Morris & Co patterns were drawn more than a century ago, but they sit surprisingly happily in a modern home. The trick is to let the wallpaper carry the history and keep everything around it clean, curved and a little playful. Here is how we would put a Morris wall together with contemporary furniture, lighting and accessories, using pieces from our own shelves.
Start with the right Morris design
Not every Morris pattern needs a period room. Two of our favourites work especially well in modern spaces because of their colour and scale.
Lemon Tree Wallpaper is a fresh, calming design of trailing branches and delicate blossom, inspired by the lemons in Fruit, one of William Morris's most loved wallpapers. A chalky white print mark picks out the branches and blossom, and the colourways (Bay Leaf, Sage and Wedgewood) are soft enough to sit behind pale wood, white walls and simple shapes.
For something with more presence, The Brook Wallpaper recreates the crispness and detail of medieval tapestries. It was inspired in part by J.H. Dearle's The Brook Tapestry and is digitally printed as a wide-width paper, 139cm wide and sold by the metre, in Linen or Dark Blue. That width means fewer seams across a feature wall, which suits a pared-back room where the pattern is the main event. Browse the full wallpaper collection to compare scales and colourways.
Pair heritage pattern with modern shapes
A busy, detailed wallpaper looks its most contemporary next to furniture with simple, generous outlines. Curves are particularly good at this: they soften the room without competing with the pattern.
The Rico Divan from ferm LIVING is a great example. The Rico series is handmade in Italy and built around curves, volumes and soft lines, and the Divan sits somewhere between a daybed, a settee and a chaise longue. Set in front of a Morris wall, it reads as fresh rather than fussy, and its rounded form gives the eye somewhere calm to rest.
For a more relaxed corner, the Original Slim Velvet Beanbag from Fatboy brings texture rather than more pattern. Its velvet cover reflects the light, so the colour can look lighter or darker through the day, and the 155 x 120cm size is compact enough for a reading nook. It is soft, resistant to pilling and made from recycled polyester. If you would rather pick a fabric to upholster or make cushions, take a look at our fabric collection.
Choose lighting with personality
Lighting is where you can have the most fun. A sculptural or witty lamp makes it clear that the Morris wall is a deliberate choice in a modern home, not a leftover.
The Kong Lamp XS from Qeeboo is a gorilla holding an adjustable arm that directs the light at different angles. At 53cm high it works as a table or floor lamp, it comes in seven colours, and it is for indoor use only. A gorilla in front of willowy tapestry branches is exactly the kind of contrast that makes a room feel personal. There are more sizes in our Kong lamps collection.
For softer, portable light, the Bolleke Spherical Lamp from Fatboy has no cable at all. Designed by Nathalie Schellekens and inspired by the knotted ties used on sailing boats, it hangs from a silicone loop on a hook, a chair or a branch. It charges via USB-C and gives up to 24 hours of light on the lowest of its three settings.
Finish with colour from the wall
Accessories tie it all together. Pull one colour out of the wallpaper and repeat it two or three times around the room, in a cushion, a vase or a candle holder, so the pattern feels connected to everything else.
The Palm Tree Candlestick Holder from Les Ottomans is hand-painted ceramic with a glossy glaze, available in two sizes (20cm and 25cm) and two colours, which makes it ideal for clustering on a mantelpiece or sideboard. A pair against a Lemon Tree wall picks up the botanical theme while adding a cheerful, modern note.
Keep the balance
A few simple rules keep a Morris room from tipping into a museum:
- One pattern lead. Let the wallpaper be the star and keep upholstery plain or textured.
- Curves and clean lines. Rounded furniture and simple frames contrast nicely with detailed prints.
- A bit of wit. One unexpected lamp or accessory stops the room feeling too serious.
- Repeat colour. Echo a shade from the paper at least twice elsewhere in the room.
If you would like to see more, browse our wallpaper and fabric collections online, or visit the shop in Somerset and our team will happily help you match a Morris design to your room.
