I wrote in February about my new Chilewich place mats (read here). This was the very first time I had discovered the American brand Chilewich and I have been so impressed with them that I also bought their Manhattan tray, and most recently, their metallic lace table runner.
Quite a few places stock Chilewich here in the UK, for example Heals, Selfridges and one of my favourite online stores called Amara. I also found out that Chilewich are opening their first ever retail store in New York in September. I can only wish they did the same in London (although my wallet would not appreciate!)
I think their products are fabulous because from a distance they can look like natural fabrics but they are in fact made of vinyl which requires very little maintenance. Curries have been easy to wipe off the next day and I have put hot ovenware directly onto the place mats as well (well, they are supposed to be heat resistant anyway). I am also happy to report that they seem to be baby proof. Our toddler has done her absolute best to destroy them in the last few months and they still look like the day I got them :).
I had a very special occasion recently I had to buy a table runner for. My previous table runner was polyester and had to be washed in 40 degrees. Of course that meant that the food stains would not come off so I decided it was time to get a table runner that would be more stain resistant.
I was looking for something quite glamorous and it had to be silver. The table runner will not be used everyday so it doesn’t need to be that practical but I don’t want anything that can stain. Chilewich seemed like the perfect choice and first I ordered their lattice table runner purely based on the pictures. Unfortunately when I saw it in real life it looked more beige than silver (the downside of buying online) and the colour just did not complement our black dining room table.
The metallic lace runner on the other hand looked perfect. I used www.amara.com again and I am very impressed with their customer service. If they would offer free returns, they would get 5 out of 5.
Here it is!
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| Large Candle Holder: Ikea Tea light holder: Laura Ashley |
And with a White Table Cloth!
I find the piece exquisite looking and it works incredibly well on its own or over a white table cloth if you are going for a more formal look. It looks particularly stunning on a black glass table and from a distance it looks as it’s made of metal rather than textile. I was slightly disappointed when I realised how delicate it is. I was considering returning it for this reason but I will only use it for special occasions so it should be ok.. Also, it could have been a few centimetres wider especially since our table is slightly oval shaped.
It’s certainly not an everyday piece but I am glad we have a fancy one for special occasions. For a more durable table runner, I would consider the lattice runner as they look pretty indestructible in real life! I am planning to add a few more pieces to my collection soon but I might wait until our next trip to the States as their products are much cheaper there.
For more information about their products, visit www.chilewich.com.
