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Objects of Design #255: Westelm is Coming

cadiz wool rug from westelm
cadiz wool rug from £144 fromwestelm 

Less than a month to go people. The second great American behemoth to land on our shores (yes, yes J Crew we love you but we prefer the US prices frankly) is Westelm and it opens on 5 December. That’s about three-and-a-half weeks *screams a like a One Direction fan*.

chunky tassel throws £50 from westelm
chunky tassel throws £50 from westelm

So, I thought it was time to have a proper poke about the store and see what they’ve got. The new store, which will be in Tottenham Court Road, will be around 16,000 sq ft, so there’s plenty of space for all sorts of stuff.

organic cotton pintuck duvet cover in slate from westelm
organic cotton pintuck duvet cover in slate, prices start at £17

One thing that won’t be coming straight away is the lighting. This is simply because the Americans have different wiring to us and they need to reconfigure the US lights to the UK market, which will take a little time. Don’t fret though, the lighting should be here in the spring.

thai embroidered two tone cushion cover
thai embroidered two tone cushion cover for £28.29

But there’s still plenty to see (and to want) even without the lighting. I’ve just pulled out a few things that fit with the November theme of nesting. I want them all and this is only a fraction of what the store will have in stock.

kite kilim floor pouf
kite kilim floor pouf £180

I don’t know about you, but having had a closer look at what’s on its way, I can feel my credit card flexing its muscles. Race you to the checkout.

One point worth making: there has been a bit of hoo ha around the prices at the new J Crew store, which many feel have turned it from high street to high end as many of the clothes appear to cost twice as much in the UK.

Well, fear not people, the Westelm prices will be broadly in line with those in the US although they will differ slightly from the GB£ prices quoted on the current website as those don’t include shipping taxes and VAT. I have it on good authority that there will be no shockers when it comes to prices.

 

Kate Watson-Smyth

The author Kate Watson-Smyth

I’m a journalist who writes about interiors mainly for The Financial Times but I have also written regularly for The Independent and The Daily Mail. My house has been in Living Etc, HeartHome and featured in The Wall Street Journal & Corriere della Sera. I also run an interior styling consultancy Mad About Your House. Welcome to my Mad House.

7 Comments

  1. Sounds great – I love the two tone embroidered cushions. I don’t know the store at all, but will be down there like a shot when it opens.

  2. You have just made my day. Going to the States for Thanksgiving and I was going to take an empty suitcase or two to load up on homewares from my favourite shop but now I can end the transatlantic decor shipping nonsense! I wasn’t looking forward to trying to get a rug and some cookware within the baggage allowance…

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