a solid marble base and slender painted satin brass frame creating an elegant design of the finest quality. At just £249 it’s on the more accessible side of designer, contemporary floor lamps.
The Joule Collection
Linie Reversible Rugs, from £179
For rugs, why not consider a range of reversible rugs from Linie which offer two designs in one. The Menda range comes in a selection of neutral tones that complement any scheme while the runners are perfect for adding personality to entryways or hallways.
The Silje Rug, from £489
The Silje rug, also by Linie, is on the slightly more expensive side, but the impact it gives a room makes it really worth the extra few pounds. It’s hand tufted using 100% wool and the bold design and colours are surprisingly easy to use in a living room giving it a real focal point.
The Silje Rug by Linie
Bedroom
The Blythe King Size Bed, £999
A well-designed bed made from the finest materials doesn’t have to cost the earth. We wanted to introduce a bed that reflected our background in Arts & Crafts movement of the 19th century in a modern way, and our Blythe bed does just that.
Designed in-house, every element of this bed has been considered with the arched lines, beautiful joinery and tall spindle headrest evoking the craftsmanship at the heart of this range. At just £999, the king size bed is the perfect balance of quality and cost.
The Blythe Range
The Pocket Mattress, from £499
From lamb’s wool to latex, mattresses come in all levels of luxury with some reaching thousands of pounds in price. But sometimes it’s better to just keep things simple. Our Pocket mattress starts at just £499 and is durable enough to provide a sound night’s sleep night after night.
Individually encased in hard wearing fabric pockets, hundreds of springs are hand-nested and move independently from one another to respond to your natural contours and movements during the night.
The Junction Table Light, £129
With its thin, understated profile, the Junction Table Lamp makes a versatile and stylish feature light for sleek modern schemes, especially a bedside table. Placing the bulb at the core of the design, complete the look by pairing with an oversized, bare filament bulb like these decorative bulbs from tala.
The Junction Table Light
The Morten Bedside Table, £269
The Morten collection extends to a number of affordable bedroom furniture designs, including this charming bedside table. We commissioned John Jenkins to design the Morten range exclusively for Heal’s.
The “no frills” design cleverly uses elliptical handles to keep costs down and the solid oak is given a subtle whitewash instead of using a more expensive pale beech.
Photo credit: Cate St Hill Cate St Hill used our Morten bedside table to furnish her guest room, providing that extra bit of storage that adds form and function to her Scandi aesthetic.
Dining
The Brunel Dining Table, £649
The Brunel Dining Table was designed exclusively for Heal’s by Rob Scarlett alongside the rest of the range. Designed with the modern home in mind where space is often in short supply, the dining table has a small footprint and its slender design creates the illusion of space.
Solid oak and steel legs give the Brunel range a premium, industrial feel as well as an inherent durability meaning that each design will stand the test of time.
The Brunel Dining Table
The Masters Chair, £159
A thought-provoking design, the Masters Chair by Philippe Starck is a hybrid of three iconic chairs by legendary 20th-century designers Arne Jacobsen, Eero Saarinen and Charles Eames.
Reminiscent of classic Thonet bentwood chairs commonly found in the cafes of Paris, branch-like loops exhibit all the innovative construction and quirky features one expects from a Starck design. A prime example that beautiful, inspired design doesn't have to cost a fortune.
The Masters Chair by Kartell
On a rather chilly day in mid-November, we welcomed bloggers, journalists, and interior designers to take a first look at our new Spring/Summer 2018 collection.
Spread throughout the Heal’s flagship store on Tottenham Court Road we encouraged our guests to explore Heal’s hidden spaces, drawing attention to some of the spots within the building that have a wonderful history but tend to go unnoticed.
Starting at our little known Torrington Place entrance (which used to be London's very first mattress factory), visitors caught a first glimpse of our new collection.
We wanted to create a story that really captured the feeling of the Spring/Summer season so chose a colour palette of modern pastels and earthy terracotta tones that conjure images of crisp spring mornings and hazy summer evenings.
Starting with a few samples of our new textile collection, guests then found our bestselling Mistral sofa upholstered in a striking Varese terracotta velvet giving it a fresh look for the new season.
Moving to our hidden courtyard towards the back of the building, we displayed our new outdoor range. Blurring the line between indoor and outdoor spaces, the elegant and detailed aesthetic of the Tanso range means it would look just as at home indoors as well as out.
New rug styles from Weaver Green join our current selection as well as rugs from Gandia Blasco designed by Patricia Urquiola. Also new to Heal’s are an edit of rug designs from Weaver Green. Despite looking and feeling like wool, each rug is made from yarn spun entirely from recycled plastic bottles.
It durable makeup allows it to be used outdoors and it is machine washable. We adorned the Eos table by Matthew Hilton with new hand-painted ceramics by Mia Sarosi which were inspired by her trip the African rainforest.
Guests then made their way up through a central staircase and found themselves in the Ambrose café, named after Sir Ambrose Heal who was at the helm of the business between 1913-1953.
There we displayed our new Wallis bed which was designed exclusively for Heal’s by Russell Pinch to mark the one year anniversary of our collaboration. The result was a compact yet generous bed that mixes soft curves and crisp lines – consistent with Pinch’s signature silhouette.
The headboard has a slight curve that forms a delicate edge and the ash feet (available in a natural, tinted walnut or black finish) are positioned at the very edge of the solid timber frame making them a real feature of the design.
Just a stone’s throw away were our new additions to our dining collection. New for the SS18 season is the Blake dining table designed by Adam Daghorn. Blake is a careful blend of contemporary and mid-century style with smartly tapered legs sitting effortlessly alongside its clean, modern profile.
The design is available either with a fixed marble top or an extending wooden one but both feature the beautiful peg joint details on each leg. The oak base is also available in two finishes: natural for a lighter look or with a dark stain as seen here.
Pairing perfectly with Blake is our new Wyatt dining chair. An elegantly curved Ply shell is upholstered in a leather effect material creating a simple and versatile design that suits any modern or mid-century space.
The chair is available in three colour choices with a solid walnut base. Also designed by Adam Daghorn is the Milton dining table which offers a beautifully crafted, contemporary design for the home.
Milton was carefully considered down to the very last detail. Its chamfered profile and inset rails create the impression of a floating top with the grain of the wood adding to its contemporary charm.
We paired Milton with our new Hudson dining chair – an upholstered design that is available in four fabric colours. The chair’s back has a slight curve with added lumbar support creating a remarkably comfortable place to sit. The oak legs are available in two finishes: natural and dark.
With its clean lines and simple shape, the Pillow sofa bed’s versatile design lends itself to any style of home. Its generous feather-filled back cushions encourage you to lie back and relax, while its fibre wrapped seat cushions act as a headboard when configured as a sofa bed.
Pillow’s pocket sprung mattress can be unfurled effortlessly transforming the three-seater sofa into a comfortable double bed for visiting family and friends. The sofa bed option is also available as part of the medium chaise.
In lighting new designs from Vitamin and Matthew Hilton join the range as well as new colours and finishes of our popular Cohen pendants.
Rounding off the tour was Myer Halliday, who took up residence at the bottom of our Cecil Brewer staircase. We were hugely excited to debut the new Elgin chair, a pint-sized mid-century design, that we upholstered in a new fabric featuring Myer’s wave pattern. The same pattern will also be available on a selection of tea towels and lamp shades in the coming season.
We can't wait to unveil the entire SS18 collection next year.
The Apprentice is back on our screens with new contestants, new tasks, and Lord Sugar’s famous one-liners.
A self-professed ‘bitey bulldog’, a ‘stingy scorpion’ and ‘fine-tuned money-making machine’ are all part of this year’s wannabe tycoons who promise to make this season as watchable as ever. The Apprentice came to Heal's earlier this year and we welcomed the 2017 hopefuls to our flagship store on Tottenham Court Road for their second task: a high-end hotel makeover using pieces from the Heal’s collection.
Who came out on top remains to be seen but we’re looking forward to seeing the chaos unfold on tonight’s episode as well as some of our most iconic pieces hit the small screen. Take a look at some of the designs chosen by both teams below:
The Boys' Team
The boys chose the Treviso Desk by Matthew Hilton as well as the Mimi Dining Chair by Timothy Oulton for their interior design, pairing them with copper lighting from the Heal's range.
The Girls' Team
The girls opted for our new Buri Sofa Bed which was complemented by the Masters Chair from Kartell and the Stash Desk from Blue Dot, creating a modern setting.
If you missed seeing Heal's on The Apprentice, catch up on series 13 episode 2, 'Hotel Redesign', via BBC iPlayer.
HEAL'S DISCOVERS
HEAL'S DISCOVERS
Ed Heritage
As part of this season’s Heal’s Discovers initiative, we’re delighted to introduce Ed Heritage, an award-winning UK-based designer whose signature style of clean geometry and playful details is reflected in the beautiful lamp he created.
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