Our Materials
At Selbrae House, natural materials are at the heart of everything we create. From oak and slate to olive wood and linen, each element in our collection is carefully chosen for its beauty, character, and connection to the natural world.
Whether you feel most at home in the countryside or simply love bringing nature indoors, our materials offer something special — tactile textures, unique markings, and a story rooted in field, forest, and mountainside.
Thoughtfully sourced and built to last, our products are more than just functional — they’re made to be cherished. Whether you’re setting your own table or choosing a meaningful gift, natural materials bring warmth, sustainability, and timeless appeal to every moment.
Slate
There’s something truly special about slate. Each piece in our collection begins its journey deep within the earth, formed over millions of years through incredible heat and pressure. The result? A beautifully unique, fine-grained stone that’s as strong as it is striking.
Our slate pieces don’t just look good — they tell a story. With their rich, dark tones and naturally textured surfaces, they bring a sense of understated elegance to your home. Whether you’re hosting a dinner party or enjoying a quiet night in, slate adds that extra touch of timeless style.
Slate is also a wonderfully sustainable choice, because slate is a natural material, it’s built to last. When you're ready to move on, it can be repurposed, recycled, or even passed down — ready for the next chapter in its story.
Why Slate...
We chose to work with slate for several reasons, and there are many good reasons for using slate around your home:
Slate is known for its exceptional durability. It can withstand heavy use and is resistant to scratches, making it a reliable choice for tableware and serveware that will last for years.
A significant benefit of slate is its natural weight. Unlike other lighter materials such as plastic, cork or melamine, slate's heavy and sturdy characteristics make it less likely to move around on a table or be knocked over with accidental bumps. For instance, our slate coasters aren’t going to stick to the base of your glasses or end up in your lap while enjoying your drink. The weight of slate also provides a luxurious feel to your serveware and table setting, adding a sense of sophistication and elegance to your dining experience.
Slate is known to be highly heat resistant, capable of withstanding temperatures of up to 200 degrees Celsius (392 degrees Fahrenheit) without getting damaged or damaging the surface beneath. This makes slate an excellent choice for serving hot dishes directly from the oven or stovetop.
The heat resistance of slate ensures that you can confidently place hot pots, pans, or serving dishes directly onto slate trivets, coasters, or serving platters without any concerns about warping, cracking, or discoloration to the slate itself and the surface below.
Slate has excellent temperature regulation properties. By placing your slate serveware in the fridge before use, it can effectively keep food at a lower temperature throughout your meal. Your prosciutto will stay beautifully fresh, fruits will remain nicely chilled, and cheeses will be served at the ideal temperature, enhancing the overall dining experience.
Slate's clean aesthetic adds an elegant and modern touch to your table setting. Its natural dark colour and rich texture create a sleek backdrop for presenting a variety of foods.
Slate offers great functionality as serveware. Its non-porous nature means it doesn't absorb smells, flavours, or bacteria, ensuring that your food remains fresh and uncontaminated. This makes it ideal for serving strong-flavoured foods like cheese and meats without worrying about cross-contamination.
Oak
At the heart of our oak collection is a story of craftsmanship, community, and care for the land. We source our oak from the woodlands of Scotland, just miles from our workshop, through a meaningful partnership with Scottish Wood — a local initiative dedicated to reviving native woodland culture for the benefit of people and planet.
By choosing Scottish-grown oak, we reduce our environmental footprint and help support rural jobs and traditional skills right here in the UK. When local supply can’t meet demand, we turn to Woodland Heritage in Hereford — a like-minded partner who shares our commitment to responsible forestry and sustainability.
Did you know that only 6% of hardwoods used in the UK are locally sourced? Most are imported — and much of our native woodland goes unmanaged, threatening biodiversity and woodland health.
That’s why we’re proud to use British-grown oak. Every board, tray, and coaster crafted from this beautiful timber not only brings warmth and character to your home, but also plays a small part in protecting our countryside for future generations.
Our oak is more than just a material — it’s a celebration of heritage, sustainability, and timeless design.
Why Oak...
Oak is a popular choice due to its unique benefits. Here are some advantages of using oak for use around the home:
Oak is a hardwood known for its strength and durability. Oak can withstand the frequent use, cutting, and scraping that can occur during serving and preparation. And It is less prone to warping or splitting than softer woods, ensuring longevity.
Oak has natural antimicrobial properties that help inhibit the growth of bacteria. This is particularly beneficial for cheese boards and serving platters, as it can help maintain food safety and hygiene.
Oak wood has a warm and natural appearance with unique grain patterns, providing an attractive backdrop for showcasing cheese and other food items. It adds a country aesthetic to table settings but is equally at home in modern décor.
Oak is relatively easy to clean and maintain. It can be wiped down with a damp cloth or gently hand-washed with mild soap and warm water. Periodically applying a food-safe wax-oil or beeswax finish can help preserve the wood and maintain its appearance.
By choosing Selbrae House's oak products, you are making a positive impact on the environment as oak is a renewable resource and our sourcing practices are sustainable.
Linen
Our linen collection brings together timeless texture and striking design — crafted with care at every stage, from weave to finished stitch.
Each piece begins with expertly woven linen-cotton fabric, chosen for its natural softness, durability, and relaxed drape. Our distinctive designs are screen printed by hand, creating bold yet refined patterns that bring warmth and character to your table.
The final touch? Skilled sewing by our artisan partners, who finish each piece with incredible attention to detail — ensuring beauty, consistency, and quality you can feel.
From napkins and table runners to tea towels, every item in the collection is made with intention — a celebration of slow living, thoughtful design, and the joy of gathering.
Bring something truly special to the table — linen that’s made to last, and made to be loved.
Why Linen...
A linen and cotton mix is commonly used for table runners, napkins, and tea towels as this is a combination with great qualities. Here are some advantages of using a linen and cotton blend for these items:
The combination of linen and cotton creates a fabric that is durable and long-lasting. Linen is known for its strength, while cotton adds softness and flexibility to the fabric blend. This ensures our products can withstand regular use and washing without easily wearing out.
Both linen and cotton have excellent absorbent properties, making them ideal for use in napkins and tea towels. The fabric blend can effectively soak up spills and moisture, keeping surfaces clean and dry. This absorbency also helps in drying dishes and glassware.
Linen is highly breathable, allowing air to circulate through the fabric. The breathability of the blend helps prevent the build-up of moisture and odours, ensuring freshness and cleanliness.
Linen and cotton blends are valued for their natural and timeless aesthetic. The combination of the two fibres creates a fabric with a sophisticated, textured appearance that adds elegance to table settings and can complement all occasions, whether casual or formal.
Linen and cotton mix fabrics are generally easy to care for. They can withstand machine washing and regular use without losing their quality or shape. Additionally, the fabric blend tends to wrinkle less than pure linen, making it more practical for our products.
Olive Wood
Our olive wood collection is as meaningful as it is beautiful — each piece telling a story of tradition, sustainability, and thoughtful design.
The wood we use comes from centuries-old olive trees that have reached the natural end of their fruit-bearing life. By allowing these trees to fully mature, they store maximum carbon over their lifetime — making olive wood one of the most sustainable materials available.
Every board, utensil, and accessory is hand-carved by our skilled partners in Tunisia — a small, dedicated team we’ve built a close relationship with over the years. Nothing goes to waste; even the smallest offcuts are transformed into elegant, useful pieces for the home.
Each item is made using traditional methods that honour both the material and the maker. And thanks to olive wood’s natural strength and striking grain, these pieces aren’t just made to use — they’re made to last.
Bring a touch of rustic warmth and sustainability into your kitchen with pieces that blend beauty, heritage, and heart.
Why Olive Wood...
Olive wood has unique properties that make it a popular choice for kitchenware and serveware:
Olive wood is a dense and hard wood that is naturally strong and durable. This makes it ideal for use as a chopping board and carving board, as it can withstand cutting and chopping without easily getting scratched or damaged. Moreover, the high density of olive wood can prevent bacterial accumulation, ensuring food safety and hygiene.
Olive wood has natural antibacterial properties that help prevent the growth of bacteria and fungi, making it ideal for use in food preparation. This property is due to the presence of polyphenols in the wood, which act as a natural disinfectant.
Olive wood is an eco-friendly option for kitchenware and serveware, as it is a renewable resource. The wood is derived from olive trees that have reached the end of their fruit-bearing life, or have fallen naturally. Moreover, olive wood is biodegradable, making it a sustainable and environmentally responsible choice.
Olive wood has a unique and beautiful grain pattern that adds an elegant and rustic touch to utensils, chopping boards, carving boards, and bowls. The wood's natural markings and colour variations make every item unique and visually attractive.
Olive wood is free from toxic substances and chemicals, making it a safe and healthy option for food preparation. Unlike plastic or synthetic materials, olive wood does not release harmful substances when exposed to high heats.
At Selbrae House, we take pride in leveraging these raw materials to present a range of products that not only showcase the inherent beauty of the materials but also exemplify our commitment to sustainability and craftsmanship.