Object of Desire: Seaweed-Printed Kitchen Linens from Molesworth & Bird

We’ve previously admired the work of Melanie Molesworth and Julia Bird, longtime friends and former stylists who, for their shop, Molesworth & Bird, walk the coast near their respective homes in Dorset and Cornwall to gather seaweed, then press and preserve the specimens into painterly prints, cushions, enamelware, and other housewares. (See Shopper’s Diary: Molesworth & Bird in Cornwall.)

Lately I’ve been particularly taken by their pressed-seaweed tea towels and napkins: the ephemeral captured in an everyday object.

Take a look:

the seaweed print linen tea towel in sea oak (£15). each tea towel is mad 9 — Above: The Seaweed Print Linen Tea Towel in Sea Oak (£15). Each tea towel is made of 100 percent linen and digitally printed with the image of an original seaweed pressing.

the seaweed print linen union tea towel in dulse (£15). 10 — Above: The Seaweed Print Linen Union Tea Towel in Dulse (£15).

molesworth and bird sea beech seaweed print tea towel 11

Above L: The Seaweed Print Linen Union Tea Towel in Sea Beech and a detail of the woven cotton tape loop hanger.

the seaweed print linen tea towel in the aptly named beautiful fan weed (£ 13 — Above: The Seaweed Print Linen Tea Towel in the aptly named Beautiful Fan Weed (£15).

molesworth and bird royal fern weed napkin 14

molesworth and bird spiral wrack napkin 15

Above: The duo also make printed linen and cotton napkins featuring 12 different seaweed species, like the Seaweed Print Napkin in Royal Fern Weed (at left) and the Seaweed Print Napkin in Spiral Wrack (at right), £18.