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
A light, bright, show-stopping house that’s now full of colour and pattern
‘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
DTHE PROPERTY 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 back”
espite moving to Edinburgh to be near my parents when our boys were babies, we never intended to leave London for good,’ says Emily. ‘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.’
‘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
‘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
‘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
“I stuck to a palette of green, blue and pink and added brass and black accents to avoid any gaudiness”
‘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
‘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
“The living room has a gorgeous marble fireplace that deserved period embellishments, so we restored some of the original features”
‘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 time. We knew pulling out the middle of the house was going to cause a lot of upheaval, not to mention the cost, so we took two years planning it”
‘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