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I am writing among the gables and rook-haunted trees, with a sense of place being almost too beautiful to live in... ~William Morris, 1872
William Morris Willow Bough
Willow is emblematic of Jane Morris and Kelmscott Manor, the house that Morris most loved and where he lived the longest. He maintained rooms in town, but returned often to the "Old Grey House by the River" in the Cotswolds, exploring the countryside and spending hours fishing from the river bank or in a small boat. Willow Bough was inspired by the trees the graced the banks of his favorite fishing spots in the nearby streams and rivers.
Architecturally, Kelmscott is a Tudor house, not Arts & Crafts (That would be Red House, his first married home that he built for himself and his wife, Janey). Kelmscott was built around 1570 with later additions into the seventeenth century. Morris rented the estate first with Dante Gabriel Rossetti and continued to keep it until his death. Jane bought the house a few months before her death in 1914.
Jane Morris, Willow bedroom at Kelmscott Manor. The Willow pattern was inspired by the willows that graced the banks of the river near Morris's favored fishing spots near his home in the Cotswolds.
Water Willow with Kelmscott Manor in the background, by Dante Gabriel Rossetti. Jane Morris, model.
After the dissolution of Morris, Marshall, Faulkner and Co. ('The Firm'), Morris founded his own company, Morris and Co., setting up shop at 449 Oxford Street. By this time, Morris's attention had turned to woven fabrics. He employed Louis Bazin, who created the first Morris textile fabric, Willow, in 1877, using a Jacquard Loom in a workshop near Queen Square. Although Willow was first implented in fabric, it later became one of Morris and Co.'s most popular wallpaper designs. Morris himself preferred tapestries and embroideries; he created wallpapers and fabrics in order to make his patterns accessible to more people.
I have several variations available. The original colors were green on a bisque cream. Willow is a seamless tile on the vertical.
Designer: William MorrisColors: White or cream background
Sizes: 6 inch ceramic tiles.
Willow is available in green, blue, and blue and green, on white, black, or parchment background.
6 inch square tiles: $61 each
8 inch square tiles: $81 each
tiles from morris & co. designs
tiles from tapestry and embroidery
the forest backsplash and forest animal tiles
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Copyright information: Images of tile products on this website are ©William Morris Tile, LLC. They are derivative works requiring considerable creative effort. You are welcome to use the images, with attribution, for any non-commercial purpose, including displaying them on your blog or personal website. You may not use them for any commercial purpose without written permission, including but not limited to creating counted cross-stitch patterns, calendars, or any other commercial purpose. Contact me for images.