The Daily Telegraph - Saturday - The Telegraph Magazine
House style
Three ways to create a cool, calm (but cosy) interior
Cool, calm collections
NORTHERN SOUL
Think of William Morris’s fabric and wallpaper designs, and a certain aesthetic will probably spring to mind: classic, decorative and richly coloured. His stylised motifs incorporating British flora and fauna created a look that is instantly recognisable. But two new collections that reinterpret archive designs by adding a Nordic twist, recently released by Morris & Co, might surprise those who wouldn’t normally consider themselves fans.
The collections, titled North and Kindred, are inspired by diaries that Morris kept during a trip to Iceland in 1871 – a country that had long fascinated him, so much so that he subsequently produced a series of English translations of Icelandic sagas. The diaries speak of ‘a place so different from anything we have ever imagined’, and give detailed accounts of the dramatic landscape.
These descriptions have been used by Morris & Co’s current design team to devise a new palette of colours – with evocative names such as Stormy Grey, Horned Poppy and Faded Sea Pink – that has been applied to a selection of archive designs, and reproduced on wallpapers and printed, embroidered and woven fabrics. Some have a mica finish to give a subtle sheen, others are accented with metallic detailing, and the overall result is a delicate watercolour effect that gives a fresh, contemporary edge to this heritage brand. stylelibrary.com
SCANDI SCENE
For another modern take on the Nordic look, check out young online homeware shop Att Pynta. Set up in 2015 by Kai Price and Amanda Nelson, who met while working in fashion PR, Att Pynta – ‘to decorate’ in Swedish – combines Danish rattan, Swedish ceramics and Finnish textiles, with sofas covered in Italian velvet or Belgian linen, and all come at a fair price point.
Nelson and Price are currently hosting a pop-up shop until the end of the month on the fourth floor at Liberty for those who want a closer look. attpynta.com
BURNING ISSUES
The new White Lilac & Rhubarb candle from Jo Malone looks as botanical as it smells, with a pot wrapped in a painterly design – and 75 per cent of the retail price goes to mental-health charities. jomalone.co.uk