Bird and Trellis

Lord bless how nice it will be when I can get back to my little patterns and dyeing and the dear warp and weft at Hammersmith ~William Morris, Letter to Georgiana Burne-Jones in 1879.

The Design

Design for Bird and Trellis, William Morris and Philip Webb

Bird and Trellis was designed by Morris shortly after he and Jane had moved into Red House. The gardens at Red House were evocative of medieval gardens, where flowerbeds were traditionally enclosed by climbing roses.

Bird and Trellis was a collaborative effort: Morris's friend, and architect of Red House, Philip Webb designed the birds.

Bird and Trellis at Kelmscott House

Morris chose the Bird and Trellis design for his private rooms, his study and bedroom, on the ground floor of his Hammersmith riverfront home, Kelmscott House, named after his arguably most beloved home, Kelmscott Manor. Both homes were on the Thames and Morris would sometimes row from one to another.

William Morris Bird and Trellis backsplash

More About Kelmscott House

Bird and Trellis in William Morris Bedroom at Kelmscott House

Morris's most famous homes were in the English countryside, Red House in Bexleyheath, and Kelmscott Manor in Oxfordshire. Business brought him often to London and when in town, he made his home at the riverfront Kelmscott House, renamed after his beloved Kelmscott Manor. Kelmscott House was a terraced house built in the 1780s and originally called 'The Retreat'. Morris spent the last 18 years of his life at Kelmscott House for the most part.

During that time, Morris took up carpet weaving, weaving his first tapestry, Acanthus and Vine, in his own bedroom. His fondness for the house centered around these practical crafts.