HEAL’S EXCLUSIVE

Owl Cabinet

This season sees Heal’s relaunch one of its iconic designs: the Owl Cabinet. Produced in a strictly limited run, it offers a rare opportunity to own a defining piece of British design heritage. Affectionately named for its distinctive large roundels, the cabinet is a landmark of early 20th-century furniture design.

Created in 1905 by Sir Ambrose Heal – a pioneering figure in British furniture design and great-grandson of Heal’s founder, John Harris Heal – the cabinet marked a considered move into Arts and Crafts design and remained in production from 1906 to 1927.

For AW26, the Owl Cabinet is crafted from solid oak, combining traditional techniques including tongue-and-groove back panels and dovetail joinery to ensure strength, durability and integrity of design. A defining feature is its innovative heart-shaped recessed handles, integrated seamlessly into the surface to create a clean, uninterrupted silhouette. The handles became a signature brand motif, widely adopted and reinterpreted in later collections, reinforcing the cabinet’s lasting design influence.

Adapting to modern life, whether used as a drink’s cabinet, additional pantry space or as bedroom storage, the cabinets’ versatility reflects Sir Ambrose Heal’s vision of creating well-made, purposeful furniture, a philosophy that continues to shape Heal’s today.

Owl Cabinet by Heal’s, £4,999, ‘Milktooth’ limited edition print by Fleur Simons for Heal’s Discovers, from £150, Katherine Fraser for Heal’s Discovers woven cushion, £95, Woodland table lamp by Heal’s, £209, Winding rug by Heal’s + Linie Design, from £489, CH25 Armchair by Carl Hansen & Søn, from £3,721.