A Morris & Co cushion is one of the easiest ways to bring these famous designs into your home. Here we look at the patterns behind our favourite cushions, the colours they come in, and how to style them with Morris & Co wallpaper and fabric without the room feeling overdone.
The classic Morris designs
Strawberry Thief is the design most people know. William Morris created it in 1883 after catching a song thrush stealing strawberries from his kitchen garden at Kelmscott Manor. The Strawberry Thief Teal Cushion translates it onto cotton and linen with 100% cotton tassels, made for layering on beds and sofas. For a more decorative take, the Strawberry Thief Kelmscott Trellis Crimson Cushion is embroidered with delicate motifs of flowers and fruit.
Honeysuckle & Tulip, first produced in 1876, is an early Morris & Co design of entwined foliage and flowers in a mirrored repeat. The Honeysuckle & Tulip Red/Gold Cushion shows it in warm, rich tones. Other favourites include the Bird Webb's Blue Cushion, based on an 1878 tapestry design of paired birds perched and in flight, and the Rose Bough's Green Cushion, an intricate 1883 design in sage tones with a scalloped trim.
Beyond William Morris: Dearle, May Morris and Webb
Morris & Co was never a one-man show, and some of the loveliest cushions come from other hands. Seaweed, a sinuous, free-flowing design inspired by the curves of Art Nouveau, was originally designed by J.H. Dearle in 1901. The Seaweed Cobalt/Thyme Cushion is a fresh choice on a cotton and linen mix. Dearle also designed Helena in 1891 as a woven jacquard reflecting the textiles of Persia and Turkey; the Helena Peach/Teal Cushion brings its artichoke flowers and acanthus leaves together in peach and teal.
The Seasons By May Linen Cushion interprets a c.1895 embroidery called Spring and Summer, designed and most likely stitched by May Morris, William Morris's daughter. And the Room Willow Gold Cushion is based on work by Philip Webb, the architect-designer and close friend of William Morris who oversaw many of the decorative details in the Green Dining Room that the newly established Morris & Co created in 1866 for what is now the V&A.
Choosing colours
Morris designs are busy by nature, so colour is what decides whether a cushion blends in or stands out. A few pointers:
- Deep blues and teals, such as Webb's Blue or Strawberry Thief in Teal, sit comfortably on navy, grey or oatmeal sofas.
- Warm reds and golds like Honeysuckle & Tulip Red/Gold bring a cosy, wintry feel to leather or dark wood.
- Soft greens and naturals, such as Rose in Bough's Green or Seasons by May in Linen, are the easiest to live with in a lighter, country-style room.
Styling cushions with Morris & Co wallpaper and fabric
The key to pairing Morris cushions with Morris wallpaper is to vary the scale or the colour, rather than repeating the same pattern everywhere. If you have a busy Morris wallpaper, pick cushions in a plainer embroidered design, or choose one colour from the paper and find a cushion that picks it up in a different pattern.
Matching on purpose can work too, as long as it is in a single place. A Strawberry Thief cushion on a chair upholstered in Strawberry Thief Fabric feels deliberate, especially against plain walls. For a quieter backdrop, Willow Boughs Leaf Green Fabric, first produced in 1887, is printed on a linen-rich blend at 20,000 Martindale for upholstery, and its gentle willow leaves sit happily beside almost any of the cushions above.
Finally, give pattern some breathing space. Two or three Morris cushions on a sofa, mixed with a plain one in a colour from the design, usually looks better than a full row of pattern.
Browse our Morris & Co collection or our cushions and throws to find your favourite. If you would like help putting a scheme together, visit the shop in Somerset or contact the team for advice.
