Morris undertook the entire executive charge of affairs, and mastered the
details of half a dozen trades in order that he might intelligently
conduct the business. The one motto of the firm was, "Not how cheap, but
how good." They insisted that housekeeping must be simplified, and that we
should have fewer things and have them better. To this end single pieces
of furniture were made, and all sets of furniture discarded. I have seen
several houses furnished entirely by William Morris, and the first thing
that impressed me was the sparsity of things. Instead of a dozen pictures
in a room, there were two or three--one on an easel and one or two on the
walls. Gilt frames were abandoned almost entirely, and dark-stained woods
were used instead. Wide fireplaces were introduced and mantels of solid
oak. For upholstery, leather covering was commonly used instead of cloth.
Carpets were laid in strips, not tacked down to stay, and rugs were laid
so as to show a goodly glimpse of hardwood floor; and in the dining-room a
large, round table was placed instead of a right-angled square one. This
table was not covered with a tablecloth; instead, mats and doilies were
used here and there. To cover a table entirely with a cloth or spread was
pretty good proof that the piece of furniture was cheap and shabby; so in
no William Morris library or dining-room would you find a table entirely
covered. The round dining-table is in very general use now, but few people
realize how its plainness was scouted when William Morris first introduced
it.

One piece of William Morris furniture has become decidedly popular in
America, and that is the "Morris Chair." The first chair of this pattern
was made entirely by the hands of the master. It was built by a man who
understood anatomy, unlike most chairs and all church pews. It was also
strong, durable, ornamental, and by a simple device the back could be
adjusted so as to fit a man's every mood.