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William Morris wallpaper and fabric design ideas from the House & Garden archive
“The true secret of happiness lies in taking a genuine interest in all details of daily life.” So said William Morris, who created some of the best-loved patterns in British interiors history. As a pioneer of the late-Victorian Arts & Crafts movement (which he headed along with art critic John Ruskin and historian Thomas Carlyle) he advocated for handmade design and the embrace of beauty in homes of all statuses. From the iconic ‘Willow Bough’ and ’Blackthorn' to larger-scale designs like ‘Marigold’ and ‘Meadow Sweet,’ his patterns generally depict natural life – foliage, fruit, flowers and fauna – and are bucolic but graphically-rendered (Morris was wary of wallpaper that wanted to look hand-painted). Testament to the strength of Morris & Co's designs are their extraordinary staying power – Morris' designs are now part of the Sanderson textile and wallpaper group, and are more popular than ever under the Morris & Co label. On our pages they are regularly used in houses both new and old. While they look fabulous as a backdrop to antiques and traditional pieces, they also have the ability to be mixed in with more contemporary architecture and furniture.
James McDonald1/20‘Willow Bough' is one of the most iconic William Morris patterns, and has been used in many houses on the pages of House & Garden. It is simple and graceful enough to work well in a large space like a hallway, as antiques dealer Jack Laver Brister has done in his Somerset house, making it the backdrop to Turkish rugs bought at auction and characterful antique finds.
Christopher Horwood2/20Despite its compact space, this south London flat on a pioneering 19th-century estate is both pretty and practical thanks to the imaginative decoration of Carlos Garcia. 'Blackthorn’ wallpaper in autumn, from Morris & Co, makes for a rich atmosphere in the kitchen, but it is enlivened by woodwork painted in Fenwick & Tilbrooke's ‘Chanterelle’. A ‘Rise and Fall’ pendant from Broughtons of Leicester, dining table with legs in Fenwick & Tilbrook’s ‘Can-Can’ and wall-mounted shelf unit in Paper & Paint Library’s ‘Bluebird’ pick up on colours in the wallpaper.
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Paul Massey3/20Morris' ‘Marigold’ pattern can be a refreshingly serene option, its monotone nature giving it a simpler, lighter look than many of the other designs. In this Hampstead house, Georgina Cave has used it in a particularly delicate colourway that nevertheless creates a cocooning feel.
Paul Massey4/20‘Pattern drenching’ a room is a very strong look, but it can be a fun approach for a spare bedroom where people aren't necessarily going to be spending long stretches of time. In this attic bedroom in a fascinating north London gothic house, interior design studio Maddux Creative have used Morris & Co's ‘Compton’ design on the walls, the ceiling, the curtains, the bedcover and even the lampshades, creating a moody Victorian feel which suits the style of the house.
Paul Whitbread5/20In this classic Victorian villa in north Oxford, designer Charlotte Boundy has made judicious use of several Morris patterns to suggest the house's period. Here in the spare room, she has created an enveloping atmosphere with the use of wallpaper in the ‘Seaweed’ pattern.
6/20Interior designer Brandon Schubert has used ‘Willow Bough’ here in the bathroom of an Edwardian house in south London, in the middle of an all green scheme that encompasses apple-green zellige tiles and a more forest-y hue on the tongue and groove panelling.
Dean Hearne7/20Guest loos are another place where a bold wallpaper can make a striking statement without overwhelming a space. In this cottage by designer Bodil Blain, Morris' classic ‘Golden Lily’ pattern plays surprisingly well with a blind in Sanderson's ‘Truffle’ fabric.
Dean Hearne8/20In the same farmhouse, Bodil Blain has used ‘Blackthorn’ wallpaper throughout the hallways, with a gentle fawn paint on the panelling and trim. Even when viewed next to a completely different scale and design of wallpaper (GP & J Baker's ‘Ferns’ in the bedroom), this combination works beautifully.
Mikey Reed Photography9/20Morris patterns, despite their intricate nature, can have a place in a quieter, more minimalist interior. In this light and calm Victorian flat in Belsize Park, designer Alice Davies has introduced a touch of pattern with a vintage William Morris fabric on the ottoman.
Anne Nyblaeus10/20In Cathy Nordstrom's Swedish summerhouse, the bedroom wallpaper is William Morris's large scale ‘Meadow Sweet’ design. “I pinned a picture with a bedroom from, I think, Soho House Barcelona and knew I wanted to use that wallpaper one day.” The headboard is her own ‘Gingham’ in Lemon. “It complements it so well, and I just love spending time here.”
Owen Gale11/20The classical architect George Saumarez Smith has taken a slow, considered approach to the decoration of his terraced house in Winchester, gradually building up the interiors with collections of books, linocuts, pottery and patterned textiles. While some rooms feel spare and pared-back, others have a more maximalist feeling – the restrained kitchen, for example, opens into a the dining room, where the wallpaper (Morris & Co's 'Indian' pattern) makes for a warm, inviting space.
James McDonald12/20In his Cotswold cottage, James Mackie transformed this former junk room into a spare room using Morris & Co’s ‘Willow Bough’ wallpaper on the walls and ceiling. A paisley cotton bedcover picks up on the warm tones of panelling on either side of a fireplace, designed by James and painted ‘Deep Reddish Brown’ by Farrow & Ball.
Paul Massey13/20A hint of Morris pattern can be just the thing to draw the eye in a white room. Here in Sophie Ashby's redesign of JM Barrie's ‘Peter Pan’ house, armchairs from Atelier Ellis are covered in ‘Strawberry Thief ’ by Morris & Co.
Alicia Taylor14/20This Victorian house in west London was formerly owned by Howard Hodgkin and is currently home to Linda and David Heathcoat-Amory. Its basement dining room has William Morris soft green 'Willow' wallpaper that plays engagingly with the semi-abstract seashore by Scottish artist Joan Eardley.
Paul Massey15/20Ben Pentreath is a great fan of Morris patterns, and frequently uses them in his projects, especially in the bedrooms. At this Arts & Crafts house, Ben Pentreath has used the William Morris wallpaper ‘Fruit’ (lime green/tan).
16/20When Ben Pentreath launched his own collection with William Morris, he recoloured some classic patterns in brighter, more saturated hues. In the kitchen of his Dorset parsonage, redecorated for one of the launches, Ben has used 'Willow Bough' wallpaper in 'Tomato/Olive' on the walls. Chair seat fabrics (left to right) are in 'Bachelor’s Button' in 'Olive/Turquoise', 'Marigold', 'Navy/ Burnt Orange' and 'Honeysuckle' in 'Autumn'.
17/20In the sitting room Ben has used the ‘Willow’ wallpaper in 'Yellow'. Cushions (left to right) are in 'Kennett' fabric in the colourways 'Olive/Turquoise, 'Daffodil' and 'Dark Olive'.
Paul Massey18/20At this Georgian house in London, Ben Pentreath has used Morris & Co’s ‘Marigold’ design on the walls, including on the jib door. Panelling painted in ‘Asian Blue’ by Emente makes for a good foil and draws the eye to the bed.
Paul Massey19/20In the same house, Ben has selected Morris & Co’s ‘Fruit’ from Style Library for the spare-room wallpaper. 'It’s perfect for only spending one night in,’ he says. A quilt from Toast softens the look of a Victorian iron bed frame from Wessex Beds, painted in Farrow & Ball’s ‘Railings’
Boz Gagovski20/20The blind in this bedroom at Fonthill Arch is in ‘Willow Bough’ by Morris & Co, which makes for a neat contrast with walls in Templeton Pink by Farrow & Ball.
