DESTINATION STORE HEAL’S
The department store for the home: a one-stop shop where you can find everything from mattresses to light fittings. Discover our top picks and reader discount
Did you know that Heal’s was responsible for
introducing Britons to the modern mattress? When founder John Harris Heal set up shop in London’s Rathbone Place in 1810, featherbeds were a novelty from France, but must have been a welcome innovation for Brits accustomed to ones filled with straw. Ever since, Heal’s has remained a mattress specialist: its Sleep Studio sells five different types, all handmade in the UK using traditional methods.
Since the store’s flagship opened on Tottenham Court Road in 1818, beds and bedroom furniture have continued to play a big role in its success. But now its offering has expanded hugely to include items for every imaginable area of the home. Shoppers will find concessions and selected pieces by big international furniture brands such as Fritz Hansen, Moroso, Vitra and Porada; a lighting department where designs by Anglepoise and Tom Dixon sit alongside a ‘pick & mix’ bar of light fittings, ceiling roses and cables; and a selection of carefully curated vintage pieces, including beautiful rugs.
When designer Sir Ambrose Heal joined the family firm in 1893, the store’s furniture acquired a reputation for being the most directional in Britain. It was the era of the Arts & Crafts movement, which championed hand-carved wooden furniture. So important was Heal’s furniture at this time that Ambrose Heal received a knighthood in 1933 for raising British design standards.
Today, Heal’s honours this commitment to craft through its range of handmade wooden furniture and a display dedicated to ceramics by modern designer makers, among them Luke Bishop and Yuta Segawa. New this season is the elegant but sturdy ‘Cooks Table’, inspired by country kitchens, and the ‘ Blythe’ bedroom collection, which filters Arts & Crafts style through a contemporary lens and is named after Blythe House, the west London home of the Heal’s archive at the V&A. This winter, there’s also the exciting ‘Design Africa’ showcase, which spotlights the continent’s most exciting talents in ceramics, glass and textiles.
The best place to see the complete Heal’s offering is at the Tottenham Court Road store, a three-storey space built in the Venetian palazzo style with a stunning spiral staircase. The brand also has branches in Westbourne Grove, Kingston upon Thames, Brighton and Redbrick Mill in West Yorkshire. Also, check out its revamped website for an easy way to shop. heals.com
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