Where It All Began: The Story Behind House of Haynes

Poole roots, family trade, and a love for making things beautiful

I was born and raised in Poole, Dorset - a town I still love calling home. My dad and grandfather worked in the property trade, so from a young age I was surrounded by paint pots, floorboards, roll-out carpets, and conversations about renovation and restoration. (If you’ve ever lived near a building site or been in a house that smells of fresh plaster and new timber, you’ll know what I mean.)

Working alongside them in small ways, helping out on jobs, watching how a space could be transformed, I carried in me a seed of fascination. It wasn’t enough to just slap on paint or replace broken bits. I wanted to make things: to turn what was okay into something personal, something with soul.

Over time, I realised my interest leaned more towards the decorative side - to the things we see and feel every day: fabrics, textures, window dressings, upholstery. To me, the magic is when something is not only functional, but beautiful; when your curtains or cushions don’t just “match,” but tell a story, add character, become a point of joy. (For example I collect fabric and ,materials on my travels, ready to be reused, retold another day).

When the call of the needle got louder

For many years I balanced an office-based life alongside these creative urges. But the more I explored courses in curtain making, soft furnishings, upholstery, the more I knew - this was where I belonged.

I enrolled, I studied, I practiced late into evenings. I learnt to measure patterns, match grains, choose durable fabrics - all of it matters. I discovered the joy in restoring a beloved but tired armchair. I got a thrill from contrasting textures in a window dressing. I made mistakes (many of them), had late nights, re-do overs - but every stitch taught me something new.

I set myself a goal: to offer to others what I’d always craved - a way to breathe new life into treasured pieces, to elevate their homes, to help them fall in love again with things they own.

What House of Haynes means to me

Now House of Haynes is my full chapter. I work across Dorset, Hampshire, Wiltshire, Somerset, and Devon - always with intention. I aim to understand you and your space: how you live, how you move, your quirks, your quirks (yes, you have them), and we bring to life fabric, form, texture, colour that feels right.

You’ll see a lot of what I love reflected in the work:

• Working with natural materials; linens, cottons, wools, velvets, silks - because the feel matters as much as the look

• Respecting original features, heritage, patina, peeling paint, quirks of old homes - not erasing them

• Upcycling and reusing whenever possible. I’m passionate about giving old fabrics or forgotten pieces a new life

• Boldness with character - I lean toward maximalism in the sense that I relish contrast, pattern, texture. But always grounded by what you’re comfortable with

  
  

From curtains (single, double, triple pleats), blinds (Roman, London blinds, Venetian), soft furnishings (cushions, swags & tails, table runners), to upholstery (sofas, dining chairs, footstools, headboards) - I do the full spectrum, often from first sketch to final stitch. I also welcome working with fabrics you choose.

Every project is personal, treated with care. When I come into your space, I want to get to know it - not just measure windows, but sense how light moves, how sounds echo, how people live within those walls. That’s how the creative solutions emerge.

A few things I want you to know

• Getting started is easy: a call or WhatsApp message (07919 510051) or an email sharing photos and ideas is enough to open the conversation.

• Lead times are typically 6–10 weeks, depending on materials, complexity, and other projects.

• I’ll source trusted materials and suppliers, often local, often independent - and I’m happy to work with fabric you already have.

• My aim is longevity: pieces I make or restore should survive years of use, not look great on day one and balloon with wear

This is just the beginning of many stories I hope to share: projects, wins, lessons, materials I’m obsessing over, and homes transformed.

Thanks for being here - for reading, for dreaming, for possibly inviting me into your space.

Here’s to making beautiful things together.

Ryan, House of Haynes