Harlequin, Sanderson and Scion: British Pattern Houses on the Floor

For generations, the names Harlequin, Sanderson and Scion have been found on British curtains, cushions and walls. Today they are also found underfoot. In collaboration with the Dutch rug maker Brink & Campman, each house has translated its own distinctive handwriting into rugs, and the results offer something unusual: a floor covering that can coordinate directly with the fabrics and wallpapers already in your home.

All three sit within the same family of British design houses as Morris & Co, whose rugs we explored in William Morris Underfoot. Yet each has a very different personality.

Sanderson: the English country house

Sanderson's history goes back to 1860, and it remains one of the most recognisable names in English decoration. Its world is the country house and the English garden: botanical prints, trailing florals, birds and foliage, often in soft, faded colours that look as though they have always been there.

On the floor, that translates into rugs with a gentle, painterly quality, well suited to traditional living rooms, bedrooms and period properties. They sit comfortably alongside antique furniture and chintz, but also soften more contemporary rooms. Explore our Sanderson rugs.

Harlequin: colour and confidence

Harlequin is the most contemporary and colourful of the three. Its designs are bold, often graphic or abstract, with a strong sense of colour and texture. Think sculpted forms, organic shapes and confident combinations of greens, ochres, pinks and earth tones.

Harlequin rugs are ideal for rooms that want a clear focal point: a modern living room, a statement hallway or a bedroom with a strong personality. See the full range in our Harlequin collection.

Scion: playful and modern

Scion has a lighter, more playful spirit, with a clear Scandinavian and mid-century influence. Its designs are simple, cheerful and graphic, often with a sense of fun and a fresh, contemporary palette.

Scion works particularly well in family homes, children's rooms, home offices and anywhere that benefits from a lift of colour without formality. Browse our Scion rugs.

How to choose between them

• For a classic or period room: Sanderson, or Morris & Co for richer, more intricate pattern.
• For a statement contemporary scheme: Harlequin.
• For a relaxed, modern family home: Scion.

Coordinating with fabrics and wallpaper

One of the great pleasures of these ranges is the chance to connect the rug to the rest of the room. You need not match exactly. Often the best result comes from picking up one colour from a wallpaper or curtain fabric and repeating it in the rug, while varying the scale of the pattern. Our guide to mixing patterns explains how to layer different designs without the room becoming busy.

More designer names

These three are part of a wider collection of designer rugs from Brink & Campman, which also includes Morris & Co, Laura Ashley, Orla Kiely, Marimekko, Wedgwood and Florence Broadhurst.

A decorator's note

A designer rug from a fabric house is a shortcut to a coordinated scheme, because the colour thinking has already been done for you. If you are working with a particular fabric or wallpaper, tell us which one and we will suggest rugs that sit well with it. For more on value, read Designer Rugs: What You're Actually Paying For.