William Morris was a writer, orator, artist, textile designer, wallpaper artisan and poet. Morris held strong beliefs that in an age of modern machines and gilded homes that men truly should have equal access to a quality of life and articles around them should be of artisan, rather than mass, production. In turn-of-the-century Great Britain Morris was not just involved with designing furniture, wallpapers and textiles. William Morris carried his political beliefs into his work life, believing that these beliefs and ideals would eventually produce equal opportunities for everyone to own his works.

Politically William Morris was an involved in early English Social Democracy. He joined the Social Democratic Federation 1883. After a fight with Henry Hyndman, the founder of the SDF group, Morris founded his own group, called the Socialist League. When asked to explain how he fell into Socialism, Morris delivered an explanation in “How I Became a Socialist” that read in part -

“Well, what I mean by Socialism is a condition of society in which there should be neither rich nor poor, neither master nor master’s man, neither idle nor overworked, neither brain­slack brain workers, nor heart­sick hand workers, in a word, in which all men would be living in equality of condition, and would manage their affairs unwastefully, and with the full consciousness that harm to one would mean harm to all-the realisation at last of the meaning of the word COMMONWEALTH .”

Morris, a student of medieval times, was himself a natural educator, writing and lecturing on street-corners in England and Scotland. Supposedly after delving into Marx’s Das Kapital in a French translation, he declared himself a Marxist. Morris was a man of awe inspiring energy, who possessed huge talents and ideals. Morris dreamt enormous dreams of a Socialist Revolution in England. He saw his world, his Victorian Britain, as physically ravaged and spiritually drained by the Industrial Revolution. He longed for a more artist-centric, communal, mediaeval agrarian society that was filled with happy, healthy people, all enjoying the work they did by hand.

Although Morris himself did not quite succeed in his selfless attempts to encourage a relationship between industry and craft, his ideas were not a failure. American Gustav Stickley brought the ideas of Morris’s Arts and Crafts Movement to the new country and was able to merge mass production with handmade craftsmanship. Stickley’s German-American Yankee ingenuity coupled with the Morris’s politics, ideals and gifts created some of the most sought after designs in history.

While, William Morris was indeed a man who was not in love with the world he had been born into, he seemed to see socialism as a means to an end. That end was supposed to transform the ugliness he saw in late century Britain into the beauty that he hoped it once was and could be. In his “News From Nowhere” he would write:

The earth and the growth of it and the life of it! If I could but say or show how I love it!

In a very real sense his entire life, especially his organic designs in home décor, was a successful attempt to share the meaning of those lines with others. While some believe he was an eccentric utopian, his life’s work lives on in print, in the organization called the William Morris Society and in home decors worldwide.

By investing in good high end home or office designs you are creating a tradition of sharing heirloom family keepsakes to be enjoyed and passed down for generations, unlike those sweaters and ties he sold at the last garage sale.While there are hundreds of customizable and hand built items that anyone would be delighted to receive this holiday season here are a few of the many personal gift ideas:

WINE RACKS- Solid wood wine racks help store the wine in the proper position in order to keep the cork wet. These distinguished designer pieces fit in nicely with any décor and in fact are a real focal piece to display a nice wine collection and the bar accessories, such as cork screws and wine glasses. Available in several sizes and styles, some even create a mini bar for serving guests.

RECLINERS-The Amish woodworkers have hand created Morris Chairs just like the original. First produced in mass production by William Morris and Gustav Stickley during the Arts and Crafts Mission heyday, this reclining chair has never been out of production or style since the late 1800‘s. Available in upholstered fabrics or leathers these timeless recumbent seats will win the heart of any recipient. Footstools, in matching woods and fabrics are also available.

GUN CABINETS-The choice to own a gun should also include the choice to own a gun cabinet, gun locker, gun storage cabinet or gun armoire. A gun cabinet not only makes for a handsome display of your firearm collection but is imperative for safety, especially in a house with children. By maintaining a well built cabinet, constructed from solid native North American hardwoods, you can lock your guns away from inexperienced hands and store the ammunition in a separate location. Recreational guns that are used not so much for protection but for hunting or target shooting practice can be displayed unloaded behind locked doors or even dismantled and locked away in the cabinet for safe storage.Amish handcrafted gun cabinets are available in finished skip peel pine, red cedar, oak, cherry, hickory and walnut and in single door size that holds five guns, one bow or double doors for up to a dozen guns, one bow.

FIREPLACES-Who would not love their own architecturally beautiful fireplace to sit by on Christmas Eve and sip holiday eggnog? The Amish build a beautiful alternative to the wood burning fireplace with no construction or remodeling needed. Available to be delivered in many designs with optional feature from a marble backsplash, to side glass curio shelves, curio lights, mirrored backs, glass doors and remote controls. You can even add the Dimplex Flame with a more realistic flame effect and 4,600BTUs.

ENTERTAINMENT CENTERS-From 42” console size cabinets to plasma television cabinets with storage below to room sized four piece Entertainment Units; these are a beautiful addition to anyone’s living or family room. All of these entertainment centers and consoles are fully customizable and handcrafted by Amish woodworkers in Northern Indiana to fit TV area sizes of 42”, 48″, 54″ or 66″w. There is ample display space for your television and storage space for your CDs and DVDs.

RECLINERS: For centuries men have found that reclining was their favorite way to relax. From ancient biblical times, when diners actually lay down to eat around a table, to the 1800’s when mechanical furniture began to show up in homes and businesses, we have loved recliners. William Morris began producing the recliner chair that came to be known as the Morris chair during the Arts and Crafts Movement. One philosophy of this movement was to surround your self in organic, useful and beautiful simplicity. The end result was meant to be a higher quality of life in form, function and visual aesthetics.  

Today Amish craftsmen from Northern Indiana custom build the world’s sturdiest and most comfortable reclining chairs and ottomans. Upholstered in high end leathers or fabrics and built in Native American hardwoods these chairs are a comfortable and comforting place to put down your worries and put up your feet. Imagine putting on some soft music, pushing back in your reclining Morris chair, putting up your weary feet in the wide ottoman stool and placing a cooling scented herbal eye cloth across your brow? Peace and tranquility are found in a chair built for a lifetime of healing your soul, one day at a time.

BATH: A bath is a quick, easy and inexpensive way to unwind. In twenty minutes you can reduce tension, energize the body, and rejuvenate your mind. By stocking a well built Amish corner cabinet or bathroom hutch with fragrant essential oils, scented or herbal bath salts and soft luxurious towels you can ensure you have on hand the makings of a very peaceful environment and your own personal spa retreat. 

Inside of your Amish built corner cabinet or solid wood storage unit simply keep in stock relaxing aromas of orange, grapefruit, tangerine, rose geranium, pine, lavender, chamomile, lemongrass and basil. Bath salts are usually scented sea or Epsom salts and it is not just a myth that these salts can help to draw soreness out of muscles and joints. Believe it or not, for a luscious milk bath basic powdered milk from your grocery drink aisle works great.  

Remember for optimal relaxation the bath water temperature should be between 90 and 104 degrees. When bathing in warm water remember that it is the best way to promote relaxation but it does tend to dry out skin. Always use moisturizing soaps or oils to alleviate that.  

CHAIR MASSAGE: Chair massage has taken hold across America. The chair massage is so simple and easily done that kiosks have sprung up in malls everywhere for about a dollar per minute. You don’t need to run to the mall or even own a special massage chair to help out a family member with tense back and shoulder problems. If you own a well constructed Amish dining chair you can create a makeshift massage chair.

 First get a comfortable pillow to place between the recipient and the back and top of chair. You want the pillow or pillows to fill the space between them and the chair and to cushion their face from the top rail. Now ask your guest to straddle the chair backwards, placing their arms to their sides. By following instructions found in books on home massage or many websites you now have a quick and inexpensive way to deliver a home chair massage using your Amish designed chair.