The legacy of William Morris
William Morris founded the Arts & Crafts movement in 1860s England as a reaction against the mass-produced goods of industrialism. His conviction was simple but radical: everyday objects deserve the same care as art.
Everyday objects deserve the same care as art.
What makes Morris's patterns timeless is their grounding in nature. Every winding branch, every leaf and bird is studied directly from life. Never stylised beyond recognition. That is why a Morris wallpaper feels just as at home in a newly built apartment as in a hundred-year-old stone house. The patterns speak to something fundamental. Our longing for nature and craftsmanship in the midst of modern everyday life.
Morris & Co, the brand that stewards the legacy today, continues to produce wallpapers from the original drawings. Many of the patterns are still printed using surface printing, a method in which each layer of colour is applied separately with hand-engraved rollers. It is a slower process that gives a depth and richness of colour that digital printing cannot recreate. The paper is chosen for its ability to take colour and to age gracefully. It is craftsmanship that lives on, not as nostalgia, but because the result is still superior.
Three wallpapers, three rooms
The bedroom. Willow Bough
Softly swaying willow leaves in restrained tones. Willow Bough is one of Morris's best-loved patterns, and it is easy to see why. It has a rhythm that soothes. The repetition of the willow leaves creates a meditative feeling without becoming monotonous.
That is exactly what you want in the bedroom. A wall that envelops without demanding attention. Choose green or blue tones and keep the rest of the room quiet. Linen in natural colours, soft lighting, wooden floors. Let the wallpaper do the work. Willow Bough in tone-on-tone creates the calm foundation that sleep needs.
The living room. Pure Strawberry Thief
Strawberry Thief is Morris's most iconic pattern, designed in 1883. Birds stealing strawberries in a lush garden. He was inspired by the thrushes in his own kitchen garden at Kelmscott Manor.
Pure Strawberry Thief is the modern interpretation. The same composition, but in neutral shades such as Graphite, Stone Grey and Ecru. That makes it perfect for the living room, where the wallpaper becomes the centrepiece of the room without dictating the entire colour palette. A single statement wall is enough. Combine with clean-lined furniture and natural materials. The wallpaper gives the room character and a story. The rest can stay calm.
If you are looking for the classic version with richer, deeper tones, the original Strawberry Thief is also available in colourways such as Crimson/Slate and Indigo/Mineral.
The dining room and the library. Bird & Pomegranate
Exotic birds among pomegranate branches. Bird & Pomegranate has a richer, almost oriental feel that lifts rooms in need of depth and character.
This is the wallpaper for rooms where you linger. The dining room, the library, the study. Rooms that can take, and gain from, visual intensity. Use it on every wall if the room has a high ceiling. In smaller spaces, one wall is enough to change the whole experience. Dark wooden furniture and warm light enhance the feeling. Bird & Pomegranate does not need much around it. It carries the room on its own.
More Morris wallpapers to discover
Beyond our three recommendations there is a wide range. A few to keep on your radar: Woodland Weeds, Fruit and Trellis.
A wallpaper that works in every style
A common question is whether Morris patterns suit modern homes. The answer is yes. What makes these wallpapers unique is that they do not belong to any single style. They are about nature, craftsmanship and balance. Three things that work whether your interior leans towards the classic, the cosy or the urban.
A Willow Bough wallpaper in a minimalist bedroom adds warmth without breaking the look. A Strawberry Thief in a modern apartment with concrete walls creates an exciting contrast. Morris patterns adapt to their context. That is one of the reasons they have endured for more than 150 years.
Three mistakes to avoid
- Matching too much. If you have Strawberry Thief on the wall, don't choose the same pattern for the curtains. Choose a complementary Morris pattern in the same colour family, or a plain fabric that picks up one of the wallpaper's tones.
- Mixing with other strong patterns. Morris patterns have so much character of their own that they need breathing room. Keep the rest of the room relatively calm. Solid colours, natural materials, simple lines.
- Hiding the wallpaper. The most common mistake. Some people buy a Morris wallpaper and put it on the least visible wall. Do the opposite. Let it be seen.
Explore our full range from Morris & Co or visit us at Sturegatan 20.
