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The past meets the present in this maximalist tale of two Williams.

The whimsical world of venerable British design brand Morris & Co. has again crossed the pond in a maximalist fervor; this time, in a dynamic debut collection with American purveyor Williams Sonoma. The vibrant homeware collaboration reimagines Morris & Co.’s heritage fabrics and wallpapers into a delightful range of patterned utensils and crockery, inspired by the archives of 19th-century British designer, poet, and environmentalist William Morris. Influencing the collection, his desire to create affordable art for all and to design pieces that blend beauty with utility.

A founder of the Arts & Crafts movement, William Morris created hand-crafted printed and woven textiles, wallpapers, embroideries, and more featuring romantic, nature-inspired patterns. The Victorian-era maker co-founded decorating firm Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co. in 1861; he later took sole control in 1875, renaming it Morris & Co. Today, over 160 years later, the company carries on the decorative artist’s legacy as custodians of his archive and through new, inspirational adaptations of his original imagery.

“A master of design, William Morris’s beautifully crafted patterns remind us to cherish the past while creating products that will last for future generations to enjoy,” says Claire Vallis, Sanderson Design Group's design director, who collaborated with Wayne Maness, vice president of product development and design of Williams Sonoma, for the collection.

“We’ve seen a wave of nostalgic design, starting in Europe and now sweeping across the U.S., with a newfound love of color, pattern, and maximalism in our homes. William Morris’ designs are at the forefront of this movement,” says Vallis, who with Maness, scoured the Morris & Co. archives and selected iconic patterns from 1800s to create a suite of plates, bowls, table linens, and more. “I was inspired by images of dining rooms covered with Morris & Co. wallpaper and imagined how Williams Sonoma could translate some of the iconic patterns to the tabletop,” says Maness. “We felt that the Morris & Co. collector would like to have pieces on display every day in their kitchens.”

As Morris said, “Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” Of these wares, we think he would approve. Shop the full collection on williams-sonoma.com and in stores beginning September 30. Read on for five of our editors’ favorite pieces from the Williams Sonoma and Morris & Co. collection.

A quartet of gold-rimmed porcelain salad plates features a smattering of archival patterns—such as the hibiscus florals of 1879-designed Mallow and the ornate blooms of 1877-made Chrysanthemum—rescaled and recolored in a rich indigo blue (a nod Morris’s experiments with natural dying processes).

“This fruit bowl shows off the Morris & Co. patterns beautifully. Its unique, unexpected shape allows it to be a statement piece on any kitchen counter or sideboard, and it’s versatile enough to also be used as a container for a large flower arrangement,” notes Maness.

An entertaining-ready set of cotton napkins illustrates Morris’s 1864 Fruit motif, one of his earliest designs. Adorned with ripe pomegranates dangling from branches, the original bucolic wallpaper hung in his friend and Pre-Raphaelite painter Sir Edward Burne-Jones’s dining room.

Dress for the occasion in an apron featuring the 1876-designed Pimpernel pattern, so loved by Morris that he chose it for his own dining room in Kelmscott Manor in Oxfordshire, England.

This porcelain paper towel holder, accented with the 1875-designed Marigold motif, exemplifies Morris’s idea of bridging form and function.