Colour My Home With… The Pink House

Emily Murray is the founder and editor of the award-winning interiors blog The Pink House (@pinkhouseliving) and author of Pink House Living, an inspiring, playful coffee-table book about decorating with pink.

Home is…

The Pink House, a semi-detached Edwardian house in South East London. It sits right at the top of a hill, so we get spectacular views over London to the north and across our private communal parkland to the south, which was the main reason we bought it.

The park is perfect for my football-obsessed boys, who can practise whenever they like. It also feeds the sense of community here, with parties, concerts and even a mini Olympics in summer. Sometimes we simply gather for an evening glass of wine around the fire pit to watch the sun go down. Anyone who claims Londoners are unfriendly, or that London is grey and dull, has clearly never lived in our corner of it.

Where does your love of colour come from, and what does pink mean to you specifically?

I link colour with joy in countless ways, right back to a childhood full of fun, colourful Clothkits dresses, which never once stopped me climbing trees. I'm all about blending femininity with adventure. Pink has been my favourite colour forever; I'm just drawn to it wherever I go. It expresses my personality, and these days it stands for individuality and strength of character too.

How did you approach the various colour schemes in your renovation?

I decided early on that every room would combine pink, blue and green in different proportions and shades. I'd already finished the kitchen before this six-month project began, so it became my starting point, with its candy-pink tiled breakfast bar, aqua-blue cupboards and leafy green wallpaper.

The hallway was the trickiest to get right; I didn't want the paint to overpower the patterned floor tiles, which were already making a statement. I changed my mind endlessly but ultimately surprised myself with the beautiful white-grey Belgravia on the walls, paired with skirting, architraves and doors in the soft grey-blue Mid Wedgwood, bannisters and window frame in charcoal Blackout, and of course the vast coat, bag and shoe storage, along with the staircase, in my very own Pink House Pink.

Which is your favourite room in the 'new' house, and why?

It isn't strictly a room, but I'm completely besotted with my new hallway. It's beautiful, practical, fun, light and generous, with views straight through the house to the garden and parkland beyond. I'm often perched on top of my padded 'vaultable' wardrobe, reading or writing an Instagram post, escaping the chaos of the adjoining trapeze room, which I can watch through the internal steel window. From that wardrobe-top seat I can even see through the front door's fan light all the way to the Shard.

I adore the Eaton Square blue I chose for the walls, bespoke shelving and cupboards. This room was once a peachy coral with far less daylight; now, thanks to a steel beam, it feels brighter yet cosier. Somehow that blue reads warm on long dark evenings and bright on sunny mornings, and it's the perfect foil to the white trapeze.

How did you first discover Mylands?

I think I first became properly aware of Mylands through my friends and neighbours Jordan and Russell at 2LG Studio. I was swooning over the wonderfully saturated shades they'd used over coffee at theirs, and they told me the paint came from the Mylands Film, Theatre and Television range. I'd been craving brighter colours, and when I learned Mylands was a local company too, I had to find out more.

With so many pinks out there, how did you land on Pink House Pink?

I pored over vintage paint charts, studied my favourite pink objects in different rooms and different lights, and analysed the pinks I'd already chosen for furniture and finishes at home. I wanted to find the shade that made my heart sing while being versatile enough to work across my house and in other pink lovers' homes. I whittled it down to nine samples, painted them onto large sheets and pinned them up around the house. Pink House Pink was the clear winner; I'd describe it as a soft, fresh pink with a hint of fizz.

Your interiors are bold and original. Where do you find inspiration?

Everywhere. Colours that catch my eye in my clothes, on the street, on my travels. Beautifully composed homes belonging to friends or featured in magazines and on social media. Bars, hotels and restaurants have all fuelled my love of bright, bold, fabulous interiors too. Once I had children and found myself home far more, I realised that if I wanted a daily hit of interiors fabulousness, I'd have to create it myself.

What are your predictions for interiors trends in 2020, colour and style?

I'm seeing a cosy, almost 'toasted' palette coming through, which makes Pink House Pink, with its warm tones, accidentally very on-trend for 2020. It also pairs beautifully with the mustard yellows and oranges that keep gaining ground. Green will keep making waves, and the pink-and-green combination will go mainstream, which is no surprise given it's quite possibly my perfect pairing. Beyond colour, expect more texture, plenty of bouclé, cord and raised-pattern velvet, and powder coating, like the finish on my new pink steel extension, everywhere.

Now the renovation's done, what's next for Pink House Living?

Ah, it isn't finished, just paused while we gather our time and energy for the next stage. In the short term I'll tackle the spare room, which doubles as the Pink House Husband's study, so you can imagine what a tricky brief that is. Bigger plans include converting the basement garage into a 'den' for the kids, so once they're smelly teenagers I can stash them down there with a pool table and a PlayStation and keep the rest of the house nice for me.

And finally, any top tips for decorating in pink?

There's a perfect pink for every situation, mood and room, so don't let any pink-prejudiced person tell you otherwise. And when in doubt, pick Pink House Pink.