At Haines Collection, we partner with brands and studios that share our commitment to thoughtful design and reducing waste within the interiors industry. We’re delighted to welcome Vanrenen Hanbury as our latest brand partner, working together to give their surplus textiles a second life.
Founded over 15 years ago by acclaimed interior designer Sarah Vanrenen, the studio has evolved into Vanrenen Hanbury - a creative collaboration between Sarah Vanrenen and Laura Hanbury. Together, they create timeless interiors alongside an expanding collection of textiles, furniture and lighting defined by craftsmanship, character and enduring style.
We recently sat down with the team to talk about their creative partnership, inspirations and approach to design, while also exploring the importance of rehoming surplus materials within the industry. Discover our conversation below and explore their exclusive collection of surplus textiles now available through Haines Collection.
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Your interiors feel wonderfully layered and collected rather than overly “designed” - where do you usually begin when creating a scheme for a room? Thank you, we strive to create homes that do not look overly designed and feel like they have naturally evolved. We do this by working closely with our clients from the outset to understand their vision and how they want to live, whilst also respecting the location, atmosphere and architecture of the building. We also create bespoke upholstery, furniture and lighting, working with skilled craftsmen to create pieces that are unique to each project. Our layering of pattern and colour is almost instinctive, we always encourage our client to be bold. Neutral colours are the safe choice but can make a room feel impersonal and lacking personality. Our careful sourcing of art, antiques and vintage pieces also lends unique character to each project.
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Colour and pattern are such an important part of the Vanrenen Hanbury aesthetic. How do you approach mixing prints, textures and tones in a way that still feels timeless? Be bold and be brave! We always bring prints and textures together in a way that feels eclectic but also cohesive. Mix medium, small and large scale designs in a room to add interest but don’t overdo it, leave some quieter areas to allow the eye to rest. Try to avoid patterns that perfectly match, pair a stripe with a floral or a geometric with an all over print, complement rather than duplicate. We crave colour and always encourage our clients to be bold. We also often use colour as a grounding accent in our layered spaces. An accent table or chair in an unexpected colour such as deep red or black can ground a room.
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You’ve expanded from interior design into fabrics, wallpapers, lighting and furniture collections. What inspired you to start creating your own pieces? Sarah has been designing fabrics and wallpapers for many years, firstly for her mother Penny Morrison. We took Sarah's designs under our own brand a few years ago and have expanded the collection since then. Lighting is a growing area, we have a new range of ceramic lamps designed by Sarah and handmade in Portugal. A new sofa and chair collection in collaboration with Boura & White launched last year. All of our fabric and wallpaper designs are inspired by Sarah's love of vintage fabrics and textiles, often the idea for one her designs will come from a small fragment that she then makes her own by using bolder colour palettes or changing the scale. Ideas also come to Sarah and Laura when they are working on a project and can't find a fabric or wallpaper for a specific space.
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Many of your projects balance contemporary elements with antiques and vintage finds so beautifully. What makes a home feel personal and lived-in to you? Combining old and new always adds character to a space. Even when decorating a modern home try adding a piece of antique furniture or a vintage painting. It's so much more interesting seeing an unexpected element in a room rather than everything matching. We work with clients who have curated wonderful collections of art and antiques and using these pieces that hold memories and tell a story always makes a home more personal.
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Textiles are such a powerful way to transform a space. For someone looking to refresh their home with fabrics, what advice would you give when choosing patterns, colours or textures they will love living with long term? It's easy to find one fabric or wallpaper design that you love and then just concentrate on finding the paint colour to go with it. When designing a successfully layered room you have to bring several patterns and textures together ... so look for small, medium and large scale designs that mix in a way that feels interesting but also cohestive. Also look for vintage textiles, we love using an antique suzani on an ottoman, as a wall hanging or even transformed into cushions. Even lampshades can be an opportunity to layer more pattern and texture.
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Could you tell us how sustainability plays a role in your brand? All of our fabrics and wallpapers are printed in the UK. Our furniture is handmade by British craftsmen using english oak. The only products we have manufactured overseas are our lamps, they are made in small batches by skilled artisans in rural Portugal using traditional techniques and hand dyes.
