Dorrie drew her inspiration for designs from a range of sources from traditional Arts & Crafts themes like flowers and the classic peacock through to more stylistically Art Deco spirals and geometric shapes but the predominant inspiration was natural forms from plants to naturalistic leaves and spirals through to what have been termed carpets of gems representing the many colours of nature in flowers.

Dorrie drew a large amount of her inspiration from her love of flowers and gardening. Her mother’s garden at Crafnant and her own when she lived at “Riverbank”, Sunbury-on-Thames were as much a part of her art and life as her jewellery designs. In many ways we should be looking at Dorrie as a garden designer if in a small way in her own beloved "Riverbank" as a jewellery designer.