Placemats and Linens

Placemats and kitchen linens protect a dining table while setting its tone, from the weight of a linen runner down to the small detail of a cork-backed coaster. Our collection brings together makers whose tea towels wash well into their tenth year, and placemats whose edges stay flat on the table rather than curling by spring.

  • - 20% OFF
    Curve Coaster Natural Leather Curve Coaster Natural Leather
    +1
  • - 20% OFF
    Heal's Linen Napkin Wine Red Linen Heal's Linen Napkin Slate Linen
  • - 20% OFF
    Heal's Linen Placemat Wine Red Linen Heal's Linen Placemat Slate Linen
  • - 20% OFF
    Heal's Linen Runner Wine Red Linen Heal's Linen Runner
  • - 15% OFF
    Curve Placemat Black Curve Placemat Black
    +1
  • - 20% OFF
    Heal's Linen Tablecloth Wine Red Linen Heal's Linen Tablecloth
  • - 15% OFF
    Beach Clean Oval Placemat Set of 4 Beach Clean Oval Placemat Set of 4
  • - 15% OFF
    Natural Cork Round Coasters Set of 4 Natural Cork Round Coasters Set of 4
  • - 15% OFF
    Beach Clean Round Coaster Set of 4 Beach Clean Round Coaster Set of 4
  • - 15% OFF
    Square Placemat Black Square Placemat Black

A standard placemat measures around 35 by 45cm, large enough to sit a plate, bowl and side plate without overlap. Round placemats of 35 to 38cm diameter suit single-plate settings and circular tables, while rectangular mats work harder when the setting grows to include a bread plate or water glass on the mat itself.

Cork-backed placemats handle heat up to around 100 degrees and don't slide on a polished table, making them the practical choice for everyday dining. Fabric placemats, especially linen and cotton, feel softer and more refined for dinner parties, though they need spot-cleaning between uses and don't take direct heat from serving dishes.

Linen tea towels, runners and napkins soften with each wash and are best run at 40 degrees with a non-biological detergent. Line-drying outdoors preserves the fibre's strength and gives a natural press, while tumble-drying on low shortens the routine without damaging the weave. Iron while slightly damp for the sharpest finish.

A runner unifies the length of a rectangular table and suits long-format settings with centrepieces and shared platters. Individual placemats break the table into place-by-place settings and work better on round tables where a runner has no natural direction. Many households use both, switching based on the occasion.