When Donna Higginson founded Sarsfield Brooke with her husband, Peter Lancaster, in 1998, she brought decades of interior design experience to the table. Her journey began with flipping properties in Hawaii, which evolved into a growing portfolio of affluent clients, setting the stage for Sarsfield Brooke to become one of New Zealand’s most trusted suppliers of luxury European furniture.
In recent years, Higginson’s vision of staffing her business with CAD designers who possess a deep understanding of interior design has added a unique dimension to the company. This approach enables clients, design professionals and their clients to make informed purchasing decisions with absolute confidence.
The integration of design services using designers on staff – from digital mood boards that capture textures and tones to detailed flow drawings of any given room or property and full-scale furniture layouts – ensures that every piece fits perfectly. The level of service varies depending on the project’s scope, but the focus remains on providing end users with a comprehensive understanding of their purchases.
Many pieces offered by Sarsfield Brooke and their European makers are customisable in size and material, making visuals crucial. This service supports local design professionals who may not have CAD design skills, enhancing the overall client experience.
After spatial and flow planning, the team produced a layout plan to demonistrate exact and ideal placement of furniture pieces.
It was really over the Covid years that we experienced a crossover; shipping was massively problematic, and at the same time, we saw increased demand for larger projects, including second bedrooms, guest bedrooms and holiday homes where clients didn’t always want high-end Italian pieces for these other rooms,” says Higginson. “Having a CAD designer on staff allowed us to design our own furniture collection as well as custom pieces, and have them made locally at a better price, with faster delivery.
Higginson’s extensive knowledge and close collaboration with clients and design professionals led to the creation of her own collection of New Zealand-made furniture, now part of the Sarsfield Brooke offering. This range, which started with two bedside table designs, has expanded to include consoles, side tables, desks, and the latest addition – a stunning bar cabinet complete with woven brass door panels. There is even talk of a dining table design in the works. The addition of quality hardware and multiple finishes make these items an easy choice.
Made in Central Otago from American ash, American Oak or Walnut, Sarsfield Brooke offers multiple stain finishes or can supply pieces as raw frames for designers to finish to their exact specifications.
A furniture maker in Auckland was their go-to, and when he relocated to Central Otago, Higginson looked around for another local maker. “When we couldn’t find someone who met our standards, we moved our production with him. It worked out perfectly as we have many clients all throughout New Zealand, so we simply pack up the van with furniture from our international brands – usually special orders or custom pieces—once they land in New Zealand and travel the length of the country doing personal installs. By the time we hit our maker, we have an empty van ready to reload with beautiful locally made pieces,” says Higginson.
The Sarsfield Brooke Collection
Sarsfield Brooke's new Wimberley bar cabinet design in American Ash initially came to life on CAD by the in-house designers. Boasting woven brass door panels, brass door handles, adjustable timber shelving and automated LED lighting.
Where existing products don’t meet the client’s vision, Sarsfield Brooke produces custom-designed pieces – from sofas and tables to headboards, beds and rugs.
“We’ve recently completed a stunning built-in library unit for a designer and her client, along with some custom-designed shelves for a child’s bedroom. The freedom this gives us and our clients is wonderful.”
Locally made, custom pieces now make up around 15 per cent of Sarsfield Brooke sales.
Inside the Matakana Coast Residence
A perfect example of Sarsfield Brooke’s in-house design services is the Matakana Coast Residence by Belinda George Architects.
A collaborative project between the Sarsfield Brooke team, the architect and the property owner, the process began with establishing colours and textures reflective of the surrounding landscape, followed by creating detailed flow plans to ensure ease of living. Each piece was placed to scale and quoted, with the total vision brought to life right down to the art and outdoor furniture.
Furniture selection was carefully curated to suit the Matakana home, including the outdoor seating. Mood boards are built to include actual choices in furniture and fabric – demonstrating Sarsfield Brooke's strength in customisation for any project.
Sarsfield Brooke is the exclusive New Zealand supplier of 14 luxury European producers and artisans, primarily Italian, producing some of the world’s finest furniture, lighting and décor art. Their latest addition of Vistosi Lightingfrom Italy has been enormously successful for its modern classic styling, modern technology, and the highest quality Murano glass.
At Sarsfield Brooke, every solution is timeless, functional, beautifully crafted, high-quality and customisable, reflecting the company’s commitment to excellence in interior design.
Explore the range available from Sarsfield Brooke on ArchiPro and view their recent projects for more luxury interior design ideas.
This Sarsfield Brooke custom bed was locally made for the Matakana home. Offering a design and make service to include headboards, beds, wooden furniture pieces and rugs.
