Fabric Crush: Penny Morrison

Penny Morrison Upholstery fabric San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles

Meet the multi-talented Penny Morrison, the creative force behind UK-based Penny Morrison Interiors and Fabrics, as well as one-half of Irving & Morrison. South African by birth, Morrison is unbound by English tradition and known for marrying classical elements with inspired worldly motifs. Read on to learn where she sources inspiration, what’s next for her collection, and more.

You are both an interior designer and a fabric designer—and a very talented one at that! How did you find yourself in the world of interiors?

As a child growing up in South Africa, I was influenced by my mother’s love of pretty things, and coming to the UK opened up such a wealth of beautiful buildings, fabrics, and antiques. Before I married I went every weekend to Portobello Road and collected vintage textiles, objets, and small antiques.

Can you tell us about the progression to fabric design?

For 11 years, I decorated the Ile de France Hotel in St Barths, and when I first started this project I could not find any suitable fabrics so decided to design my own—linens, breezy and faded, which could work well in the beachy sunny environment.

"Ashok" Fabric in Pink

Penny Morrison Ashok in Pink | Upholstery Fabric San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles

Penny Morrison Kenil in Pink | Upholstery Fabric San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles

"Kenil" Fabric in Pink

"Andean Stripe" Fabric in Lilac

Penny Morrison Andean Stripe in Lilac | Upholstery Fabric San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles

Penny Morrison Indira Stripe in Pink | Upholstery Fabric San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles

"Indira Stripe" Fabric in Pink

You have honed such a beautiful, almost muddied color palette. What draws you to these softer tones?

I am not really a fan of primary colors— I have always felt that slightly “off colors” are much chicer and easier to use and live with.

"Bolton" Fabric in Brown

Penny Morrison Bolton in Brown | Upholstery Fabric San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles

Penny Morrison Athens in Taupe | Upholstery Fabric San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles

“Athens” Fabric in Taupe

"Inca Stripe" Fabric in Brown

Penny Morrison Inca Vertical Stripe in Brown | Upholstery Fabric San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles

Penny Morrison Ashok in Brown | Upholstery Fabric San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles

“Ashok” Fabric in Chocolate

What materials and techniques do you use to produce your fabrics? And where are they produced?

My fabrics are all linen and are woven in Scotland, and they are hand screen printed in London.

What’s exciting you most in the world of fabrics as of late? Are there any trends, colors, or designs you’re especially loving?

I think a mix of interesting African-inspired geometrics and a return to the floral chintzes so popular in the seventies and eighties are a great relief after of too many years of beige.