William Morris Trays

Long history of William Morris designs

The timeless designs originally produced by William Morris over 150 years ago and which became famous as representative of the Arts & Crafts Movement. The movement highlighted the qualities of traditional forms of craftsmanship particularly in items used around the home such as wallpaper and textiles.

The vintage style of William Morris patterns which typically incorporate various elements of nature such as flowers, birds, leaves and vines. These traditional patterns were often finished in a warm range of colours, such as deep reds or blues which are great for furnishing the home in a comfortable style.

These classic Morris designs decorated the homes of the wealthy throughout the Victorian era making William Morris is a design icon during his lifetime. Entering the post Victorian period the Morris styles were replaced by alternative styles until they experienced a revival with the fashion demands of 1960’s Britain.

Extended popularity of William Morris trays

The traditional William Morris designs became popular again in the last decade or so when the fashion focus was back on vintage and traditional patterns around the home. This can be seen in the demand for a variety of home furnishings including the Morris & Co trays, cushion covers, curtains, placemats and coasters.

The range of patterns and colours is so extensive that the available colour options frequently change from year to year, but always keeping to the warmth of the classic colours on William Morris trays.

Design style on Morris & Co trays

The traditional patterns on the William Morris trays are available in a range of distinctive Morris & Co floral styles and colours, as well as in various sizes. From the bold Strawberry Thief red serving trays to the subtle green shades of the Bough sandwich size tray.

The current trend for having decorative items in vintage styles around the home, bringing a touch of comfort, warmth and tradition to your décor. The benefit of having accessories like William Morris trays, is they blend perfectly with many colour schemes and bring a feeling of good taste and comfort to your surroundings.

The appeal of having retro and British heritage styles around the home is a recognition of the lasting qualities of the Morris & Co catalogue of designs, something which is unchanged for generations.

Serving, sandwich and William Morris lap trays

To satisfy the demand for William Morris trays there is a wide range of shapes and sizes for you to select from, depending upon the usage required for your tray. The practical cushioned lap trays are a great way to combine the vintage Morris designs with the modern life style of working from home and enjoying a more casual form of dining.

The William Morris lap trays are made in Scotland by the Customworks company and feature popular floral designs such as Strawberry Thief and the dark blue Seaweed pattern. These multi use trays feature a cushioned bean bag type of base and the Morris artwork is printed on a durable melamine surface.

The Morris & Co melamine large serving trays feature both blue and red Strawberry Thief patterns and are made by Pimpernel for Morris & Co. These patterns are also available in the smaller “sandwich” tray size, both sizes being completely food safe and perfect for presenting sandwiches and canapes to your guests directly on the elegant William Morris pattern of the tray.