For generations, the name William Morris has been closely associated with beautiful wallpapers, decorative fabrics, and carefully crafted interiors.

Yet behind the success of his celebrated design company were talented artists whose contributions received far less attention. One of them was Kate Faulkner, a designer whose work helped shape the visual identity of Morris & Co. A new exhibition in Cambridge aims to give her creative achievements the recognition they deserve.

Opening at the Fitzwilliam Museum on 23 October 2026, A Call to Art: William Morris and the Pre-Raphaelites examines the artistic circle surrounding Morris while bringing Faulkner's work into greater focus. Through textiles, wallpaper patterns, ceramics, and other decorative objects, visitors can gain a better understanding of her role in Victorian design.

Introducing Kate Faulkner

Kate Faulkner was an important designer and craftswoman associated with Morris & Co during the late 19th century. She became the first designer after William Morris to create wallpapers and fabrics for the company. Her position was particularly significant because Morris entrusted only a small group of designers with this responsibility.

Faulkner was not limited to one creative discipline. Her work included textile design, embroidery, carpet production, decorative tile painting, and preparing woodblocks used to print patterns. These different skills allowed her to contribute to several stages of the company's creative production.

Although she developed an international reputation during her lifetime, her achievements gradually became less visible after her death in 1898. Many people became familiar with the company's designs through Morris's name, while the contributions of other creators received considerably less recognition.

Designs That Continue to Inspire

One reason Faulkner deserves renewed attention is the lasting appeal of her decorative patterns. Some of her designs from the 1870s and 1880s remain commercially available today, demonstrating how Victorian craftsmanship continues to influence modern interiors. Among her recognised creations is Mallow, a wallpaper pattern dating from 1879. Its continued production reflects the enduring interest in traditional decorative designs and carefully arranged natural motifs.

Another notable pattern is Carnation, which helped establish Faulkner's reputation as an independent designer. Her work combined detailed observation with an understanding of how repeating patterns could bring character to everyday spaces.

A Broader Range of Creative Skills

Faulkner's contribution extended well beyond wallpaper and fabric. She worked with different materials and techniques, showing an ability to move between artistic design and practical craftsmanship. Her activities included embroidery, carpet making, tile decoration, and woodblock preparation. Each process required a different combination of technical knowledge, patience, and artistic judgement.

This variety is important because decorative design during the Victorian period involved collaboration between people with different areas of expertise. Creating a finished interior product often required designers, craftspeople, and workshop specialists to work together.

New Research Reveals More About Her Career

Research connected with the Cambridge exhibition has also uncovered additional information about Faulkner's early involvement in the Morris circle. One important discovery concerns an embroidery she created for Red House, the home associated with William Morris and the early development of Morris & Co. The newly identified work provides further evidence of her connection to the company's beginnings.

Researchers are also interested in learning more about Faulkner's personal life. Surprisingly, no confirmed photograph or portrait of her is currently known. Exhibition curator Karen Livingstone hopes that members of the public may help trace family connections or private collections that could reveal an image of the designer.

Reconsidering the Morris & Co Legacy

The exhibition places Faulkner within a wider creative network that included several influential artists and designers. Alongside William Morris, the programme considers the contributions of figures such as May Morris, Edward Burne-Jones, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, and Elizabeth Siddal.

It also encourages visitors to look beyond familiar names and consider the many people whose work helped establish the company's distinctive style. The Fitzwilliam Museum's presentation brings together different forms of decorative art, offering a broader understanding of how ideas developed through collaboration.

Visiting the Cambridge Exhibition

A Call to Art: William Morris and the Pre-Raphaelites runs at the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge from 23 October 2026 until 3 May 2027. The exhibition brings together historical designs, decorative objects, and research that sheds new light on the people behind the celebrated artistic circle. Visitors interested in wallpaper, textiles, ceramics, and Victorian craftsmanship can gain a deeper appreciation of the creative processes behind these objects.

By presenting her achievements alongside those of William Morris and his contemporaries, the Cambridge exhibition offers a more complete picture of Victorian design. It also reminds visitors that lasting creative achievements are often the result of many skilled individuals working together.