A Morris chair is defined by its adjustable reclining back, but there is no single standard size or build. Two available woodworking plans take different approaches: Woodcraft’s paper plan includes a footrest and full-size joinery drawings, while WOOD Store’s downloadable plan includes cushion-making guidance. Compare their dimensions and included work before choosing.
What makes a chair a Morris chair?
The defining feature is an adjustable back that lets the sitter recline. Historical Morris chairs varied in proportions and details, so the name does not imply one canonical set of measurements.
The form is associated with William Morris’s company and the Arts and Crafts movement. The Museum of Modern Art describes the Morris chair as an adjustable-back Arts and Crafts chair pioneered by Morris’s company in the late 1860s and widely imitated in Europe and the United States. Later American examples include work associated with Roycroft and Gustav Stickley. MoMA’s account of Josef Hoffmann’s Sitzmaschine traces that design connection; The Met’s record of a ca. 1903 Gustav Stickley armchair discusses Stickley’s Arts and Crafts work and visible construction.
Compare the two woodworking plans
These plans describe separate designs, not variations on a single standard dimension. Choose according to the format you want, whether you need a footrest, the drawing detail you prefer, and whether you want cushion guidance.
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#1 Best Overall
- Material: Leather
- Finish: Reddish brown
- Quarter sawn white oak frame with a medium-light brown stain
- Medium-firm seat, medium-soft back rest
- Adjust the backrest by 3 peg settings, just like the original Morris chairs
| Plan | Format and scope | Drawings and build guidance | Published dimensions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woodcraft: Morris Chair and Footrest | Paper plan for a chair with a three-position adjustable back and a footrest. | Includes full-size joinery and curved-piece drawings, a bill of materials and cutting list, an exploded diagram, and hardware requirements. The listing says the diagram is detailed enough that separate project-specific assembly instructions are not provided. It does not include upholstery instructions. | Chair: 33 in W × 38-1/2 in H × 33-5/8 in D. Footrest: 15 in W × 19 in L × 15-1/4 in H. Woodcraft listing, accessed 2026. |
| WOOD Store: Arts and Crafts Morris Chair | Downloadable plan for a chair with loose cushions, curved arms, and an adjustable back. | The listing says the plan explains how to make the cushions. | 34-1/4 in W × 29-1/2 in D × 42-1/4 in H. WOOD Store listing, updated 2024. |
Which plan suits your project?
Choose Woodcraft if the footrest and joinery drawings matter most
Woodcraft’s plan covers both chair and footrest, and its full-size drawings can help with joinery and curved parts. The listing specifies that the plan provides hardware requirements, but it does not enumerate the hardware types on the public page. Its wood-frame detail does not extend to upholstery guidance, so plan that work separately if you need it.
Choose WOOD Store if cushion-making guidance matters
WOOD Store’s downloadable plan includes instructions for making the cushions. Its published chair dimensions are taller and narrower in depth than Woodcraft’s listed chair dimensions, so check the intended room and user rather than assuming the plans are interchangeable.
Rank #2
- Material: Leather
- Finish: Dark brown
- Quarter sawn white oak frame with a medium-light brown stain
- Medium-firm seat, medium-soft back rest
- Adjust the backrest by 3 peg settings, just like the original Morris chairs
Check fit and included work before buying
- Compare each plan’s published dimensions with the room, doorway, and intended user.
- Decide whether you want a footrest; it is included in Woodcraft’s plan and is not listed as part of WOOD Store’s plan.
- Consider whether full-size joinery drawings and a cutting list are important to your build.
- Check whether you need cushion or upholstery instructions, and distinguish cushion-making guidance from upholstery instructions.
Historical examples are context, not plan specifications
A surviving chair can illustrate how varied the form is, but its dimensions should not be used as the measurements for either modern plan. Historic New England describes its William Morris & Co. example, dated 1882–1914, as a rectangular reclining chair with a bowed, hinged five-slat adjustable back and loose cushions. Historic New England’s collection record gives that object’s context and features.
The Met dates its Roycroft reclining Morris chair to circa 1903 and notes that it was made for the Emerson Room of the Roycroft Inn in East Aurora, New York. Its collection-record dimensions are 45-1/2 × 31-7/8 × 38 inches; these belong to that historical object, not either woodworking plan. The Met explains that the chair is called a Morris chair because it resembles designs produced by William Morris in London. See the Met’s Roycroft chair record.
Rank #3
- [Premium Material Composition]: Constructed with a quarter-sawn white oak frame stained medium-light brown and upholstered with genuine leather for lasting durability and refined texture
- [Adjustable Backrest Design]: Features a backrest adjustable through 3 peg settings to customize support for relaxation, replicating the functional design of classic Morris chairs
- [Craftsman-Inspired Aesthetic]: Defined by its exposed wood frame and dark brown finish, this chair embodies minimalist, arts and crafts styling suitable for timeless living spaces
- [Generous Dimensions and Weight]: Measures 39 in H x 33 in W x 36 in D with a seat height of 18.5 in from the floor, designed to support up to 125 lb and accommodate one person comfortably
- [Simple Assembly Requirement]: Some assembly is required to set up this chair, with all necessary instructions included to ensure efficient setup without additional tools needed
For another contemporary reference point, Stickley’s Spindle Morris Chair listing describes an adjustable back, wide canted arms, curved horizontal back slats, and narrow spindles, with oak or cherry and fabric or leather options. Its listed dimensions are 33.75 W × 37.5 D × 40 H inches. This is a commercial example, not evidence that either plan copies that model. See Stickley’s product listing.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to choose
For a paper plan that combines chair and footrest with detailed joinery and cutting information, Woodcraft is the closer match. For a downloadable plan that includes cushion-making guidance, WOOD Store is the closer match. Compare the listed dimensions and scope against your space and the parts of the project you intend to do; neither plan’s dimensions should be treated as a universal Morris chair standard.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Quarter-sawn white oak frame with medium-light brown stain
- Dark brown leather upholstery for timeless sophistication
- Medium-firm seat and medium-soft backrest for optimal comfort
- Adjustable backrest with 3 peg settings for customized support
- Expert craftsmanship with attention to detail
Rank #4
- Furniture grade plywood frame construction 18mm @ 11 ply & 18mm @ 14 ply
- Hardwood Plywood, Mortise and tenon frames with glued joints and corner blocks, CARB certified, promotes stability, durability & longevity
- Leather features distinctive design and luxurious feel, upholstered in top grain leather w/split grain leather on the (outside) sides & back
- Superior individual pocketed coil springs in seat cushion, encased in foam padding, wrapped in Dacron with a feather blend topper
- High performance seat comfort w/1.8lb density reflex foam for stablility, durability and longevity.
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