Morris & Co. on Screen
@morris-on-screen
Documenting all the places Morris & Co. / #WilliamMorris patterns show up in set decoration. A little project by @smeadleonard.bsky.social. Submissions extremely welcome - tag me, DM me, or email MorrisOnScreen@gmail.com
I particularly like the pattern recoloring for the poster because it reminds me of one of my favorite versions of "Chrysanthemum," a Sanderson colorway from the 1960s. www.wmgallery.org.uk/object/chrys...
I love the use of Morris & Co. in graphics as well as on screen! Thank you to @hopesteffen.bsky.social for drawing my attention to this one: the poster for comedian Denise Scot's 2026 tour "Tickety Boo", featuring a recolored version of William Morris's "Chrysanthemum" (wallpaper, 1877).
Another episode of Sewing Bee, another Morris & Co. pattern. The Great British Sewing Bee, Series 12 Episode 2, 2026 William Morris, "Strawberry Thief", 1885
The Great British Sewing Bee, Series 12 Episode 1, 2026 William Morris, "Snakeshead", 1876 (designed as a printed fabric)
Fiddler on the Roof, 1971 William Morris, "Chrysanthemum", 1877
A Series of Unfortunate Events, Season 3 Episodes 5 and 6, "Penultimate Peril" Part 1 and 2, 2019. William Morris, "Bachelor's Button", 1864 and J.H. Dearle "Seaweed", 1901.
The Living and the Dead, Series 1 Episode 1, 2017 "Indian", probably by George Gilbert Scott, 1868-70
Another Morris cushion spotted on Taskmaster @taskmaster.tv Season 17 - Episode 4, "Apropos of Apoppo" William Morris, "Strawberry Thief", 1883 (alongside a sliver of "Snakeshead", 1876)
The Lodgers, 2017 William Morris, “Pimpernell”, 1876 another past contribution from @petrabclark.bsky.social !
Phantom Thread, 2017 William Morris, "Fruit", 1866 (modern metallic colorway)
Lovecraft Country, Season 1 Episode 3, "Holy Ghost”, 2020 George Gilbert Scott, “Indian”, c. 1868-70 (yet another originally submitted by @petrabclark.bsky.social!)
"I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson", Season 2 Episode 1, 2021 William Morris, "Chrysanthemum”, 1877
Sanderson introduced several new colorways to their Morris & Co. products in the late 1960s to appeal to period tastes - a common practice throughout the history of Morris patterns (see today's "Pure" monochromes, for example!). The vivid blue Michaelmas Daisy seen here is one of my very favorites.
Midsomer Murders, series 19 episode 6, “The Curse of the Ninth”, 2017 J.H. Dearle, “Michaelmas Daisy”, 1912 (blue and bronze colorway c. 1968-72)
Don't Be Afraid of the Dark, 2010, also featured another Morris & Co. paper: William Morris, "Windrush", 1883 (designed as textile, modern red colorway)
Don't Be Afraid of the Dark also features a paper by Morris's contemporary and friend Walter Crane, "The Sleeping Beauty" from 1879. Shout out to @petrabclark.bsky.social for this spotting!
Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark, 2010 J.H. Dearle, “Blackthorn”, 1892 (modern red colorway)
Wanderlust, 2018 (recurring set) William Morris, "Strawberry Thief", 1883
The Gilded Age version is interesting because it has the chalkier effect of the original distemper-printed papers, but the colors of the motifs are more in line with the modern colorway. Possibly a paper no longer made, or a different manufacturer.
This is another case where the colorway is probably a modern Morris & Co. invention, though it's quite close to the original 1870s style. Left is an original sample of the design from one of the Brooklyn Museum sample books, right is a modern Morris & Co. colorway.
The Gilded Age, Season 1 (episode unknown), 2022 William Morris, “Chrysanthemum”, 1877
The colorway here seems to be an ultra-saturated version of the modern Morris & Co. red-orange colorway (likely sold by another company). I haven't seen 19th-century examples with the red-orange tulips.
Advertisement, Gusto, 2025 (as seen on Instagram) William Morris, “Pimpernel”, 1876 (modern colorway)
Marcella, Season 2 Episode 7, 2018 William Morris, "Fruit", 1865-66 yet another original @petrabclark.bsky.social submission, I am forever in her debt for all her Morris spottings!
This modern Morris & Co. colorway of Compton is similar to the original, but there are several differences. Most strikingly, in the modern version all the foliage is green and the prominent poppy motif is very red, whereas in the original, the poppy has red foliage and a lighter flower.
Midsomer Murders, Season 14 Episode 4, "The Oblong Murders”, 2011 J.H. Dearle, “Compton”, 1896 (modern Morris & Co. colorway)
Upload, Season 1 Episode 5, 2020 J.H. Dearle, "Seaweed", 1901 (red flower colorway modern Morris & Co.)
A Discovery of Witches, Series 1 Episode 2, 2019 Bramble, Kate Faulkner, before 1898
As far as I've been able to see, "Bird and Pomegranate" was only issued on a cream ground originally. The first Sanderson reissues of Morris & Co. patterns in the 1950s included a dark blue colorway. The dark brown version used in Enola Holmes seems to be from the 21st-century Sanderson reissues.
Enola Holmes, 2020. Bird and Pomegranate, Kathleen Kersey, c. 1910s. (Dark brown colorway likely modern Sanderson/Morris & Co.) originally submitted by @petrabclark.bsky.social