Capiz shell furniture and decor from East at Main: three pieces built on a material that passes light instead of blocking it. A capiz shell table works where daylight reaches it, which is the one thing worth knowing before you buy.
5 products
What is capiz shell?
Capiz is the flattened shell of the windowpane oyster. It is cleaned, cut and set into panels or tiles, and it is thin enough to be translucent, which is why it served as window glazing for centuries before it reached furniture. That translucence is the reason to place it where light falls. In a dark corner a capiz shell table reads as a plain pale surface. Beside a window or opposite a mirror it shifts as the light moves. The Tasi Capiz Shell Drum Accent Table and Tasi Capiz Shell Martini Table both do this, and the Campbell Rectangular Capiz Shell Wall Mirror carries the effect onto the wall.
Where does capiz shell come from?
Mostly from coastal waters in the Philippines, where the windowpane oyster is farmed. The shellfish regrows on a short cycle, which is what makes capiz a rapidly renewable material rather than a harvested one. Handle it as the thin material it is: it chips at the edges if knocked, and it wants a dry cloth rather than water, solvents or spray polish, all of which cloud the surface.
Read how capiz shell is harvested and worked, or see wall mirrors in natural materials and accent and side tables.