Highgrove by Sanderson
For over 30 years, Claire Vallis has been an iconic figure at Sanderson Design Group, serving as Design Director across six of their prestigious brands. Today, she shares insights into a truly unique and historic collaboration: the Highgrove by Sanderson collection. Conceived in partnership with The King’s Foundation and inspired by the magnificent gardens of His Majesty King Charles III’s residence, this collection represents a significant milestone in Sanderson’s century-long history. Discover how this royal connection and a shared commitment to nature have shaped designs that bring the beauty of Highgrove Gardens directly into our homes.
Hello Claire, first thing, congratulations on over 30 years with Sanderson Design Group! How has your role as Design Director across all six brands informed your approach to a unique collaboration like Highgrove by Sanderson?
Highgrove by Sanderson is uniquely special. This collection was born of a strong historical connection to the royal households. As a Royal Warrant holder of 100 years, we have historically provided fabric and wallpaper for royal residences. To be able to design a collection inspired by these cherished gardens and the home of His Majesty King Charles III and Queen Camilla is an honour and a moment that will go into our history books. It certainly cements itself as a real highlight in my 30-year career with Sanderson Design Group too!
Having witnessed Sanderson's evolution over three decades, what makes the Highgrove collaboration particularly significant or different from other projects you’ve overseen?
This was a collaboration like no other. We worked in partnership with Highgrove and in close collaboration with The King’s Foundation, a charity founded by King Charles, which builds and supports communities where people, places, and the planet can coexist in harmony. As custodian of Highgrove Gardens, The King’s Foundation was very close to this project, and we shared a wonderful open dialogue with them to create these designs. They shared stories of the gardens, and we offered our interpretations in fabric and wallpaper designs. I think that the natural beauty of each garden is really important to the collaboration. Nothing is forced or overly designed. Every garden blooms in its organic beauty, offering glimpses of history and travel as you go through it. It thrives in this way, which is essential to capture in the collection. Highgrove by Sanderson embodies the gardens and everything they represent.
What was the initial spark or concept that brought the idea of a Highgrove by Sanderson collection to life?
That moment we visited the gardens as a design team will stay with me forever. The abundance, beauty, and care and attention to detail in the restoration and nurturing of these gardens, or ‘rooms’ as they are known, was something I hadn’t experienced before. The Stumpery, a garden inspired by the Victorian concept of growing ferns from felled tree stumps and giving back to the earth, was incredibly powerful.
Rebecca Craig, our lead designer, recalls being taken aback by the Arboretum's seasonal transformation and how visiting in February and again in May gave such different perspectives on the garden in bloom. The influence of how each garden comes to life throughout the year was an inspiration.
We all came away with a more profound respect for the King and his creative vision. To design a garden, you must have such a strong vision, especially to create an abundant, diverse, and authentic garden to each space and influence. This gave us a spark to create a collection that matched the beauty of these gardens while feeling resolutely Sanderson at the same time.
The collection draws inspiration from specific "rooms" within Highgrove Gardens. Could you elaborate on how the unique atmosphere and character of these different garden spaces influenced the individual designs?
Each garden ‘room’ feels uniquely different through style, influences and use of florals and foliage, sculpture and stone to create a sense of individualism. What is fascinating is that each garden still feels wonderfully connected to the whole through all of this. Highgrove Gardens is a unique ecosystem; each space lives harmoniously with its neighbour. When designing the collection, the rooms served as immense inspiration for the designs you see, offering opportunities to create various compositions and styles that all work beautifully together. From Topiary View, which is a bird’s-eye view of the garden encapsulating Thyme Walk and the Kitchen Garden, to Ancient Apple Orchard, which, using an archival document, layers elements of Highgrove’s Kitchen Garden and apple tunnel we’ve layered details and landscapes to create a beautifully detailed collection and a decorating story that people can bring into their homes in their unique ways.
The collection includes a diverse range of designs, from damasks and toiles to tapestries and garden plans. Can you walk us through the creative process of selecting and reimagining these styles to reflect Highgrove?
We immediately saw an opportunity to return to our archive for this collection. Our history of designing patterns that pay homage to the beauty of the English countryside has created a treasure trove of designs that we can refer to. Highgrove’s diversity and eclectic offering allowed us to explore the vast array of documents to select and reimagine based on how we saw Highgrove. From Highgrove Toile, which features elements of the garden, to The Stumpery, these are really impactful, scenic designs. In contrast, Wildflower Meadow was designed following the discovery of a French archive document reminiscent of the Wildflower Meadow’s meandering serpentine path. The artwork, a chintz, was adapted to include Acer trees, Japanese maples and beehives and reflects how the Meadow has a vital role in supporting the diverse organic life of the garden.
Were there any specific archival Sanderson documents that resonated particularly strongly with the Highgrove Gardens and influenced the new designs? Could you give an example?
There were many, from archived toiles to chintzes and botanical artworks from the 20th century. One of the most astounding has to be Highgrove Toile.
This design, taken from an authentic archival toile document, has been enhanced with iconic Highgrove features. The original toile, an antique document, was labelled as a ‘Piece of old Toile de Jouy’. We added signature Highgrove elements such as the yew tree hedges, the Oak Summer House, His Majesty King Charles III’s bust, and the circular stone seat made of Derbyshire gritstone by masons from Hereford Cathedral. It is the perfect blend of old and new.
Out of all the beautiful designs in the Highgrove by Sanderson collection, do you have a personal favourite?
Highgrove Toile has to sit at the top of the list for its magnificence, classicism, and iconic blending of old and new designs. Shand Gate is a very special design that really stands out within the collection as a unique and meaningful design. Some incredible techniques come together to create an exceptional embroidered fabric.
The collaboration emphasises a shared commitment to British craftsmanship and heritage. How was this commitment reflected in the design and production processes of the Highgrove by Sanderson collection, particularly with the UK-based factories?
A significant part of this collaboration was the King’s request to produce as much of the product as possible in the UK. With our British factories (Anstey Wallpaper Company and Standfast & Barracks) at our disposal, we could consider this when designing and developing the products. All wallpapers in the collection have been made here at Anstey, and all printed fabrics are produced through our fabric printer, Standfast & Barracks. This is how we champion British design.
Our design studio is based in Chiswick, London. The site, Voysey House, is the original building designed for Arthur Sanderson by C.F.A. Voysey. This connection to our past is significant to us, as a British brand, and when we design and make, we always consider our heritage and commitment to British craftsmanship. Working with Highgrove Gardens has been an honour as it exemplifies the meaning of Britishness in garden form.
The proceeds from the collection will support The King's Foundation. How does this charitable aspect add another layer of meaning to this project for Sanderson?
The King set up The King’s Foundation 35 years ago to bring to life his values of living in harmony with nature. Highgrove by Sanderson is the embodiment of those values.
It is really special to know that not only will these designs feature in homes for years to come, but that each sale will contribute to the incredible world that The King’s Foundation does. The Foundation celebrates its 35th anniversary this year, and we are very honoured to have worked with the team, creating a collection that beautifully showcases our aligned values and commitments to nature. It is wonderful to be able to give something back and contribute to funding this fantastic charity.
What do you hope people will feel or experience when they incorporate the Highgrove by Sanderson collection into their homes?
Pure joy and a new love for the great British garden and all its eclecticism. Highgrove Gardens is a celebratory place; it celebrates nature's abundance and invites people to interact with and enjoy its fruits. I hope these designs give people that same connection to nature, filling their homes with joy and abundant beauty.
After such an immersive experience with Highgrove Gardens, has it influenced your perspective on design or nature in any lasting way?
The King’s pioneering work on sustainability, embodied in Highgrove, has certainly given me a deeper respect for our King and a renewed understanding of the importance of living in harmony with nature. It would be hard to come away from this project without being influenced by it. Highgrove Gardens is such a special place, so immersive and transformative by its very nature, that it has made us all look at nature differently.
Interview with Claire Vallis, Design Director of Sanderson Design Group
@sanderson1860 @highgrovegarden @kingsfdn
Pictures in the gardens - @damianfoxe
Discover more about the Highgrove by Sanderson collection