The Archive will be closed on Monday 25th August for the Bank Holiday
Homeware has been available from Marks & Spencer since the Company was founded.
In our Penny Bazaar shops, items such as stair eyes, brushes, doilies and candles were available at 1d.
Our customer magazine ‘The Grand Annual’, featured adverts for our home ranges including gardening tools, bolts, nutmeg graters and dress hangers.
By 1926, departments included: Household Goods, Glass, China & Earthenware, Cutlery, Hardware and Tin & Enamelware.
Demand for homeware increased as more new homes were being built across the country.
Window displays often featured homeware promotions including ‘National Aluminium Week’ in 1932, and displays of batteries perfect for listening to Coronation events in 1937. Our own homeware brands included Marspen and Monster.
Homeware was advertised in our 1932 customer publication, ‘The Marks & Spencer Magazine’, including this ‘Tango’ teaset.
Homeware was reintroduced in the late 1960s. By 1968 we were selling towels, nylon sheets and matching pillowcases.
We introduced carpets – available in three stores, two of which offered a fitting service. The same year we introduced bathroom fittings and ready-pasted wallcoverings.
We launched our custom-made curtain service. The curtains were fully-lined and available in plain-dye velvet or a range of printed fabrics.
The same year we worked with the V&A on a range of bedlinen and towels inspired by 17th and 18th century prints in the museum’s collection.
Coordinated ranges of bedding and dinnerware were launched, including Autumn Leaves, Harvest and Edwardian Lady.
In 1985 we launched our first Home Furnishings catalogue, featuring 64 pages of bedding, kitchenware, curtains and lighting.
The same year we began selling garden and nursery furniture.
We introduced furniture after a trial in four stores. The range included kitchen tables, cupboards and shelving, sofas, bookcases, curtain poles, bathroom units and sinks.
In 1989 we offered our first range of kitchen electricals. A toaster and two types of kettle were available in our Ashberry and Harvest patterns.
The Home department expanded, offering a wider range. As store space for furniture and homeware was limited, the M&S Home catalogue played an important role in showcasing products, and each issue included most of the range.
In 1990 we launched a range of bathroom furniture including a sink, bath, taps and bath panels.
The stainless steel range was launched, helping homeware sales increase by 8.4%.
In the September issue of our On Your Marks staff magazine we reported that ‘impact zones, dramatic lighting, state-of-the art display equipment and customer work stations are all conspiring to bring a fresh new concept to home furnishings department.’
A new look was unveiled for the Home Catalogue. It presented ‘three new inspirational lifestyle looks for the home’. These included Simply Elegant, Modern Living and Country Comfort.
‘Get the Look’ pages showed how to recreate the styles, offering complete room solutions for living and sleeping.
In 2010 we sold towels made from 100% Supima cotton, making them luxuriously soft and thick.
Only 1% of the world’s cotton supply carried this high-quality label.
We launched Loft – a range of ‘Stylish designs for modern living, from compact sofas and armchairs to contemporary crockery and lighting’ created to work well in smaller spaces.
Sleep Shop arrived, aimed at helping customers get a good night’s sleep.
The range includes everything from mattresses to bedding, even scented sleep sprays and pyjamas. Our innovative Comfortably Cool bedding made from a smooth and breathable Tencel™ blend fabric was a key product in the range.
We launched guest brands across M&S, including home brands like Denby, Joseph Joseph and Laura Ashley.
The following year, the M&S X Fired Earth collection launched. The M&S design team carefully curated the collection of furniture, bedding , cushions and towels featuring prints inspired by the brand’s iconic tile designs and signature colours.
