J.R. Burrows & Company:
William Morris Carpet Designs

	"Tulip & Lily" carpet designed in 1875 by William Morris. This traditional Wilton carpet is woven on narrow 27" looms. It is available as an all over body pattern that can be hand sewn to fit rooms as wall-to-wall carpeting. The pattern repeat is 10.5" with a self match. It can also be sewn with borders to make area rugs of varying sizes. Borders are available in widths of 4.5 inches and 13.5 inches. As a runner this design is offered in 27" and 36" widths. Colors are a dark indigo ground with two greens, periwinkle, rose, coral and fawn. Tulip & Lily is one of the best known Arts & Crafts Movement carpets, and it is one of the only 19th century carpet designs to be kept in current production throughout the 20th century. Click here for a larger image of the Tulip and Lily Carpet.
"Poppy" Axminster Carpet designed and registered by William Morris on Christmas Eve of 1875. This is the earliest registered carpet design by Morris, and the pattern was thought to have been lost until it surfaced in the archive of Grosvenor Wilton Company Ltd. Our Axminster weaving is of the heaviest commercial weight, recommended for extra heavy wear in hotel lobbies, and well suited for any residential use. It has a pattern repeat of 14 1/4" with a self match, and the border is 13 1/2" wide. Colors are shades of indigo and grey blue, olive, moss green and ivory. Stock is kept on this item, and it is offered at a lower price point than the Wilton carpets. Click here for a larger image of the Poppy Carpet.
	"Honeysuckle" is credited to Henry Dearle, an associate of William Morris, and dates from the mid-1890s. It has a splendid color palette of indigo blue (ground), olive, light grey, rose, red, blue and yellow. The design is a classic carpet figure that can be viewed from all directions, and it has a 26" self match repeat. The same Morris borders used for Tulip & Lily have been recolored to match Honeysuckle and are available in widths of 4.5 and 13.5 inches. Click here for a larger image of the Honeysuckle Carpet.
"Vine & Pomegranate" is an ingrain carpet, woven without pile and reversible. It is credited to Kate Faulkner, the sister of one of Morris's original partners, who painted tiles and drew patterns for Morris in the early years of the firm. The design dates from c. 1877. Ingrains were used extensively in 19th and early 20th century American homes, especially in bedchambers and rooms that did not receive the heaviest wear. Although it was common practice to fit these wall-to-wall, Morris suggested sewing them as squares, allowing a border of wood floor to show around the perimeter of the room (still a novel idea in the early 1880s!). They can be taken out easily for cleaning, and reversed with the dark side up for winter and the light side up for summer. This heavy fabric also makes a stunning hanging, and a handsome portierre! Our ingrain is woven in the United States. Ingrain carpets are not well know to modern homeowners, but they are extremely appropriate for historic homes, and this is a design of considerable beauty. Our original colorway was matched to a document in madder red, and other colorways in green and in indigo blue are planned, all favorite colors of William Morris. Click here for a larger image of the Vine and Pomegranate Carpet.
"Daisy" is an ingrain carpet runner, 22 1/2" wide, woven without pile (not reversible). Our reproduction was copied from the original stair runner at Kelmscott Manor, William Morris's country house in Oxfordshire. The original colorway is in blue with off white, grass green and light madder red accents.

Note on Area Rugs: Wilton carpets are woven in 27" wide strips and can be sewn with 13 1/2" borders to make area rugs in widths of 6'9", 9', 11'3", 13'6", 15'9", etc. The length can be flexible, but our Morris rugs look best using full pattern repeats. For Tulip & Lily this is based on a 10 1/2" repeat (with 13 1/2" borders) making lengths of 7' 6", 8' 4 1/2", 9' 3",10' 1 1/2",11', 11' 10 1/2", 12' 9", 13' 7 1/2", 14' 6", 15' 4 1/2", 16' 3", etc. For Honeysuckle this is based on a 26" repeat (with 13 1/2" borders) making lengths of 6' 7", 8' 9", 10' 11", 13' 1", 15' 3", 17' 5", etc. For Poppy this is based on a 14 1/4" repeat (with 13 1/2" borders) making lengths of 7', 8' 2 1/4", 9' 4 1/2", 10' 6 3/4", 11'9", 12' 11 1/4", 14 1 1/2", 15 3 3/4", 16' 6". PLEASE NOTE that 8' x 10' rugs are not a suitable size to be made with this product.

Minimums and Pricing: These carpets are woven-to-order, with a delivery time of approximately 6 months, and the minimum weaving order is 20 linear yards, which provides a 9' x 12' 9" Tulip & Lily, or 9' x 13' 1" Honeysuckle, or 9' x 12' 11 1/4" Poppy. Other sizes can be made if the combined yardage surpasses 20 linear yards. An approximate estimate for a 9' x 12' 9" Tulip & Lily, or a 9' x 13' 1" Honeysuckle is $5,800.00, including hand-sewn seams, binding, pad and shipping (price may vary in different parts of the United States). An approximate estimate for a 9' x 12'11 1/4" Poppy is $4,500.00 including hand-sewn seams, binding, pad and shipping (price may vary in different parts of the United States). Request an individual price quote for the size you need, and be sure to indicate the delivery location.

Our Vine & Pomegranate ingrain carpet is woven 36" wide), and rugs can be widths of 6', 9', 12', etc., and lengths based on an 17 1/2" repeat are 7' 3 1/2", 8' 9", 10' 2 1/2", 11' 8", 13' 11 1/2", 14' 7", etc. Approximate pricing for a 9' x 11' 8" rug, including sewing, binding and shipping (not including pad) = $2,100.00. Please inquire for current stock availability and pricing, and be sure to indicate the delivery location.

A Note on William Morris Wallpapers, Fabrics and Carpets.

About William Morris

William Morris, an English designer, author and socialist, his work formed the centerpiece of the founding of the Arts & Crafts Movement, encompassing designs for wallpaper, carpet, fabric, woven tapestries, furniture, book binding and printing. He encouraged methods of hand production over machine production. Today he is especially celebrated for his pattern designs. He believed that the forms in patterns should be drawn from nature, and selected to be particularly suited for the surfaces they will be used on as well as for the manufacturing medium. Morris began designing carpets in the mid-1870's; "Poppy" and "Tulip & Lily" are among his earliest carpet patterns. In 1861 Morris founded a decorating firm which became known throughout the world for supplying wallpaper, fabric and carpet. Our Wilton and Axminster Morris carpets are woven in the same English mill that has been the authorized weaver of these designs since 1910.

Morris employed many talented artists and craftsworkers, and two of these designed patterns we supply. John Henry Dearle worked for Morris & Company from 1878 until his death in 1932. He became the principal designer of repeat patterns for the firm, becoming Art Director after Morris died. He is credited for the design of our "Honeysuckle" pattern. Kate Faulkner was a sister of the firm's bookkeeper and during the 1870's and 1880's painted tiles and designed wallpaper and fabric, including the "Vine & Pomegranate" 3-ply ingrain carpet.

For more information on William Morris, please look at the William Morris Society page, and the Founders of the Arts & Crafts Movement page.

You also might like to look at reproductions of William Morris Tiles by Designs in Tile.

J.R. Burrows & Company is proud to be the carpet supplier for Kelmscott Manor, the Oxfordshire country home of William Morris. Vine & Pomegranate is shown in William Morris's bedroom.

Wool Carpet Care Information: The most important advice is to vacuum regularly (at least once per week, and more often in areas of high traffic), to remove spills immediately, and to have the carpets professionally cleaned once every year to two years. For more information, including a Spot Removal Chart, please go to the Wools of New Zealand carpet care web page. Link to the words "Wools of New Zealand" http://www.fernmark.com/care/care_us.asp

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