An unexpected material, beautiful color, and a new way to dress the table. Sometimes a new collection comes into the shop and you immediately wonder how you ever did without it. That's how we feel about Graf Lantz.
It started with the placemats. We loved the clean shapes and beautiful colors, but what really caught our attention was the material: Merino wool felt. Soft yet structured, warm but modern, it looked surprisingly wonderful next to the linens, ceramics, and glassware we already loved.
Then we discovered the coasters. And the eyeglass cases. And, yes, the bags. We were hooked.
A Material Worth Building a Brand Around
Graf Lantz was founded in Los Angeles in 2008 by Holger Graf and Daniel Lantz, who brought together a rather wonderful mix of influences: German precision, Japanese craftsmanship, and California ease.
At the center of it all is Merino wool felt. And if “felt” makes you think of the synthetic sheets in the craft aisle, this is something entirely different.
Graf Lantz's felt is made from Merino wool. It's dense and substantial, beautifully soft, and has a natural structure that makes it remarkably versatile. It can sit crisply beneath a dinner plate, protect a tabletop, cushion a pair of glasses, or become a beautifully shaped handbag.
Merino wool is also naturally moisture-wicking and resistant to dirt and odor. Graf Lantz's 100% Merino wool felt is renewable and biodegradable.
In other words, it's beautiful—but it also earns its keep. That's our favorite combination.
Wool + Linen: An Unexpectedly Good Pair
We spend a lot of time talking about layering a table, and Graf Lantz has given us a whole new texture to play with.
There is something particularly beautiful about wool and linen together. Linen is soft and relaxed. Wool felt has a little more structure. Add ceramic dinnerware, glass, perhaps a bit of wood, and suddenly a simple table has depth and interest without needing much decoration at all. We especially love using Graf Lantz placemats as a foundation and letting the linen be a little looser on top. Fold a napkin casually beside the plate, add your everyday dinnerware and a handful of flowers, and you're done.
And please don't save them for company. These are exactly the sort of pieces that make scrambled eggs on a Tuesday morning feel just a little nicer. The colorful Bierfilzl coasters, inspired by traditional wool felt coasters found in Bavarian beer halls, may be even easier. Leave them stacked on the coffee table or scattered around the house wherever a drink tends to land.
Useful. Colorful. Unfussy.
Then We Found the Bags
This is where Graf Lantz really won us over. The same material that works so beautifully on a table turns out to make a very good bag.
Merino wool felt is lightweight but structured, soft but resilient. Graf Lantz pairs it with materials such as leather and canvas to create bags that feel modern and distinctive without looking overly “fashion.”
They're the kind of bags we like best: interesting enough to get noticed, simple enough to carry for years. And the smaller accessories might be even harder to resist. A Merino wool eyeglass case is admittedly not something anyone needs to get excited about. Until you hold one.
Why Graf Lantz Belongs at Welcome Home
You might reasonably ask what handbags and eyeglass cases are doing in a linen store. We think they make perfect sense.
We've always believed that the pleasure of a beautiful home comes from the little things: the linen napkin you use every day, the glass that feels good in your hand, the kitchen tool that works exactly as it should.
Graf Lantz approaches design in much the same way. Take something ordinary. Make it exceptionally well. Make it beautiful. Then use it.
A placemat, a coaster, a bag, an eyeglass case—they're everyday things. But when they're made from a beautiful natural material, in a wonderful color, with attention to how they'll actually be used, they become something more. That feels very much at home here.
How We're Styling Graf Lantz
Our best advice is simple: don't match too much. If you're using patterned linens, choose a felt placemat that picks up a secondary color—or go in a completely different direction and create some contrast.
With a neutral table, let the wool provide the color. And when everything else is colorful, try a quiet natural shade underneath.
The goal isn't a perfectly coordinated table. It's a table that looks as though you've collected things you love and discovered that they happen to look wonderful together.
We take the same approach with the bags. Let the texture do the work. Wear a Graf Lantz bag with denim and a white shirt, a linen dress in summer, or a favorite sweater when the weather turns cooler. Choose a neutral that goes everywhere or make the bag the one unexpected bit of color in an otherwise simple outfit.
A Word About Caring for Wool
One of the pleasures of Merino wool is that it's relatively unfussy. Wool is naturally resistant to dirt and odor, so it doesn't need constant cleaning. For placemats and coasters, gently shake or brush away crumbs. If something spills, blot rather than rub, and approach small spots with cool water and a light touch.
For bags and accessories—particularly pieces that combine wool with leather—follow Graf Lantz's care instructions for the individual piece. Mostly, though, use it. These aren't things meant to be admired from a safe distance.
Fresh in the Shop
We're delighted to welcome Graf Lantz to Welcome Home with Merino wool felt placemats, coasters, bags, eyeglass cases, and accessories.
Come in and feel the wool. Mix the colors. Put a placemat next to your favorite linen. Try on a bag. Pick up an eyeglass case and understand why we're strangely enthusiastic about eyeglass cases now.
We think you'll get it.
Because what Graf Lantz does exceptionally well is something we've always believed in:
