Designer Wendy Morrison is taking her rug and wallpaper business to the south of France — but not before we look inside her pattern-drenched Scottish farmhouse
Wendy Morrison has made the bittersweet decision to sell her impressive five-bedroom Georgian farmhouse on the East Lothian coast. The renowned Scottish rug and wallpaper designer, who once created footwear for Terry De Havilland, plans to open a new studio in the south of France. “Ashfield House has been a happy home, and it has taken very good care of us,” says Wendy. “We have been privileged to be its custodians, but it is time to give another family the opportunity to enjoy it.”
Wendy has spent the past seven years filling the space with richly patterned rugs, wallpapers and fabrics, transforming it into both a family home and a physical portfolio for her work. “But I need somewhere new to decorate now,” Wendy jokes.
Known for her stand out maximalist style, Wendy’s signature touch is evident throughout the entire property. It’s a blend of elegant period detail and functional family living that makes it a unique find for buyers seeking a stylish home in a coastal setting.
A crucial design decision in the home was respecting its original architectural structure while layering in colour, pattern and details. She focused on the natural lighting that made her fall in love with the home originally, as it connects the interiors with the landscape, which creates a constant connection with the outdoors. Growing up in the countryside sparked Wendy’s passion for nature, which heavily influenced many of her creative choices.
“The most important design decision I made with this home was to work with the original bones. It had been built and designed well from the very beginning,” explains Wendy. “It was the light that shone into the hallway that made the house feel like home. The family home I grew up in had a similar feel, so I felt a connection immediately.”
The striking two-floor detached family home is on the market for £725,000, combining luxury and practicality thanks to Wendy’s creative vision and the rich period features throughout. “The bedroom is decorated in our Joie de Vivre wall mural, and I selected a green from this paper for the remaining walls,” says Wendy on her use of colour. “Green is known for its restful properties and represents a connection with nature, so this placement makes sense.”
Wendy has also consistently used white with black detailing for the architrave in the house as the ‘red thread’ allows for flow and continuity between each room.
Across two floors the home includes a sitting room with a wood-burning stove for cosy evenings, a fully kitted out kitchen with garden access, two ground-floor bedrooms, a main bedroom with open garden views and two further double bedrooms upstairs. Meanwhile, outside peaceful gardens provide an intimate setting for relaxing and entertaining, while a private driveway allows off-street parking.
Now that Wendy is moving onto her next project, she reveals her one regret about the renovations she poured her heart into: “We always planned to convert the dining room into our kitchen because it has great proportions and light and is also positioned in the centre of the house, but we never got round to it. It is a great space to be in, but perhaps not utilised as much as it could have been.”
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