Wendy Morrison designs beautiful rugs, each with her own story. And although every design is special, Wendy has a few personal favourites, which she shares here.
‘I like each design to have a story and a purpose,’ Wendy explains. ‘It doesn’t sit well with me to design a rug just for the sake of it. The design process requires ideas and inspiration too.
‘Some designs I’ve had in my head for years, but they take time to come together. These are often the designs that continue to give. They start out as a single rug and end up forming an entire collection, because there seems so much to say.
‘The Mughal Collection is a great example. Inspiration from a family trip to India years ago turned into a single rug celebrating intricate, colourful, 16th-century Mughal art and its connection with nature. That first idea evolved into a collection that continues to grow.’
Accidental design
‘Many of my designs happen almost by accident or by just playing around,’ Wendy explains. ‘Birdsong Yellow came from hand-knotted wool and silk design Floral Waves. I was loving Floral Waves’ colour combination of yellow and pink at the time, and by removing the waves and replacing them with the bright intense yellow, Birdsong Yellow was born. So uplifting, she never fails to make me smile.
‘I call Chinese Garden of Virtue the ‘ultimate neutral’, because she is composed of a beautiful mix of gentle neutral colours with a grounding gold Tencel border.’ Around the perimeter there is a beautiful peacock, peony roses and cherry blossom, with two cranes in flight - all powerful symbolic motifs that share a story of positive human virtues.
Another favourite neutral, Plumage was inspired by Wendy’s love of art deco and her hen Francis, who had the most beautiful feathers. ‘I love the way different yarns play together in this piece; the warm grey Tencel bounces off the black wool to create many shades of taupe.
Inspirational geometric shapes
Eternity stems from hand-knotted design Eternal Toile, which shares the story of a long and happy life. ‘It felt only fair to create a hand-tufted piece with the same positive story that was more accessible in price.’
Inspired by the style of rug designer Walter Nichols, Eternity turned out quite different in composition with intense colours on a neutral base. ‘The groundbreaking American brought the art of Chinese rug making to a modern audience in the 1920s,’ Wendy says, ‘I like to think he would be pleased with my Western take on this story!’
One Hundred Flowers was inspired by hand-knotted wool and silk piece, One Hundred Birds One Hundred Flowers. ‘It felt natural to use elements of this design in a hand-tufted version, which has a joyful, floral-shaped border.’
‘I clearly remember the day Vogue Deco came to life,’ Wendy says. ‘I had been down a rabbit hole of old Vogue magazine covers, and have always liked playing with geometric shapes. Softening those shapes with florals and cranes came naturally.
At home with Wendy
There are several hand-knotted rugs that hold special meaning for Wendy too, many of which she uses in her own home.
‘A Mughal Painting and A Mughal Painting Part 2 have a special place in my heart. I love the colour composition of these rugs and that they both celebrate the horse, one of my favourite animals. I’m also fascinated by the Mughal Miniatures of the 16th century, lovely little masterpieces each telling their own story of such interesting times in glorious colours.
Wendy’s top choice for a bedroom is One Hundred Birds One hundred Flowers, ‘She is so full of life, her story is one of hope and vitality.’
Talisman, with her playful dragons, has incredibly powerful symbolism. ‘In Far Eastern cultures, dragons are seen as benevolent and auspicious creatures, which symbolise good fortune, prosperity, and strength. Everyone should have a dragon or two in their home! She is perfect for a lounge, which is where we have her at home.
Wendy had worked on creating a toile for many years before Eternal Toile came to life. ‘She shares the story of a long, happy and healthy life, which I am sure we all aspire to,’ Wendy says. ‘She is perfect for creative spaces and when you want a sense of ease. At home, she lives in our snug, a room that also serves as Gregor’s study. She is the perfect finishing touch for this calm space.’
You can shop Wendy’s favourites here, and dive deeper into the story behind each of these designs, and see how they have been styled.
