Vanessa Barneby graduated from Edinburgh University in 1999 and went on to study decorative painting, trompe l'oeil and restoration at Hampstead Decorative Arts in London. Her passion for furniture, textiles and print led to a position as an interiors stylist at House & Garden for five years. She moved on to become Living Editor for British Vogue between 2004 and 2009, where predicting and writing about upcoming trends in design, styling shoots, and examining the correlation between fashion and interiors were all part of her job.

A fellow Edinburgh graduate, Alice Gates went on to study figurative painting overseas before achieving a Masters in Fine Art at The City & Guilds of London Art School. Her vivid, often narrative paintings, rooted in fashion illustration, have been exhibited worldwide and featured in numerous publications including Vogue, Tatler and The Saturday Times Magazine. She has also collaborated with fashion label, Libelula designing prints for the last four seasons' ready-to-wear collections.

Pooling their experience, Vanessa and Alice set up Barneby Gates in 2009, working together from their London-based studio. Their range of idiosyncratically English wallpapers give classical ideas a contemporary edge using subtle metallic finishes and a wry touch of humour.