I’m obsessed with sample sales – how I track down wish-list homeware at a fraction of the price, plus my insider tricks and tips
The beautiful pieces I've scored for a fraction of the price
Screen printer Hannah Carvell is one of Ideal Home's new Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts on colourful home design for a creative family to live in. See the rest of her articles here.
One of the things I miss most about living in London is sample sales. I have been dedicated to them since my early twenties, when I lived in East London, and I would happily book a day off work if it was a really good one. When I worked with fashion clients, I might even book a “meeting” to conveniently coincide with a sale.
In those days it was mostly about fashion. Living in East London, there were plenty right on my doorstep – the Orla Kiely ones spring instantly to mind. I once managed to wangle an invite to a Christian Louboutin sale through a contact at work, Biba was a particularly epic one (I still have a treasured necklace that always prompts “Where is that from?”), and I remember queuing for hours at the Music Rooms to get into a Mulberry sale where I still couldn’t afford a bag once inside. But a girl can dream.
Sample sales, though, aren’t just about fashion. Home and interiors sales are just as exciting, and I have collected some truly treasured pieces over the years.
One of my all-time favourites was a sale of ex-theatre and TV props, all interiors, advertised in north London. I took my one-year-old across London in his buggy to find it, and when we arrived it felt like a fever dream of excitement: vintage rugs, huge dusty velvet curtains, haberdashery, furniture. I was in heaven (minus the small child in tow).
To this day, my now 14-year-old son still has both the rugs I bought on his bedroom floor. I came away with piles of ribbons and haberdashery, which I admittedly like to hoard and every time I rummage through them for a sewing project, I’m transported straight back to that Aladdin’s cave of vintage interiors.
I no longer live in London, but I still keep an eye out for sample sales. One I never miss is the House of Hackney sample sale. These days it’s hosted at The Box in Hackney, and if you go early on day one, be prepared to queue. They usually run over a full weekend and say they restock throughout, but the truly dedicated want to be in first for the best pick.
I’ve been a number of times over the years and you can pick up iconic pieces at a fraction of the full price. I still treasure the Flamingo lamp base I bought years ago.
There’s always a great mix of products — lamps and lampshades are hugely popular, and cushions are a particular weakness of mine. I have to stop myself most of the time, but not at a House of Hackney sample sale.
I adore my large velvet Sabre Tooth Tiger cushions, and I’m already planning my next visit as my living room is in desperate need of curtains and what you get at a HOH Sample sale is rolls of fabric (and wallpaper) sold by the meter at a fraction of the RRP.
This is the real reason I love a sample sale. I can’t afford to buy many of the things I love at full price, but if you’re willing to travel, and sometimes queue in the rain, you can find beautiful pieces for a fraction of the cost. At the last House of Hackney sale, some lines were advertised at up to 80% off.
The downside, of course, is that you never quite know what will be included. Stock is usually end-of-line, discontinued, seconds or returns, so if you have something very specific in mind you may be disappointed. But if you love a brand and know its designs well, you’re almost guaranteed to find something special.
For me, House of Hackney is worth a three-hour pilgrimage from Somerset. I love so many of their patterns that I’m confident I’ll find a fabric suitable for curtains, hopefully at a price I can afford.
Other brands I would happily seek out include Donna Wilson, who regularly hosts sample sales of her gorgeous, colourful knits, and I’ve heard the Tom Dixon sale is well worth a look.
Orla Kiely, back in the day, wasn’t just about clothes, there were also her beautifully patterned bed sheets and ceramics, many of which I still have in my home more than a decade later.
Not a sample sale as such, but Graham & Green has an outlet shop in Trowbridge. I haven’t made the pilgrimage yet, but it’s firmly on my list. In the past I’ve bought light fittings without visiting, after spotting outlet stock on Instagram and phoning up to ask if they happened to have something I’d seen, and couldn’t afford, on the main website.
Often they do, and they’re happy to ship. These pieces are usually ex-display, but that doesn’t bother me; pristine packaging matters far less than owning something I love at a price I can manage.
If you’re keen to hunt down sample sales for brands you love, Instagram is my first port of call. It’s how I announce my own sample sales for my screen-printing business. Mine are always held online, with a set date and time, and they’re usually very busy.
Prints are priced at a fraction of the usual cost and include seconds with small imperfections, samples from photoshoots, one-off colourways, older stock and even frames. It’s first come, first served, so people race to checkout.
Signing up to mailing lists is well worth it, I often give subscribers early access before announcing publicly.
I’m also on the mailing list and Instagram for The Box in Hackney, which hosts some brilliant brands beyond House of Hackney. I’ve heard the Anya Hindmarch sale held there was full of bargains.
The Music Rooms on Bond Street is another to watch for luxury fashion brands, and if you’re wandering around Brick Lane or Spitalfields Market at the weekend, you’ll often stumble across a sample sale or two.
That’s the magic of it: it’s a treasure hunt. You never quite know what you’ll find, but with a bit of luck, it’ll be something you love, at a price you can afford.
