In an exciting modern-day collaboration, two master manufacturers of Victorian wallcovering have come together to create a new product – William Morris wallpaper in 3D. Lincrusta, renowned for its embossed papers, has worked with Morris & Co. to bring three iconic Morris patterns into a new dimension.
The two companies were founded just one year apart, in locations not far from each other, but though their histories may be familiar to us, they had never previously overlapped. Fredrick Walton invented Linoleum in 1860, the year before William Morris founded the firm that became Morris & Co. in 1861. Walton went on to create Lincrusta, the first washable wallcovering and an instant success, in 1877.
Alison Keane, Commercial Director at Lincrusta and Jessica Clayworth, lead designer at Morris & Co. explain how the collaboration came about, and, most importantly, how they went about selecting the designs.
Alison comments: ‘The idea to work together today felt totally natural as there are many synergies between our two brands. We share a love of craft and making, a preoccupation with the honesty of materials and sustainable values. I would like to think that Morris would have approved of our natural material.’
Although there is no evidence that the paths of Walton and Morris crossed, Alison and Jessica were aware of one Morris & Co. pattern being manufactured in Linoleum, as seen in the Emery Walker House in London. Jessica goes on to explain that ‘Morris himself experimented with embossed wallpaper techniques, as seen in his 1886 Chrysanthemum Toile design, a nod to the Japanese faux leather embossed wallpapers fashionable at the time.’
Testament that these styles can work together, many residential and commercial projects today display a Morris & Co. wallpaper above a Lincrusta dado panel or below an embossed ceiling paper. Above all, Morris’ wonderful patterns translate beautifully into embossed wallcoverings that use natural materials. Lincrusta is made from linseed oil and other natural materials using time-honoured craft skills in the factory in Lancashire, where new life is breathed into traditional designs while retaining their integrity.
‘The challenge of choosing which patterns to use was no easy feat’, explains Alison, ‘we could imagine so many of them working well in this form.’
‘We did however agree on Acanthus quite quickly. Morris’s signature overlaying of swirling acanthus leaves lends itself so beautifully to plasterwork. It also had a sense of modernity, as one of the patterns most picked out by the fashion world. The resulting wallcovering surpassed our expectations.’
ACANTHUS:
Acanthus is one of Morris & Co.’s most iconic patterns. Authored in 1875, Acanthus is filled with Morris’s instinct for the drama of nature and great energy for patternmaking. With complex layering and vigorous curves, the scrolling acanthus foliage produces a three-dimensional effect within interior spaces.
Here Acanthus is painted in three colours. Once the base of Morris & Co. paint had dried, the second colour was applied using a sponge in circular motion. This dried relatively quickly, after which the third colour was applied, again with a sponge in a circular motion. It is recommended that this work is done by a specialist installer.
FRUIT: An abundance of ripened pomegranates hangs temptingly from the branches of an overflowing tree. Amongst flora are fine-printed branches in the background to give the design an irresistible depth. One of the earliest Morris & Co. wallpaper designs, Fruit was first produced in 1864.
Jeffrey & Co logbook showing Fruit in different colourways
‘Fruit was Jess’s inspired idea! We are delighted with how it turned out with its intricate dots and details coming alive.’
Dado panels are a very popular part of the Lincrusta range, and with constant requests from installers to introduce new designs, this presented an opportunity to co-create a new pattern. Jessica explored the idea, creating a split panel perfect for staircases. Willow Boughs Dado was taken as the main body of the pattern, with Pure Scroll (inspired by ceiling paper Diaper), used as the border along the bottom.
WILLOW BOUGHS DADO
A brand-new design co-created with Lincrusta, the Willow Boughs Dado combines the classic Willow Boughs (1887) with Pure Scroll for this exquisite panel that sits below traditional chair rails.
This range upholds the usual high-performing qualities of Lincrusta and is therefore equally at home in both residential and hospitality settings. As with all Lincrusta wallcoverings the options for creating bespoke walls are limitless. All Lincrusta is delivered unpainted so paint effects can be created by the decorator after it has been hung on the wall. Dados can be painted in the chalky Morris & Co. paint colours for a timeless elegant look or reimagined in unexpected colour combinations and finishes for a fresh take on the iconic patterns.
Though used to working in classic Morris & Co. greens, browns and berry shades, Jessica was excited by the colour options this collaboration created. ‘I always think of Morris in deep and moody colours, but I was surprised to see how well the pattern can take soft, neutral shades too,’ she says. ‘William Morris was always challenging patterns to see how far he could push the boundaries and I think he would have loved the extra dynamic of these embossed designs’.
Of the experience of working together, Jessica concluded: ‘It has been an exciting collaboration with Lincrusta. Their deep understanding of our design ethos, coupled with a genuine sensitivity towards the authenticity of the original documents, made it an obvious and seamless partnership. Given William Morris's pioneering work with Japanese leather papers, the decision to join forces was a natural one. Witnessing our designs spring to life in a manner that both breathes new life into them and remains steadfast to their heritage has been nothing short of remarkable."
The range can be seen at www.lincrusta.com
Thanks to Lincrusta and Morris & Co.
Images
Lifestyle images courtesy of Lincrusta: www.lincrusta.com Photography: Lucinda Price https://andygore.co.uk/
Steel roller images – Lincrusta Internal
Jeffrey logbook image courtesy of the Morris & Co. archive: www.morrisandco.sandersondesigngroup.com
Fruit original flat shot image: Morris & Co. : www.morrisandco.sandersondesigngroup.com
Acanthus original flat shot image: Morris & Co. : www.morrisandco.sandersondesigngroup.com
Willow Boughs Dado artwork: Morris & Co.: www.morrisandco.sandersondesigngroup.com
Comments