Our History

In 1987, the Carstairs family's farm became the launch pad for their foray into the homeware business.

Louise, a gardening enthusiast who inherited her passion from her grandmother, began growing flowers on the family farm in Fife. What started as a personal interest soon turned into a business venture as Louise realised the importance of diversification in the challenging farming world of the 1990s. She began growing, harvesting, and drying beautiful flowers, catching the attention of major retailers across the UK.

Louise's business (SEL Ltd)  flourished, earning her accolades such as the John Logie Baird award for innovation and Daily Express Businesswoman of the Year.

During a summer when Louise's general manager fell ill and business opportunities multiplied, a reluctant Donny, who had a background in accountancy, stepped in to help as the acting manager. This baptism of fire was the catalyst for Donny's realisation that he, funnily enough, had a knack for running a business.

Donny's desire to run his own business led him to purchase The Just Slate Company in 2006. At the time the small company offered only a handful of slate products, but their exceptional quality and aesthetic appeal quickly attracted the attention of retailers like John Lewis.

Donny, the driving force behind the extraordinary growth of the company, says modestly that "the rest is history." But the family business’s journey has been marked by countless hours of hard work, constant business adjustments, and personal growth. The Just Slate Company has showcased unwavering adaptability, forward-thinking, and a steadfast team ethos.

After six years of hard work and experiencing consistent sales growth, Donny faced a challenge in 2011. He recognised that relying solely on slate products for sales growth was not sustainable. To adapt and continue growing, he decided to diversify the business by exploring new materials and products. Donny used his network of business contacts and collaborated with his sister Emma to source complementary cheese and wine accessories.

One unforgettable moment in the journey of exploring "new products" was the gutsy move to splurge on thousands of units of the iconic "Glass Red Chilli" bottle stopper. And boy, did that gamble pay off! That little red chilli was a massive hit, quickly becoming everyone's favourite and became the catalyst  for a whole range of other fabulous complementary accessories. Talk about a game-changer!

In 2016, Selbrae House sought to expand its range further and embarked on a collaboration with skilled woodworkers from Sfax, Tunisia, a picturesque fishing port on the Mediterranean coast.

Led by Sabre and his wife Maroua, this remarkable family-run team handcrafts olive wood pieces, skilfully carving them from a single block of wood. Each Olive Wood product is a one-of-a-kind masterpiece, bringing the warmth, vibrant colours, and captivating textures of the Mediterranean into homes. From serving bowls to chopping boards and kitchen utensils, these meticulously crafted items add a complimentary handcrafted splendour to the range.

In 2017, Just Slate embarked on an exciting new venture that exemplified our unwavering commitment to growth and environmental stewardship. Introducing Scottish Made, we proudly unveiled a distinguished collection of oak serveware products, each meticulously crafted from oak trees sourced in the nearby woodlands.

This pivotal moment marked a significant milestone in our journey, as we recognized the importance of sustainable practices in preserving the beauty of our natural resources.

In 2017 we introduced engraving, a revolutionary service that transformed the way we added a special touch to our products and elevated them to a whole new level.

With the help of sister Emma's talented hand-drawn designs, our slate and oak pieces became even more exclusive and meaningful creations, resonating deeply with our beloved customers.

Our engravings showcased iconic images such as stags, highland cows, and thistles, setting a high standard for exceptional designs. The overwhelmingly positive response from our customers convinced us to invest in a second engraving machine in 2018, followed by three more in 2019. But our customers' desire for truly unique pieces didn't stop there - we took it upon ourselves and invested in four more machines to cater to the overwhelming demand, bringing our total number of engraving stations to eight.

In 2020, we proudly introduced the Linen Table collection, a testament to our dedication to honouring tradition while embracing contemporary design. Each exquisite linen homeware piece is meticulously handwoven in Scotland's last remaining linen mill, using time-honoured techniques.

During a serendipitous trip to Tunisia in 2020, where we met Sabre and Maroua, the husband-and-wife duo who supply our Olive Wood, we discovered a remarkable connection. Maroua's mother, a highly skilled textile worker specializing in screen-printing and sewing, became an integral part of our partnership with the Sabre family. Now, rolls of our locally woven Scottish linen are shipped to her, where she lovingly transforms them into the beautiful pieces found in our collection. The finished Scottish Linen products, along with our olive wood pieces, then make their way back to Scotland.

Despite being separated by distance it is an honour for our family business to support another whose values align so closely with ours.

In 2023, Selbrae House opened the doors to its first high street store in our beloved hometown of St Andrews. 
This exciting venture sets the stage for an immersive retail experience that embodies the essence of our brand and showcases our exceptional products.

As we venture into 2024, we stand at the threshold of an exciting rebranding journey, signalling the beginning of a new era. From our humble beginnings, we have grown to a family of cherished brands, including Just Slate, Naturally Med, The Linen Table, and Scottish Made, united by common themes of the natural world, freshness, innovation, and the timeless art of craftsmanship.

Looking towards the future, we are thrilled to unveil our new unified identity as Selbrae House. This exciting evolution brings together all our brands under one name, one place, one family, offering a diverse array of beautifully complementary products.

Throughout this period of change, our unwavering commitment to quality and excellence remains steadfast. We invite you to join us on this journey at Selbrae House, where we continue to strive to create products that are meaningfully made for you and for your loved ones.