As a business, we always have to think about moving forwards. By anyone’s standards, 2023 was a jam-packed year for Wendy Morrison Design, full of events, launches, new people and places, and celebrations. But now, just as 2024 gets going, it feels like the right time to take a breath and gain a little insight into how Wendy feels about the next 12 months.
‘Admittedly the run-up to Christmas and the holidays make things a little tricky to focus on creative projects - there is always so much other stuff going on. I really enjoy Christmas and the family celebrations, and I like to be present, which means I can’t be fully engaged with a new design concept that would take up lots of time and energy.
New designs on the horizon
‘Last year was incredibly busy, with lots of new products and our London showroom opening. This year looks set to be busy too and I’m delighted to say we have lots of exciting new designs to launch, although I’m not able to shout too much about them just yet. Please do keep checking in for the latest updates!
‘I am excited to book some time in my calendar at the start of the year to immerse myself in something new though. I do find the new year a good place to start with your aspirations for the months ahead, after some nice time at home over the holidays. Once I’ve been off for a while, I start to get a bit fidgety being at home and not working, so I’m always keen to start back again.
‘I’m also hoping to travel to Nepal soon. It is such a beautiful place and I know visiting again will provide me with the head space to be inspired. When it comes to keeping track of ideas, thoughts and designs, I love notebooks to jot down ideas or sketch something out. But I also love Pinterest, both for being inspired and saving ideas.
Themes and storylines for 2024
‘Ideally, I love to act on ideas immediately, but it rarely happens that way. I find it is good to store ideas and return to them later. In that way, you can sometimes see if there is an idea or theme that is particularly strong. I have been drawn to three themes, which our design storylines will reflect in the year ahead. All these themes feel very personal to me, they all stem from things I care deeply about and are naturally aligned.
From the heart
‘We need to find new authenticities by getting in touch with nature, looking beyond ourselves to feel a deeper connection to the world around us. This story is about feeling, and keeping your heart open to discover what brings you joy; it’s about bringing meaning and importance to the everyday.
Considered
‘This is about a thoughtful and intellectual approach to design. It revolves around purposeful design, where craftsmanship and technical knowhow are appreciated and far reaching. It is so important to have a close connection to your product, where craft, touch, comfort and finish are paramount. Colours will be dependable; sophisticated, not dictated by seasonality, with longevity at the forefront. In everything we do, our aim is to tread as lightly as possible on the planet.
Euphoria
‘This story thread is all about celebrating the importance of colour and the many ways in which it can stimulate, soothe, cheer, calm and nurture us. From the bright hues that boost our wellbeing by their sheer exuberance, to the rich, nature-inspired, shades that evoke our planet at its most beautiful and encourage us to respect it.
Pledge to embrace colour
‘I feel such a strong connection to colour and believe in its power to boost your mood and lift the spirit. That connection certainly feels different throughout the year, although I’m not sure if it is driven by seasonal change. I always love early spring greens - such lovely fresh growth with a sunlit filter is just the best, you can almost smell it as much as see it. By midwinter I’ve had enough of darkness and feel hungry for fresh hues, such as yellows and lilacs, colours that bring light.
‘I always have plans for colour changes and bigger projects in my own home, but work tends to get in the way of progress on that front. We do try out new product launches and colours at home, but it is such a busy place of family combined with work life, it seems to simply function more than anything else! Perhaps this will be the year we finally move the kitchen into the dining room, which we’ve had plans for for several years. Maybe, just maybe, that will get ticked off the list for 2024!
‘Looking to the year ahead, both personally and for the Wendy Morrison Design brand, I always look for positive change, and a more considered future for people and our precious planet.’
