Having received such wonderful feedback about Highcliffe – our latest design – Vicky and I wanted to give Meg Morton customers an insight into the thought process behind bringing this beautiful new fabric to fruition, and how we envisage Highcliffe being used in your home.
Where did the inspiration for the new design come from?
When designing a new fabric, Vicky and I tend to draw on our own experiences, or something that is very personal to either, or both, of us.
In this case, the initial inspiration was a beautiful 200-year-old fabric that is one of my favourites in my ever-growing private collection. It’s an early hand-blocked damask, which is both pretty, stylish and has timeless appeal.
Was it a collaboration between you and Vicky?
Yes, this beautiful fabric resonated with Vicky. She was really keen to rework the design to give it a fresh look. Vicky could imagine the reworked fabric gracing the windows at wonderful Highcliffe Castle, where she got married to her husband, Richard, in 2015.
The castle, which is located in Dorset, not far from our studio, is absolutely stunning and, being such a special day, Vicky wanted to name the design Highcliffe.
How does Highcliffe differ from the other designs?
We feel Highcliffe has a particularly sophisticated air. It’s remarkably elegant and exudes timeless appeal. As our new Highcliffe fabric is also available in larger-scale, that makes it perfect for creating a dramatic statement in, for example, a spacious sitting room.
How did you choose the colourways?
Highcliffe is located in woodland, close to the Jurassic coastline, and it’s these breathtaking, natural surroundings that Vicky has drawn on for the palette, with its colourways echoing both the coast and countryside.
What about the names? How did you decide on those?
We always think long and hard about names for our fabrics - it’s so important to get them right since, once we have pinned our colours to the mast, there’s no going back.
Just like our own Meg Morton business, Highcliffe has a rich heritage and links with the past. We felt it was important to honour this by choosing names that were associated with the castle’s history, such as Rothesay Rose and Bute Blue.
One of the colourways is called Winter Garden – after the light-filled ceremony room where Vicky and Richard made their vows.
Can you tell us a bit more about Highcliffe’s French links?
We’ve been told that the castle, designed by William Donthorne, incorporated large quantities of carved medieval stonework, salvaged from the ruined Benedictine Abbey of St Peter at Jumieges and La Grande Maison des Andelys, in Normandy, France.
As we both adore visiting France, this connection really appealed to us.
Where do you envisage Highcliffe will work best within a home?
It’s an extremely versatile fabric, perfect for curtains, blinds and soft furnishings. It will be particularly popular with customers in more traditional homes, but it would work in a more modern setting, too.
There are several softer colourways, such as Sea Glass, Rothesay Rose, Portico Stone, Penleaze, Winter Garden and King’s Oriel. For a bolder look, Bute Blue or State Room Green are ideal.
We also decided to introduce a warm red - Andelys Red. This time, however, we softened the look by using a gentle stone colourway for the main design.
The feedback on our new Highcliffe has already been very positive. Thank you so much for all your comments, sample orders and sales. We’d love to see photographs of Highcliffe in your homes.
We'd definitely recommend a visit to Highcliffe Castle in Dorset. To find out more, browse www.highcliffecastle.co.uk or call 01425 278807.
