November is when the house starts filling up again. The tree goes up, the table gets set more often, and the rooms we ignored all summer suddenly matter. Our new arrivals this month landed with that in mind: a few pieces for the Christmas table, a couple for the rooms where we actually live, and one for the cats. Here are five fresh finds worth a look before the holiday rush picks over them.
Gold-foil Christmas napkins that do the small jobs well
Some of the best new arrivals are the unglamorous ones. These 80-piece Christmas cocktail napkins at $21.99 are green paper napkins with a gold-foil embossed finish, made for Christmas parties and holiday dinners. Eighty is a generous count, enough for a proper gathering rather than a quiet night in, and because they are disposable there is nothing to wash at the end of the evening. They are the kind of thing you buy once, use all season, and wonder why you ever served drinks on plain white. If you are hosting this year, put them on the list early. You can find more seasonal table pieces in our Christmas collection.
A bar chair that warms up the kitchen island
The Brown and Black Solid Wood and Iron Backless Counter-Height Bar Chair at $117.99 is a 25-inch counter-height seat in rich brown solid sheesham wood on a sleek black iron frame. The backless, armless design keeps it simple and lets it slide right under the counter when it is not in use, and a footrest gives your legs somewhere to go during a long chat over coffee. It seats one comfortably, which is exactly what a kitchen island needs: a perch for the person keeping the cook company. Warm wood against black iron suits most kitchens, and it works just as well pulled up to a home bar.
A white swivel chair for the home office
If your desk chair has been quietly falling apart since you started working from home, this one is worth a look. The White and Silver Faux Leather Adjustable Swivel Rolling Office Chair at $189.99 pairs a white faux leather seat and back with a silver steel base. The height adjusts, the base swivels, and smooth-rolling casters move easily across different flooring. The curved, partially open back gives it a lighter look than most office chairs, and the steel frame is rated to 250 lbs, so it is built for daily use rather than occasional sitting. It fits an office, a bedroom corner or a dorm, anywhere a chair needs to look good and work hard.
A two-tier playpen for the cats
Cat owners know the look: a kitten that needs its own space, or a new arrival settling in. The Cat Cage Playpen at $58.99 is a two-tier indoor enclosure measuring 28 by 28 by 28 inches, with a ladder for climbing and room for one to two cats. It works as a kitten kennel, a safe spot while you are out, or a quiet corner for a cat that needs a break from the household. It is the practical sort of new arrival, the one you buy because it solves a real problem, and at under $60 it does the job without feeling like a major purchase.
The pineapple lantern that says welcome
Our favourite of this batch is the one that greets you at the door. The Lanai 3-Light Black Coral Hanging Light at $219.99 is shaped like a pineapple, the old symbol of hospitality, in clear textured pineapple-cut glass with a black coral finish. It is cast aluminium, 21 inches high and 9.5 inches wide, and it arrives pre-assembled with the installation hardware included, so hanging it is straightforward. It suits a front door, where it sets the tone before anyone steps inside, or over a dining table, where it becomes the conversation piece. We reviewed the Lanai light properly in October and liked it then; seeing it back as part of this month’s arrivals only confirms it. It also pairs naturally with the warm, earthy pieces in our Home Decor collection, where a little texture goes a long way.
How to shop the new arrivals
Five pieces, five different jobs: the table, the kitchen, the office, the cats and the front door. That is usually how a good arrivals batch works, a little bit of everything rather than five versions of the same thing. If one of them caught your eye, the links above take you straight to the listing, with the delivery estimate shown at checkout. And if you are already thinking about Christmas, the napkins are the place to start: small, useful and gone fast once December arrives.