Why I, Leyla Salm, Love the English Arts and Crafts Movement

Why I, Leyla Salm, Love the English Arts and Crafts Movement

The English Arts and Crafts movement has always spoken to me as a profound antidote to the mechanisation and detachment of the industrial age. It’s a movement that insists on the sanctity of craftsmanship, the beauty of imperfection, and the idea that art belongs in the humblest corners of life.

What I adore most is how it champions the human hand. When I look at a William Morris textile or a Philip Webb chair, I don’t just see a beautiful object—I feel the presence of the person who made it. The intricate details, the organic forms, and the painstaking care are all reminders that art is a dialogue, not a product. It feels deeply personal, as though each piece carries a soul of its own.

Nature, too, is at the heart of the movement, and this resonates profoundly with me. The patterns of intertwining vines, delicate flowers, and flowing lines are not just decorative; they’re an homage to the natural world. They remind me to pause and find inspiration in the quiet rhythm of the earth—a philosophy I try to carry into my own creative work.

But what I truly love about the Arts and Crafts movement is its ethos. It wasn’t just about aesthetics; it was a manifesto for a better life, a pushback against mass production and a call to imbue our homes and lives with intention. This idea—that beauty and utility should go hand in hand—has shaped my own approach to design. Whether I’m painting furniture, curating pieces for my boutique, or simply arranging a room, I’m guided by the belief that every object should bring joy and meaning.

The English Arts and Crafts movement reminds me that art isn’t confined to grand gestures or gilded frames. It lives in the way we carve wood, weave fibres, or even write words. It’s in the patience of creation and the love poured into every detail. And in a world that often rushes forward too quickly, it offers the gift of slowness, the reassurance that the most meaningful things take time.