This Rug Collection Has Brought 26 Previously Unfinished William Morris Sketches to Life, Marking the First New Designs in 150 Years
Perfect for refreshing your floor covering before the Autumn season arrives
A good rug can do wonders for a room — it's a pop of color, a soft place for your feet to land, and a grounding design element... or all of the above. However, I think my favorite kind of rug looks both timeless and contemporary, classic and trendy. Think heritage patterns paired with rich color palettes. And fortunately, this is exactly the style at the center of the latest Ruggable x Morris & Co. collaboration.
Even the partnership between the two brands themselves reflects this notion. If you know anything about Morris & Co., it's that its patterns are rooted in a deep British design heritage — inspired by medievalism, folklore, and British folk tradition, rather than simple stripes or polka dots. Then Ruggable brings the practical, modern dimension to the partnership. The brand's washable rug design allows these historic prints and patterns to become part of everyday life. It's a designer rug collaboration that feels true to both brands, while blending heritage style with the modern home.
If you are like me, then it's hard to choose between all the different rug trends and styles to find one that's perfect for your space. Between a washable rug (that makes everyday spills less serious) and a fashionable selection of colors and prints, the Ruggable x Morris and Co. collaboration is shaping up to be a pretty convincing place to refresh your floor coverings before Autumn arrives.
A bold, plaid rug feels modern, but will never go out of style.
Image credit: Ruggable
Ruggable offers a range of sizes as well, so you can find a rug that fits your space perfectly.
Image credit: Ruggable
Color plays a big part in making these rugs feel right in line with today's trends as well. Where the prints could lean too traditional, the rich and saturated variations of modern heritage color palettes keep it interesting and up to date with contemporary style. As There are moody burgundies, rich denim and navy blues, and even a few milk-chocolate browns to round out the palette. Very aligned with palettes and 'color of the year' predictions for 2027, might I add.
Perhaps most interestingly, though, this collection has brought to life 26 previously unfinished sketches by William Morris, marking the first 'new' designs in 150 years. The original sketches were uncovered in the archives of The Huntington Library in California and have been carefully completed and repainted by hand in the brand's design studio — perfectly adding to that collected, heritage feel.
Claire Vallis, design director at Morris & Co shares, "When The Huntington approached us with its collection of unfinished Morris & Co. works, it was a precious opportunity we couldn't resist. These remarkable archival documents, incomplete sketches by William Morris and J. H. Dearle, provided the blueprint for our London design studio, which essentially picked up where they left off. In an artist-to-artist connection spanning the centuries, we pored over graphite drawings and marginal annotations, delved into our own extensive archive to ensure historical accuracy, and repainted each motif by hand."
It sounds fabulous, but don't worry, if you're like me (a little afraid of floral prints and traditional patterns), the collection caters really well to modern tastes. Tonal color combinations make floral prints feel more contemporary, while pieces like the Hanover rug are a fun take on the modern geometric rug and plaid rug trends.
This is one of the darkest and most striking pieces of the collection. It is for those who want to set a moody tone with their rug; however, the lighter tonal floral print helps lighten things up.
Daisy & Oak Charcoal Rug is a perfect dining room rug. "It looks great with lots of different shades of natural wood, blond, rich oak, and dark wood table or floor tones," says Maria O’Brien, vice president of design at Ruggable.
"What I like about this design and colorway is the way it works so well in daylight and is also beautiful, cozy, and grounding in evening light for cozy suppers," says Maria. The yellow and blue combination makes the print pop.
For a quiet statement piece, "Walthamstow Slate Blue & Burgundy is one of my favorite rugs," says Maria. "The nuanced slate blue backdrop pairs beautifully with the rich burgundy linework, resulting in a refined harmony that elevates the design."
I am a sucker for a modern check print, and I love the mix of colors and patterns in this variation. The almost wheat-inspired yellow sets a cozy base, while the light blue and teals provide a nice complementary pop.
"This design faithfully preserves the nuanced texture of the original block-printed artwork. The outer edges of each motif feature a saturated, ink-smudged halo effect that enhances the visual depth, a characteristic particularly refined in the Sage & Coral and Grey colorways," says Maria. And the border works so well for a doormat, I must add.
And every collection needs a neutral staple. Not only is this soft brown perfectly in line with current color trends, but the subtle floral print also brings that slightly heritage aesthetic, rooting the rug in traditional design.
"What I love about this piece is that it demonstrates a masterclass in classic Morris rhythm and fluid repetition, updated through a contemporary approach to color and composition," says Maria. "By layering traditional green foliage and vines with dusty rose and blossom-toned floral motifs, the design creates a striking contrast against an unexpected, sophisticated burgundy ground."
I love this blue-gray as an elevated neutral. Or, for more of a commanding statement, "the Oak & Blossom in Sage & Coral is the perfect go-to. It has a wonderful structure of natural elements with contemporary borders that feel just right in a living room," says Maria.
I'm still not quite over Ruggable's previous launch of performance weave rugs. A washable jute fabric? Incredible. However, autumn decorating calls for something a little moodier. Will you be adding this collaboration to your refresh list?
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