Simply Morris meets Simply-Scandi-Katie

How #FreshMaximalism can bring calm to the home with Instagram’s favourite Scandi-fan.

Katie, or @simplyscandikatie as the world of Instagram may know her, loves the clean, spaciously simple style of our Scandinavian friends. But that doesn’t mean she wasn’t able to find a place for our Strawberry Thief wallpaper…

Katie’s sense of style speaks to that part in all of us which wants to bring a little bit of nature into our homes. She wants to shape our interiors so that we can take a calming breath, and rest awhile. So, rest awhile, and read on to discover how Katie uses designs from the latest contemporary colour story, the Simply Morris collection.

Q: Please tell us a few things about yourself, your home and your own personal style. 

A: I’ve had a passion for home interiors since buying my first house 17 years ago, always loving to renovate to give my home its own identity and create an atmosphere that feels fresh and relaxing. I have a particular love for relaxed, rustic, Scandinavian interiors, keeping living spaces light and airy, incorporating natural materials like wood and plants to connect to nature. Artwork has really become integral to my styling over the last few years with a love for soft palette landscapes and seascapes which emit calmness into the room and is a simple way to introduce colour and pattern into a space. I like to mix old and new so I try to source antique pieces of furniture which really add character and uniqueness into a room. 

Q: What do you feel Morris & Co.’s archival designs can bring to spaces, and did you have a relationship with the brand prior to working with us? 

A: I was first introduced to William Morris when I was a child as my Nan had curtains in the iconic Blackthorn design and William Morris and his family lived in Red House (now a National Trust site) a house he built not far from me. His designs are very iconic and often you can guess it’s one of his. The patterns and use of colour is simply beautiful, there are so many choices, which are often available in different colourways, making it easy to suit most colour schemes. Wallpaper is really making a comeback and I love seeing it used in bedrooms particularly, as it really adds cosiness and interest in the room. 

Q: William Morris’s designs speak to the wonderment of nature, and we see a lot of natural themes in your own personal style. Do you feel drawn to this aspect of Morris & Co. designs, and how does that make them suitable for interior spaces? 

A: Incorporating nature into my interiors is very important to me. Bringing the outside in is a way to really calm a space by connecting you with nature which gives me a very peaceful feeling. Morris & Co. designs really allow that connection, too, whilst being able to add more colour and texture. There’s something very traditional about the designs while also enabling a modern twist to a room. The Simply Morris range, using the softer, more contemporary colour palette, really appeals to me and extends the use of such decorative patterns to a more modern home. 

Q: You’ve used patterns from our new Simply Morris collection to decorate your daughter’s room. This collection is all about #FreshMaximalism, iconic designs in fresh, pared back colour stories perfect for contemporary spaces. How do you feel designs from this collection helped you to achieve a modern country aesthetic? 

A: The Strawberry Thief in Cochineal Pink from the Simply Morris range really stood out to me straight away. The colours were just perfect for my daughter’s room which was already painted in a deep dusky pink with splashes of green and again the connection to nature and joyousness behind the name appealed to my daughter and her imagination. There is so much for her to look at within the design and the beautiful colours bring so much life and interest to her bedroom. The new contemporary colour options within the Simply Morris range makes it much easier to use such classic, traditional designs in a more modern way which is so refreshing and with wallpapers making a big come back within interiors gives you so many more choices. Walking from the more neutral, plain tones in my living spaces into her bedroom which is full of colour and pattern is so invigorating and a welcome contrast.