Architecture
Before Morris became an author, he was a trained architect and artist, and ran a successful domestic furnishing company called Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co. His interest in architecture is clear in the writing of News from Nowhere, as he often focuses on comparisons of the architecture William sees in the 21st century as compared to architecture in the 19th century and earlier. For example, when William is back in the 19th century on the night he falls asleep and has his time traveling dream, he pauses to look out at the Thames from the street in front of his home. He marvels at the beauty of nature: the water, the moon tangled in the trees. This serenity is only ruined for him by "an ugly suspension bridge" (4). Then, when William wakes up in the 21st century, one of the first things he does is return to this same spot for a swim. The narrator writes, "Of course when I had my head above water again I turned towards the tide, and my eyes naturally sought for the bridge, and so utterly astonished was I by what I saw, that I forgot to strike out, and went spluttering under water again" (7). On the next page, he elaborates for the reader in detail: "I had perhaps dreamed of such a bridge, but never seen such an one out of an illuminated manuscript; for not even the Ponte Vecchio at Florence came anywhere near it. It was of stone arches, splendidly solid, and as graceful as they were strong; high enough also to let ordinary river traffic through easily. Over the parapet showed quaint and fanciful little buildings, which I supposed to be booths or shops, beset with painted and gilded vanes and spirelets. The stone was a little weathered, but showed no marks of the grimy sootiness which I was used to on every London building more than a year old. In short, to me a wonder of a bridge" (8). Morris uses this detailed description of the bridge and other architectural structures later in the story to immerse the reader in the beauty, comfort, and quaintness of the society he describes as well as draw out comparisons between the 21st century and the ages of England before the Industrial Revolution.
Clothing
As an architect and artist, Morris also had great interest and respect for fashion, especially in terms of the quality and class that could be communicated through dress. In News from Nowhere, William is surprised to find that everyone dresses in fine clothing, both in terms of being well-made and being elegant and decorated, though not gaudy. As with architecture, Morris also uses this as a point of comparison between the 21st century and the 19th century and before. For example, William notes, "As to their dress, which of course I took note of, I should say that they were decently veiled with drapery, and not bundled up with millinery; that they were clothed like women, not upholstered like armchairs, as most women of our time are. In short, their dress was somewhat between that of the ancient classical costume and the simpler forms of the fourteenth century garments, though it was clearly not an imitation of either: the materials were light and gay to suit the season" (15). Following the general outlook of the novel, this quote disparages people, especially women, from the 19th century while celebrating suggesting a return to the values of an earlier time in England.
Nature
One of the most important aspects of 21st-century society in the socialist utopia depicted in News from Nowhere is the return of people to nature. Children are allowed to camp and play alone in the forest, nearly everyone is involved in the harvest in some capacity, and all of England is seen as a garden for the citizens to tend to. It is fitting that Morris often uses vivid descriptions of nature to emphasize its beauty and importance. For example, upon entering the garden outside Ellen's house for the first time, the narrator describes the scene by saying, "We could see even under the doubtful light of the moon and the last of the western glow that the garden was stuffed full of flowers; and the fragrance it gave out in the gathering coolness was so wonderfully sweet, that it seemed the very heart of the delight of the June dusk" (144). Morris allows readers to fully imagine and immerse themselves into the scene by not only describing how it looked but also how it smelled and felt and the emotions the character felt in response.
Physical Appearance
In News from Nowhere, Morris hopes to convince readers that a socialist society would not only create people who are happier, but also people who are healthier and more beautiful. This is even explicitly stated in a number of conversations William has with people from the 21st century about the people they see when traveling up the Thames and the birth of beautiful children to happy marriages. This is also shown through the imagery Morris uses when describing the characters William interacts with in the story, especially upon their first introduction. When introducing Boffin, a minor character whom William meets at the Guest House in Hammersmith, Morris writes, "[I] saw a splendid figure slowly sauntering over the pavement; a man whose surcoat was embroidered most copiously as well as elegantly, so that the sun flashed back from him as if he had been clad in golden armour. The man himself was tall, dark-haired, and exceedingly handsome, and though his face was no less kindly in expression than that of the others, he moved with that somewhat haughty mien which great beauty is apt to give to both men and women. He came and sat down at our able with a smiling face, stretching out his long legs and hanging his arm over the chair in the slowly graceful way which tall and well-built people may use without affectation. He was a man in the prime of life, but looked as happy as a child who has just got a new toy" (20). To increase the vividness of the image of manly health, strength, and beauty, Morris uses elaborate vocabulary as well as figurative language to describe Boffin's movement, expression, and confidence even more than his specific attributes.
