Archivist

Archivist is the Heal's edit for vintage, limited-edition and rediscovered design pieces – furniture, lighting and objects sourced and authenticated by our buying team for collectors and considered homes. The selection rotates as new pieces come through and older ones find buyers, which is part of why returning to the collection regularly is worth the effort.
  • If You Obey All The Rules Card

    The Archivist edit covers vintage and limited-edition pieces sourced specifically by the Heal's buying team. Items range from authenticated mid-century lighting and furniture through to limited runs of contemporary studio pieces. Each piece is one-of-one or short-run, and once sold, may not return to the catalogue.

    The buying team works with provenance documentation, manufacturer archives and recognised vintage-design experts to verify each piece before it enters the catalogue. Pieces with formal certificates of authenticity carry them; pieces from less formal markets are described transparently with whatever provenance is available.

    Many are. Vintage and limited-edition pieces from named designers tend to hold value or appreciate over time, particularly as supply remains constrained. The pieces should be bought to live with rather than purely as investment, but the Archivist edit favours pieces with strong long-term economic prospects as well as design merit.

    New pieces are added through the year as the buying team sources them; the catalogue reflects what's currently in stock rather than running on a fixed seasonal cycle. Subscribing to the Heal's mailing list or checking the Archivist page weekly is the most reliable way to see new additions.

    • Best Compact Corner Sofas For Small Rooms
      Buying Guides
      Best Compact Corner Sofas For Small Rooms
      With a space-saving design that doesn’t compromise on stylish good looks, a corner sofa is a smart choice for those with smaller or awkward spaces, while providing superior comfort thanks to their cocooning and enveloping shape. Here, we round-up the best compact corner sofas for small rooms, from contemporary silhouettes to traditional styles, so you can select one that’s just right for your taste and space. It’s time to cosy up. Is a corner sofa good for a small room? The clue’s in the name when it comes to corner sofas, as they can be pushed into the corner of a room to save on all-important square footage, making the most of an often-redundant part of a room and negating the need for multiple sofas that will inevitably consume more floor space. But that’s not all. They can also be positioned in the centre of a room to zone an open-plan living space and divide up different areas for varying uses (lounging vs. dining, or working vs. relaxing, for example). The trend for using larger pieces of furniture, such as corner sofas, to designate zones is called ‘broken-plan’ living – which sits somewhere between open- and closed-plan. Lilli For homes where flexibility is key, the Lilli collection adapts beautifully to the way you live. Designed exclusively for Heal's by Danish design studio Says Who, its modular collection includes chaise, armless and curved units that can be configured to suit compact living rooms or evolve as your space changes.  Soft curves, a gently rounded silhouette and deep foam cushioning create an inviting place to unwind, while subtle pull-in stitch detailing and recessed natural beech feet lend a refined Scandinavian aesthetic. It's a sofa that brings together versatility, comfort and timeless design without overwhelming smaller interiors. Create your ideal Lilli sofa configuration here. Aurelie The Aurelie Chaise Sofa is designed to make the most of every square metre, its softly curved silhouette creating a natural flow that opens up the room while offering a generous place to relax. Styled with tactile textures, layered lighting and a thoughtfully chosen coffee table, it becomes the heart of the home - equally suited to quiet evenings with a book or gathering friends for drinks. As a modular design, Aurelie can be tailored to suit your space, adapting as your home evolves. Deep foam cushioning and refined piping lend a luxurious finish, while its understated elegance complements both contemporary apartments and period homes. It's a sofa that proves compact living doesn't mean compromising on style, creating a space that's every bit as welcoming as it is beautifully designed. Discover the Aurelie range and configure your own sofa. Morven Create a living room that's made for slowing down with the Morven Sofa. Its generous, pillow-like silhouette brings an inviting softness to compact spaces, while modular elements allow you to tailor the layout to your home. Upholstered in your choice of Heal's luxurious fabrics, Morven combines effortless comfort with timeless Scandinavian design, making it the perfect centrepiece for relaxed, modern living. Discover the Morven range and configure your own sofa. Brunel Compact spaces benefit from furniture that works as hard as it looks, and the Brunel Chaise Sofa does exactly that. Designed exclusively for Heal's by Rob Scarlett, its clean lines and slim proportions combine industrial detailing with mid-century influences to create a timeless centrepiece for modern living.  The clever reversible chaise can be switched from left to right to suit your room as it evolves, making it ideal for apartments and multifunctional spaces. Crafted in Britain with supportive foam and fibre cushions, Brunel offers everyday comfort alongside considered design, proving that compact living doesn't mean compromising on style. Shop the Brunel collection here. What colour sofa is best for a small living room? A compact living room doesn't have to mean compromising on colour. Rich, earthy tones can add warmth and depth without making a space feel enclosed, particularly when paired with furniture that has a lighter visual footprint. The Matera Chaise Sofa is a perfect example, combining slim, elevated legs and clean contemporary lines with beautifully soft leather upholstery. Styled with natural materials, layered textiles and a considered palette, it creates a welcoming focal point that feels both spacious and effortlessly refined. Inspired by our round-up of the best compact corner sofas for small rooms? Invest in just the right one for your interiors by browsing and buying small corner sofas.
    • Left Hand Vs Right Hand Sofas
      Buying Guides
      Left Hand Vs Right Hand Sofas
      Flexible, space-saving and social, left or right corner sofas are seriously worth considering when choosing new seating for your living room, while neither compromise form for functionality. In our expert guide, we show you how to choose left or right corner sofas according to your style and needs, and all just in time for hunkering down at home this winter. Now all that’s left to decide is your next box-set binge. What is a corner sofa? The clue’s in the name when it comes to defining what a corner sofa is – a style with a corner somewhere along its frame so that some of the seats are at right angles to each other. Most are L-shaped, with one side of the corner longer than the other, although some have equal lengths. As one of the most flexible and customisable sofas you can buy, they come in a variety of configurations and sizes to suit every taste and space. Why choose a corner sofa? A corner sofa is one of the best styles to consider buying if you’re looking to save space, as they can usually accommodate a generous number of people without the need for additional seating, such as armchairs, other sofas or ottomans, while being L-shaped means they can be pushed neatly into a corner to open more floor space in the rest of the room. Not only that, but corner sofas offer comfort in spaces, as an extensive number of seats enable those curling up on it to stretch out, put their feet up and kick back. They’re highly sociable, too, whether it’s a group of friends chatting over cocktails on a Saturday night or the whole family huddled together to watch a movie mid-week. Who doesn’t like huddling up in the corner of a cosy room? Do I need a left or right hand corner sofa? One of the trickiest things about choosing this highly adaptable style is working out if you need a left or right hand corner sofa. First thing’s first: assess the style of a corner sofa when it’s facing you, rather than sitting on it. From this position, ‘left hand’ and ‘right hand’ refer to the longest piece of the sofa. An ‘equal’ or ‘standard’ corner sofa, meanwhile, comprises two seating areas measuring the same length and connected at a right angle. How do I choose a corner sofa to suit my space? Thanks to their 90-degree angle, or L-shape, this style of sofa works particularly well in square rooms by slotting tidily into their corners. As a general rule of thumb, the longest piece of the sofa usually works best along the longest wall in a rectangular room, although it’s all down to personal preference – really, there is no wrong or right way. When you’re choosing a corner sofa for a specific space, don’t forget to take into account features like radiators, doorways, windows and fireplaces, all of which can stop yours from sitting flush against the wall. What about a modular sofa? If you’re still worried about getting a left or right corner sofa wrong, opt for a modular corner sofa, which offers superior flexibility by enabling you to ‘build your own’ configuration. Comprising individual ‘modules’, you can essentially create a corner sofa from separate pieces pushed together, making the longest piece on whatever side you want. It also means you can create different configurations whenever you please, which is perfect for accommodating different groups and occasions. Whatever orientation of corner sofa you select, don’t forget to measure the size of the sofa and your space to ensure the latter can accommodate the former. You may also want to consider the other pieces of furniture you have in your room, and measure those accordingly, from the coffee table that will sit in front of it to the side table that needs to fit alongside it. What sort of style do you want? From contemporary to classic, Heal’s is home the best left or right hand corner sofas, whether upholstered in durable leather or stylish fabric. Another element to consider is whether a corner sofa has a chaise end – an extension to the seat with no back at one end – designed for putting your feet up or displaying coffee table books on an oversized tray when not in use. The integration of an ottoman is also available as a left- or right-facing option, too. For more help with choosing a sofa, read our handy sofa buying guide here. Browse and buy a corner sofa to suit your taste and space
    • Heal's 200: Dodie Smith And The Heal's Cat
      Heritage
      Heal's 200: Dodie Smith And The Heal's Cat
      Whilst Heal’s has a long history of famous connections – including the Bloomsbury Group as well as Modigliani – there’s one celebrated name that actually spent time at Heal’s as an employee. Dodie Smith, author of the classic I Capture the Castle and The Hundred and One Dalmatians, spent nearly 10 years working at our flagship store. Read on for the surprising story of Dodie's time at Heal's… Dodie Smith and Heal’s Dodie Smith (1896-1990), acclaimed playwright and author, gas captured the imagination of millions with her compelling storytelling. But before she found fame as a writer, Dodie was a struggling actress in London who eventually gave up her acting pursuits and found a job at Heal’s as a shop assistant. Having joined the business in 1923, she went on to run the toy department among other responsibilities. She quickly made her mark and was renowned among Heal’s staff for her sharp tongue and quick wit. Undeterred by the formidable presence of Ambrose Heal’s long-term mistress Prudence Maufe, she embarked on an affair with Heal which she delighted in keeping secret from other staff. In Valerie Grove’s book ‘Dear Dodie’, she’s described as “not temperamentally suited to the shop girl’s humdrum life of clocking in from nine to six.” She was a fiery character that was prone to tardiness and temper tantrums (she once “flung one of the assistants, a heavy girl, across the china department”) but since she was having an affair with the owner of the store, she knew she was unlikely to be sacked. When Dodie began to find success as a playwright towards the end of her time at Heal's, she moved into a new home in Dorset Square. Ambrose Heal offered to provide all the furniture at cost price but Dodie had something very particular in mind for her bedroom. Having a dislike for conventional wardrobes and chests-of-drawers she suggested purchasing the furniture for that room at Italia House instead. However, Sir Ambrose was horrified at this idea which would have meant buying reproduction furniture, and so he offered to design a suite exactly to her liking. The result was the Dodie wardbrobe which featured inlaid gold art-deco lines. The Dodie Wardrobe designed by Ambrose Heal (1932) Dodie and the Heal's Cat During her time at Heal’s, Dodie became fond of the Heal’s cat which remains on our Cecil Brewer staircase to this day. She wrote in her autobiography Look Back with Astonishment, “On the sill of a window that lit it was a very tall bronze cat, (really a serval) which I came to think of as presiding deity of Heal’s. I later let it be known that it would grant wishes and I was to see various members of the staff reaching up, rather furtively, to touch its paws. And when I eventually sold the cat, which was priced at £40, Mr Heal wrote firmly to the customer – who must have been startled – cancelling the sale, and had a card lettered saying ‘Heal’s Mascot. Not for Sale’.” The beloved Heal's Cat After several years working at Heal’s and having grown tired of competing for Ambrose’s affection, Dodie married a former co-worker, Alec Beesley in 1939. By this stage she was making a name for herself as a playwright and, following rapturous reception of her sixth, Dead Octopus, Dodie and her new husband moved the United States. She continued to receive regular letters from Ambrose Heal. While homesick in the US she wrote her first novel, I Capture the Castle, which was - and still is - very well received. The opening line “I write this sitting in the kitchen sink….” is among one of the most quoted first lines in British fiction and captures Dodie’s strong personality and style of writing. Ambrose himself is even quoted as saying “what a marvellously Dodie-esque opening!” Dodie and the Dalmatians Inspired by her own love of animals, especially Dalmatians, she later tried her hand at children’s fiction. The Hundred and One Dalmatians became her most famous publication, largely in thanks to Walt Disney’s film adaption of the story. Dodie had had a number of Dalmatians as pets over the years and after her husband’s sudden death in 1987, her last Dalmatian, Charley, became her constant companion. She even set aside a sum of money in her will for his care in the event of her death. When Dodie did pass away in 1990, Charley followed just three weeks later. Dodie Smith and Charley Come visit the Heal’s Cat and explore the place Dodie spent many of her formative years at our Tottenham Court Road store.