Flipping through the pages of magazines like House and Garden and Architectural Diegest, I'm always disappointed at the showiness and general disposability of most home decor. If you watch decorators on the House and Garden network, it always seems people use a designer to help them apply the latest trends in decorating to their homes. Then twenty years later (often less), their homes are outdated and again require the services of an interior decorator. The whole process seems to me to be incredibly wasteful, and it's made me rather hesitant to encourage the idea of using an designer.
Well, I am happy to report that not all designers are there to encourage you to buy into flash-in-the-pan decorating trends! 
Yesterday I heard about this wonderful site from a highschool friend. Wren and Willow Interior Decorating and Design is a small interior design firm inspired by the William Morris maxim "Have nothing in your houses you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful." The company's design projects have a decidedly Arts and Crafts flair, and promise to complement your home's architecture while "bringing the beauty of nature inside the home" to "create a warm and inviting atmosphere."
I must say, I'm blown away by the use of these beautiful William Morris wallpapers and textiles. I particularly love the living room, where they're using "willow" wallpaper, "honeysuckle" curtains and the lion above the fireplace is of course from William Morris' Forest Tapestry. The tiling around the fireplace is also lovely. What a beautiful retreat! And the beautiful decor in these homes is timeless. If you love something, why not keep it forever?
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Wren and Willow Interior Decorating and Design
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4 comments:
Once again -exactly how I feel about interior design. I recently had a disagreement with my mother about our falling apart sofa (in the kids playroom, not the 'good' one) and she said I could buy a new one for $300. I attempted to poin to out that a $300 sofa wouldnt be very good (false economy) and to buy anything better would be depressing with three kids clambering over it all day. We are browsing the Stickley pattern book at the moment for bedroom dressers/chest of drawers - Matt next A&C woodwork project.
That living room looks a lot like my living room! http://kspoeringtapestries.blogspot.com/2007/10/rockport-skiffs.html
Except the tapestry above my fireplace is the one that was stolen. Sigh.
Oh dear me, wouldn't I love to be able to afford to have them help me with my living spaces!
I wonder where they get their fabrics and wallpapers...I've had no luck finding affordable sources for his textiles.
The irony that plagued Morris all his life was that only wealthy folk could afford the hand-crafted aesthetic he promoted. So beware of the cheap and nasty Stickley knockoffs available at Bassett and other outlets. Better to go with Ikea and embroider some pillows with Morris motifs. Better yet (if there's time--but when is there?) shop thrift stores for furniture and/or fabrics that can be reused creatively. Design firms that specialize in Arts and Crafts merchandise are, for many of us, simply inspiration. Magazines like American Bungalow, Style 1900, and others fuel our desires, but they can also give us some great ideas for combining use and beauty, even when our pocketbooks are full of moths!
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