Morris & Co. Paint Edit: The Craftsperson’s Palette

Morris & Co. Designer and creator of our Paint range, Jess Clayworth, shares her creative insight in a curated Paint Edit. Combining paint and fabric, Jess presents an irresistible created-by-hand feel for the home.

Morris & Co. Paint is directly inspired by William Morris designs safely stored in our archive. Learn more about the range here.

The Craftsperson’s Palette

Jess says “I am obsessed with the earthy clay tones of ‘Red House’ & ’Hare’s Coat’. They evoke craftsmanship and a handmade-feel which is where I feel most at home.”

Morris & Co. Paint draws from our long history, stretching back to our founding in 1861. Our ‘Red House’ hue evokes the nostalgic feeling from William Morris’s own home in Bexleyheath, which he co-designed with his friend and architect, Philip Webb. It was an Arts & Crafts tour de force, complete with medieval-style tapestry décor and garden rooms celebrating the wonders of nature. ‘Red House’ looks back to the burnt terracotta tone of Red House’s brickwork.

What about coordinating colours? Jess suggests “pairing with the subtle green tones of ‘Citrus Stone’ and ‘Thames Reeds’, to give a real sense of warmth and treasured belongings.” Thames Reeds, a russet mid-brown, evokes the waterside flora on the river which connected two of William Morris’s homes- Kelmscott Manor in Oxfordshire and Kelmscott House, London. ‘Thames Reeds’ draws a natural line between town and country, joining both with a rustic earthiness.

And for something upbeat and elevated? Jess: “Create that calming space where you’ll always want to retreat to with ‘Weld Yellow’. It’s an ideal pairing with warm and earthy colours.”