As you may have noticed in our portfolio of work, we love using botanical and forest-inspired wallcoverings. At Morris Lare, we are big fans of the depth and richness they can add to a space, the pop of color and texture they can provide, and how they can bring a touch of nature to an interior.
Forest-inspired wall coverings have been popular for hundreds of years, rising in popularity during the Arts and Crafts movement from 1880-1920. Some of the earliest forest-inspired botanical papers were designed by William Morris, a British textile and furniture designer from the late 19th C.
In recent years, biophilic design (design that connects a space to the natural world) has gained in popularity and prevalence. We’ve seen a resurgence in the use of William Morris designs and the creation of many new wall coverings inspired by the forest.
Read on for a round-up of some of our current favorite forest-inspired wallcoverings that can transform a room into a magical forest.
Schumacher Katmandu in Beige
We used Schumacher’s Katmandu wallpaper in our Glenwood new custom home powder room, and like any good wallpaper it totally stole the show! Neutral, but with lovely texture – this paper feels like a forest full of birds in a snowy wonderland.
Cole & Son Florence Court
Originally a block print, Florencecourt takes its name from the Florencecourt Yew, widely considered to be one of the original yew trees within the British Isles. This pattern is a favorite amongst designers, used by popular design studios such as Stoffer Design and Studio McGee. The simple botanical pattern in varied shades of green adds dimension and texture to walls in large or small spaces, without overwhelming the room.
Zoffany Richmond Park
This forest-inspired paper is lush and gorgeous in every color, and perfectly captures the essence of walking under a canopy of trees in every season of the year. Each version of this paper captures a different season in a forest, and we love each one. Painted with surface rollers to achieve luxurious depth and a true painterly effect, we are looking forward to using this paper in a future project!
Rebel Walls Scandinavian Bellewood
We used this Scandinavian-inspired forest mural in the fall colorway for our nursery at our ML Glenwood project, and it is a showstopper in the space! We also love the dreamy crisp colors of the Bellewood Frost colorway, which would work equally well in a neutral nursery or child’s bedroom. It would also be charming in a dining room or entryway.
For ideas on how to create your own gender neutral nursery design, check out our post on the Glenwood nursery.
Morris & Co Pure Acorn
A beautiful, all-over wallpaper design featuring an illustrated version of acorn branches, this design dates back to 1879. The original artwork was made with wood block prints, which involved inking and printing each design by hand. If you’re looking to add a soft, monochromatic botanical to your walls, you can’t go wrong with this classic design which is also available as a fabric.
Cole & Son Woods
Beautiful in all of its classic colorways, this iconic 1959 screen print has become a favorite in the design world with its calming print in a variety of soft palettes. Woods can make a dramatic statement in the black and white, or soften a nursery or powder room in powdery blue, light olive and pink. The newer versions with gold stars or pears add another touch of whimsy to this winter forest-inspired paper.
Sandseron Juniper
Equally beautiful in either of its two colorways, this pine forest paper is inspired by Japanese watercolors, and was originally painted in watery inks to depict the mist that hangs over ancient forests. This paper is ideal for statement walls or to bring some color and pattern to a powder room.
The forest color of this paper is very similar to the Chasing Paper Pacific Northwest wallpaper we used in the powder room at our ML Echo Valley new custom home build, shown above.
Rebel Walls Saint Sebastian
Like something out of a children’s storybook, Rebel Walls designed this modern toile wallpaper to create the feeling of being in a woodland surrounded by typical British trees like English oaks, hawthorns and silver birches. The light shades of pistachio and sand have an overall softening effect that would be beautiful in a nursery space, and the dramatic and graphic and slate colorways would be gorgeous in a dining room or moody bedroom design.
Zak + Fox Sycomorus
This dramatic wallpaper from Zak + Fox comes in several colorways with inspired color-combinations that are reminiscent of old master paintings. Inspired by a gouache painting, the design depicts a forest in a classical English-inspired painterly style. Twisted and gnarly branches, big curly leaves and pops of moody color in fruit and flowers add depth and texture to the pattern.
The dark and moody colorways of this paper would be beautiful in a dining room, primary bedroom or even a powder room. Softer colorways would add drama and color to a formal entry, guest bedroom or hallway.
Lewis & Wood Adam's Eden
We love this paper so much we’ve specified it twice recently – in the library of our Brentwood Project and more recently in a client’s bedroom. We’ve also used the Snowbird and Mother of Pearl colorways of this paper in our clients’ homes, but it is beautiful in every color. Like something out of a classic English estate, this paper lends a dreamy botanical feel to any space.
Inspired by a design painted on the wall of the decorative artist Adam Calkin, Lewis and Wood designed Adam’s Eden as a wide width paper in order to do the scale of this dramatic woodsy print justice. As an added bonus, this design can be printed on Metallic or Vinyl wallpaper, and is available printed on linen as well.
Rifle Paper Co. - Fable
This fable-inspired print graces the guest bath at our Canyon Court project. Inspired by classic children’s fairy tales, the design features illustrated wood-block inspired woodland creatures set in a forest of flowers and leaves.
In its softer colors, this playful paper featuring hopping bunnies would be perfect in a gender-neutral nursery or child’s bedroom. Darker colorways would make a fun conversation-starter in a powder room, pantry or dining room.
Sandberg - Raphael
One of Sandberg’s most popular wallpapers, and available in eight different colorways, this gorgeous forest wallpaper can be soft and pretty or dark and dramatic. The pattern was inspired by antique tapestries, where stylised leaves are often depicted with dramatic contrasts.
Alicia is planning to install this pretty paper in her powder room next year! With so many colors to choose from, this paper could go just about anywhere you want to add drama or softness to your home. Our favorite colorways are Green, Blue, Gray, and Charcoal.
By incorporating forest-inspired wallcoverings into your home, you can infuse your living space with the serenity and peace of nature. These artisan wallpapers, with their rich color palettes and detailed patterns, can turn any room into a tranquil retreat and offer you and your family a daily escape from the hustle and bustle of our hectic lives.
Whether you’re drawn to the classic designs of William Morris or more contemporary interpretations, there’s a forest-inspired wallpaper to suit every taste and style. So why not breathe some woodland magic into your interiors and let the natural beauty of the forest inspire your next design project? Let us know your favorite in the comments!
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