Is the new Mango homeware range worth the money? We put it to the test

The pictures are gorgeous, but you can only order online – so how does Mango’s homeware hold up IRL?

The coveted collection spans bed linen, bath towels and mats, cushion covers, blankets and even house clothes (iStock/The Independent)

The choice of online homeware shops has never been more vast. And the high street has really upped its game in recent years, with the likes of Zara Home, H&M Home, Anthropologie and Urban Outfitters proving to be legitimate rivals to interiors-only names like Made.com and Habitat.

Now Spanish label Mango has thrown its hat into the ring as a contender, unveiling an edit of textiles and soft furnishings “inspired by the Mediterranean way of life”, aptly dubbed Mediterranean Views.

The new collection, which dropped at the end of April, spans bed linen, bath towels and mats, cushion covers, blankets and even house clothes like bathrobes and pyjamas, made from lightweight fabrics like sustainable cotton and linen to give that easy breezy coastal feel.

With relaxed linen textures and neutral aplenty, it’s covetably on trend. But with such a saturated market, do we need another store trying to make a play for our interiors budget?

As it’s only available online, you won’t be able to head into stores to try before you buy – so we took a closer look at Mango’s homeware launch to find out.

Read more:

• 10 best linen bedding sets that are low maintenance and chic
• A first look at the affordable John Lewis Anyday range
• The best mattresses of 2021 reviewed

You can trust our independent reviews. We may earn commission from some of the retailers, but we never allow this to influence selections, which are formed from real-world testing and expert advice. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.

Design

The colours in the new Mango offering are mostly soft neutrals, with the odd shot of sunshine – think sorbet yellow bed sheets (£89.99 for a king, Mango.com) and towels in shades of vivid cerulean blue (£25.99, Mango.com). But don’t expect colourful prints and patterns here, because aside from stripes and gingham, this is strictly basics territory. 

This isn’t a criticism – in fact, we’d wager that’ll be a major contributor to its success. The clean lines and palette of hues like terracotta and ecru mean this drop is exceptionally Insta-friendly, and will lend itself to basically any household décor. If you’ve been on the hunt for the perfect plain bedding or a cushion to bulk out your current sofa display, you’ll likely find something you like in the line-up.

Check cotton cushion case set: £35.99, Mango.com

(Mango)

Buy now

If you prefer pieces with a little more detail, texture is added with braiding and fringe for even more boho clout throughout, so blankets and mats with these features may be a little more up your street.

Either way, the Mango homeware collection is definitely a pleasing way to add a breath of fresh air to tired spaces, particularly for the spring and summer months ahead – on the looks front, it scores highly.

Quality

We managed to get our hands on a set of bedding and a couple of other textiles ahead of the launch, and found that the pieces held up again the likes of similar buys we’ve tried previously from stores like H&M, Next and La Redoute.

Sheets and pillows were true to size for our standard double bed and comfortable to sleep on. We tried the entry-level percale cotton option (£59.99, Mango.com), which has a luxurious-feeling 300 thread count (even on hotter nights it gave that crisp, cool hotel bed feel) but there are also dozen of linen bedding styles up for grabs too.

Percale cotton duvet cover: £59.99, Mango.com

(Mango)

Buy now

This is one of the most extensive elements of the collection, with a broad range of duvet covers, pillow cases, fitted sheets and bedspreads in a range of tones – while this does allow you to mix and match in a satisfyingly coordinated fashion, you do have to buy each one separately, which can quickly rack up the price (more on this later).

The sizes of the blankets and throws are generous, thicker than our typical Ikea purchases, with a comforting weight that ensures warmth is maximised when you snuggle up under them on the sofa. If the rest of the collection lives up to our samples, you won’t be disappointed with your purchases.

Price

Mango has priced its homeware towards the upper end of high street – more affordable items like bath mats start from £19.99, while similar pieces from H&M are priced at £12.99, and at £89.99 for a linen duvet cover (no pillowcases), it’s pretty much bang in line with the likes of Zara. Cushion covers range from £19.99 to £35.99 with no filler, and blankets average at the £49.99 mark.

100 per cent linen duvet cover: £89.99, Mango.com

(Mango)

Buy now

It does feel fairly premium quality, and if eco-credentials are important to you, you may be happy to pay slightly more; the entire line of textile products is sustainable, with 80 per cent of items produced locally, which means it falls under Mango’s ongoing “Committed” promise. But we wouldn’t deem it to be an especially affordable, and this is where we wonder how it’ll find its audience.

While we were impressed with the products themselves, there isn’t anything so far that makes the designs hugely stand out from the other fashion brands who’ve ventured into homeware territory, so where to spend your money is largely a matter of personal taste.

If you love the warm, refreshing life on the Med vibes of this first hit, you’ll fill your basket on Mango’s website in no time. But for Scandi chic or French country aesthetics, you may find yourself looking elsewhere. It won’t make much of a difference to the amount you pay either way, and actually, you may find comparable looks elsewhere for less.

The verdict: Mango homeware

The Mediterranean Views edit is a great first foray into the homeware market, and based on the items we tried, we’ve already added a couple more items to our wishlist (including the £17.99 scented candles that accompany the textile options).

However, we’re intrigued to see how Mango makes itself stand out from the crowd with future collections going forward – products for the kitchen and dining room will be added as part of an additional autumn/winter 2021 drop, so we’d say watch this space.

Voucher codes

For deals on a range of homeware, check out the links below:

• Made discount codes
• Oliver Bonas discount codes
• Very discount codes

Branching out into other accessories? Here’s our pick of the best bookends to liven up your shelves