The Morris & Co Bedford Park collection takes classic Arts & Crafts designs and gives them bold, unexpected colour. Here we explain the Chiswick neighbourhood behind the name, look closely at three key designs and share ideas for using them at home.
Bedford Park, Chiswick: the place behind the name
Bedford Park is a neighbourhood in Chiswick, west London, closely linked with the artistic innovation of the Arts & Crafts era. The collection pays tribute to the designers associated with that circle, including William Morris, C.F.A. Voysey, Allan Francis Vigers and J.H. Dearle, who championed craftsmanship and nature in equal measure.
Alongside the designs below, the wider collection features Dearle's Leicester and Golden Lily and Vigers' Campanula. What ties everything together is colour: gem-like hues, lively tones and contrasting colourways that make familiar patterns feel fresh. You can see the full range in our Morris & Co Bedford Park collection.
Laceflower by C.F.A. Voysey
Dating from around 1895, Laceflower is a C.F.A. Voysey design. His characteristic birds chirp among stems and flowerheads that sway in an imagined wind, and simple, saturated colours emphasise that gentle movement.
The Laceflower Wallpaper is Surflex printed on paper and comes in two colourways:
- Garden Green/Lagoon – fresh and leafy.
- Tobacco/Pistachio – a retro colourway taken directly from the original archive document.
Laceflower's sense of movement makes it a good choice for a hallway or staircase, where the pattern seems to drift with you as you walk. Tobacco/Pistachio is lovely with warm wood and brass.
Tulip and Bird by C.F.A. Voysey
Tulip and Bird has all the fresh simplicity of a classic C.F.A. Voysey design, here given a total colour transformation in deep, gem-like tones reminiscent of the ceramics Voysey also designed.
The Tulip and Bird Opal & Sea Foam Fabric is digitally printed on a cotton-rich velvet and very hard-wearing at 50,000 Martindale, so it is made for statement upholstery. Think of an armchair, a headboard or a window seat: a single piece in this velvet can carry a whole room. Repeat one of its tones in a plain cushion or lampshade to link it to the rest of the scheme.
Pimpernel by William Morris
William Morris designed Pimpernel in 1876, and it is a perfect example of his layering technique: all tendrils and flowerheads, adding texture and drama at every turn. In the Bedford Park collection, psychedelia meets this signature botanical, evoking the brand's trippy colour experiments of the swinging '60s.
The Pimpernel Bedford Park Wallpaper is Surflex printed on paper, in colourways including Midnight/Opal and Sap Green/Strawberry. The matching Pimpernel Bedford Park Fabric is digitally printed on 100% cotton at 20,000 Martindale, suitable for upholstery and curtains.
Using the wallpaper and fabric together can look striking, but it works best in a smaller room such as a study, cloakroom or guest bedroom, where the full-on pattern feels cosy rather than overwhelming. In a larger space, try Pimpernel on one wall and keep the furniture plain.
Mixing Bedford Park designs
Because the collection shares a bold palette, its designs mix more easily than you might expect. A few pointers:
- Pair one busy pattern with one calmer one – for example Pimpernel curtains against a plain wall, or Laceflower walls with a Tulip and Bird chair.
- Let a single colour run between pieces so the room hangs together.
- Balance pattern with solid surfaces: painted woodwork, plain rugs or natural textures.
Explore the Bedford Park wallpapers and Bedford Park fabrics to see every design and colourway. If you would like samples or advice on mixing patterns, visit our shop in Somerset or contact the team.
