7 minute read
Life in colour A light, bright show-stopping house that’s now full of colour and pattern
from FCvgvv
Life in colour
Living in her new home for two years gave Emily Murray time to plan meticulously for its transformation from bland and beige to a show-stopping house full of pattern and light
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EMILY’S STYLE?
Turn to page 72 to shop the look
Kitchen
‘Bespoke cupboards conceal anything we want out of sight. We haven’t packed the open shelves with too much, to give our possessions room to breathe. ’ BUY THE KEY PIECES Flora pendant, £410, Rothschild & Bickers. Brass pull bar handles, £64 each, Buster + Punch. Mandy rattan planter stand, £89 for two, Made, would work here
Welcome to my home
Take a quick tour...
BEDROOM
DINING AREA
FAMILY ROOM
LIVING ROOM KITCHEN
UTILITY ROOM
SHOWER ROOM BEDROOM
SECOND FLOOR
BEDROOM STUDY
GROUND FLOOR
MAIN BEDROOM Emily Murray, an author and content creator, lives here with her husband Euan, a sustainability CEO, and their sons Oscar, 11, and Zac, eight.
THE PROPERT Y A four-bedroom Edwardian semi in Southeast London. The couple bought the property in 2017.
We’ve got the“ best of both worlds – views over London to the front and rambling woodland at the back”
espite moving to Edinburgh to be near my parents when our boys were babies, we never intended to leave London for good, ’ says
DEmily. ‘And once they could walk and talk, we were ready to come home. We looked at properties in our old North London stomping ground, but anything we liked was more than we could afford. Friends suggested we venture across the river, where we found Honor Oak. This house backs onto a five-acre private woodland, shared with neighbours, so we knew we had to check it out. When we first viewed it, the house was bland and half-finished, but the incredible views over the city and the warm community vibe sold it to us immediately.
‘Our home in Edinburgh had been full of colour, whereas this felt like a sea of beige. The layout didn ’t work for us either. It was a rabbit warren of poky rooms and narrow halls. The previous owners had extended to fit a kitchen, which, although not to our taste, was at least functional. We knew there was a lot of work, but we felt we could make something really special.
‘We got started on the front living room straight away, ripping out the laminate and sanding the boards beneath. The room has a gorgeous marble fireplace that deserved period embellishments, so we restored the cornicing then painted the room in a rich blue shade. At the time, I needed at least one room to look presentable as I had a shoot coming up for work! But I’ m glad we started with this room then took the time to think about the main body of the house.
‘Restructuring the property was certainly the biggest challenge. We worried that it wouldn ’t be worth all the expense and effort, and agonised about it for two years. Looking back, I’ m so pleased we waited because it gave us time to live in the house and thoroughly plan exactly what we wanted. I’ ve recorded it all @pinkhouseliving. We finished all the work just before the first lockdown, which was such a relief. Now I’ m so happy with how it’s turned out. ’
Kitchen
‘I created my own shade of paint with Mylands inspired by these tiles, called Pink House Pink. We’ve used it on the first-floor doors and the hall cupboards. It brings everything together. ’ BUY THE KEY PIECES Herringbone tiles, Bert & May, £216 for 72 tiles. Illman bar stool, £279.99, Wayfair, is similar. Hiba low two-door cabinet, £150, La Redoute is a match MARBLE WORKTOP Long lasting and so elegant
Family room
‘I’ve always wanted a swing. I was a gymnast growing up, so we just went for it. It’s fun for the kids, good for an upper-body workout, and it’s a great party piece!’ BUY THE KEY PIECES Cotton trapeze, £225, Firetoys. Similar Wadenhoe corner sofa, £3,204, Sofas & Stuff; upholstered in Herringbone by Ian Mankin, £47.50m, Jane Clayton. Raawii Strøm bowl, £75, Amara, is a match
Kitchen
‘The first spring we moved in, I noticed that the hawthorn tree in the garden produces flowers the same shade of pink as the colour in the wallpaper. I couldn’t believe it!’ BUY THE KEY PIECES Malin wallpaper by Sandberg, £79 a roll, Wallpaperdirect. Green Chevron encaustic cement tiles, £109sq m, Terrazzo Tiles, are similar
‘Decorating with plants echoes what we see outside’
TASK LIGHTING Gives kids a zone for homework
Dining area
‘The kitchen and dining area is my favourite space in the house. We’ve painted with bright, fun colours and there’s so much light. ’ BUY THE KEY PIECES Similar Yellow Angle floor lamp, £155, Barker and Stonehouse. Victorian Perspex chair, £89.99, The Range, is a match. Boise armchair, £279.99, Wayfair, would work here
Living room
‘I envisioned the living room as a sophisticated space, where we could sit around the crackling fire sipping a cocktail. Farrow & Ball’s Hague Blue is exactly what I wanted – rich and properly dark, it makes the room feel cosy and grown up. ’ BUY THE KEY PIECES Aurelius pendant, £475, Graham & Green. Dimple stool, £675, Loaf, is similar
‘Our architect Kate Clare (loudarchitects. com) came up with the hall storage’
UPHOLSTERED STORAGE Doubles up as extra seating
Living room
‘The patterned armchairs and sofa came from our house in Edinburgh. They tie a piece of our old home into our new one.’ BUY THE KEY PIECES Pink velvet curtains, The London Curtain Girls. Try Round Gold side table, £74.95, Melody Maison. Ogilvy floor lamp, £129, Made, would work here
Hallway
‘These black-framed steel interior windows by Andrew Penny (andrewpenny.com) allow light to flow. ’ BUY THE KEY PIECES Sakura tiles, £670 for 125 tiles, Otto Tiles & Design. Lano Fairfield Supreme & Stripe stair carpet, £14.99sq m, Remland Carpets, is a match
Main bedroom
‘I haven’t used much pattern in here. I wanted it to be a calm space and now it feels like a haven. ’ BUY THE KEY PIECES Aurora feather pendant, £369; Umberto chest of drawers, £850, both Graham & Green. Similar Lightning Bolt LED neon sign, £99, Neon Direct
Guest bedroom
‘This room’s soft green tones, lush plants and fresh white linen create a sense of serenity. ’ BUY THE KEY PIECES Walls in Teresa ’ s Green, £49.50 for 2.5ltr, Farrow & Ball. Blinds in Carnival by Christopher Farr, £159m, Jane Clayton
WHAT I’VE LEARNED “Take your t knew pulling ime. out t We he middle of the house was going to cause a lot of upheaval, not to mention the cost, so we took two years planning it”
‘The cheetah lamps by House of Hackney were a present from my husband’
DOUBLE-ASPECT WINDOW Allows light to stream through
Shower room
‘Gold and pink is my ultimate colour combination and makes this room feel really luxurious. I was lucky enough to collaborate with Perrin & Rowe, which meant I could get the fabulous taps that take it to the next level. ’ BUY THE KEY PIECES Agnes basin, £849, London Basin Company. Traditional shower set by Perrin & Rowe, £1,785.70, The Cast Iron Bath Company, would work here
MY GO-TO STORES…
● LARUSI The Kentish Town showroom is a treasure trove of rugs and linens.
● BUSTER + PUNCH For beautiful brass light fittings, which feel like jewellery for your home.
● JOHN LEWIS & PARTNERS Always good quality at reasonable prices, this classic store is a staple.
Make it work for you
EMILY’S STYLE: CONTEMPORARY PASTELS Candy shades and eclectic patterns are offset by modern metallics and luxe fabrics for a fun yet sophisticated scheme
Contrast different designs on walls for a bold feel
MIDAS TOUCH Siena bar stool in Gold, £79, Dunelm
GOOD VIBES True Love poster, £19.95, Desenio
READING CORNER Velvet Ocean Blue tub chair, £445, Oliver Bonas
INTRICATE INLAY Classic White mother-of-pearl large bedside table, £895, Graham & Green LIGHT UP Ilaria pendant lampshade in Berry, £39, Made
STYLIST’S NOTE
STEPHANIE DURRANT, SENIOR FEATURES EDITOR
GREEN PARTY Faux prayer plant, £24.99, Dowsing & Reynolds
SPOT ON Karen Mabon leopard cushion, £105, Amara
