Penny Morrison: The Story Behind the Brand

We love Penny Morrison's collection of lighting and lampshades, fabric & wallpaper - and furniture, too....but did you know it all started with Interior Design? Below is a brief summary of Penny Morrison's story that illustrates the history of this successful designer - and now brand - and what led to the creation of her home accessories collection that launched in 2018 we all love so much. I hope you enjoy this quick read. Please browse our selection of her lamps available on the website today - or better yet - come and visit us in Newport to see the lamps in person. They truly are some of my favorite items in the shop. 



How It All Began . . .

Founder and world-renowned interior designer Penny Morrison is known and loved for her unique ability to create beautiful, harmonious spaces through surprising design combinations. Pairing unexpected pieces, patterns and palettes, her designs are a visual feast brimming with color and exuding spontaneity and sophistication in equal measure. Throughout her forty-year career, she has established herself as one of the leading names in interior design, both in the United Kingdom and internationally.

While working as an interior designer for a diverse portfolio of private and commercial clients, Penny recognized gaps in the wider industry that hindered her projects. Refusing to compromise on her creative vision, Penny took matters into her own hands, expanding her business to branch out into fabric and wallpaper design in 2010 and – five years later – a collection of home accessories to embody the inimitable style that the Penny Morrison brand has become so synonymous with.

Over the past forty years, Penny Morrison has grown into a family-run business with Penny’s son, Ted Morrison leading business development and managing the day-to-day running of the company, which today expands across three core branches: interior design, textiles and home accessories, all of which embody Penny’s ethos of bold, colourful and playful design.

Interior Design

Supported by a select team, Penny Morrison continues to be a leading figure in interior design, working on residential and commercial projects around the world. From city townhouses and country manors to Caribbean hotels and exotic beach houses, her work spans a diverse range of properties and her approach is always underpinned by a steadfast commitment to each project’s unique requirements. 

The Fabric and Wallpaper Collection

After struggling to source the perfect curtain and upholstery fabrics for one of her interior design projects, Penny set about designing her own fabrics, a range that she described as ‘floppy linens’. The first designs in the Penny Morrison fabric collection were launched over ten years ago and since then, Penny Morrison has become one of the most sought after textile brands among the country’s leading interior designers and taste-makers.

From Turkish embroidery and Japanese textiles to Anglo-Indian symbols and ancient Greek Motifs, Penny and her design team take their inspiration from vibrant cultures around the world and throughout history, reimagining them through a contemporary lens that is entirely unique to the free-spirited Penny Morrison style.

The fabrics and wallpapers are all designed in Britain, and while the collection is influenced by art and textiles from across the globe, at the heart of every design is a respect and admiration for British heritage and the long-standing textile industry in the United Kingdom. Incredibly proud to be a British brand, all of the fabrics and wallpapers are produced in the United Kingdom in order to reduce the company's carbon footprint and support their local industry. 

The Home Accessories Collection

Following the success of the fabric and wallpaper branch of the company, and in response to the growing demand for unique and bespoke home accessories, the Penny Morrison brand expanded further into the design industry, this time with the launch of its home accessories collection in 2018.

The Penny Morrison Home Accessories pieces are designed and sourced by the Penny Morrison team. The eclectic accessories in the ever-growing collection – which includes lighting, tableware, glassware and soft furnishings – provide interior designers and retail clients alike with exquisite and often limited edition statement accessories that will seamlessly blend with all personal tastes, helping to create a unique and beautiful space, whether that be in a home, hotel, restaurant or office. 

Committed to supporting traditional craftsmanship, Penny Morrison works with highly talented artisans around the world including India, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Colombia, to bring their designs to life. Creating contemporary pieces using age-old techniques, they seek to support the craftsmen and women in these rural communities and to help sustain the intricate skills passed on through generations.

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We hope you have enjoyed this quick read and will shop the collection here.

See something on their website that we don't have posted on our website? Please reach out - we would be glad to assist with any special order. 

Talk 401-847-0228
Text 401-450-5706
Write info@newportlampandshade.com

Images, inspiration and information for this article was sourced directly from Penny Morrison