The dining room I designed for OKA/Photo: Nick Pope

How to design a dining room

November 16, 2018

When OKA asked me to design a room - any room - using their products, my first thought was, “where is the bar cart going to go?”. I bloody love a bar cart, me…

My Edinburgh bathroom/Photo: Susie Lowe

Pink House Helps...in the bathroom

November 14, 2018

This is the first in my Pink House Helps series, and I’ve decided to start with some popular questions on bathrooms. Hopefully this post will help make your littlest room into the loveliest room in your home.

Pink adults Halloween party drinks tray styling

Styling an adults-only Halloween party with Sainsbury’s Home

October 18, 2018

This year I’m determined to reclaim Halloween; why should the kids have all the fun? So I’ve teamed up with Sainsbury’s Home and used their excellent Halloween décor range to help me style up a scary drinks party at The Pink House, with absolutely NO kids allowed…

Hush Homewear winter florals feature by Emily Murray from The Pink House.jpg

The Pink House X hush

October 17, 2018

My wardrobe is full of gorgeous Hush clothes, so when they asked if I would write a piece for the Hush magazine and blog about bringing the winter floral trend into your home I was delighted…

“If Mummy had only remembered to pre-book tickets I’d be at the top right now”

The dos and don'ts of Paris with kids

October 12, 2018

I don’t speak French, but 48 hours in Paris with an eight-year-old has qualified me to share my dos and don’ts of a (mainly) successful avec-kid trip to this sexy city…

F*** You Cancer, a brilliant new book by Deborah James; click HERE to buy

Why I’m not qualified to write about cancer (but I’m going to do it anyway)

October 2, 2018

Until I met Deborah James AKA @Bowelbabe, Cancer was pretty much pink ribbons and park runs. Now, thanks to my inspirational friend, I’m starting to learn a little about what it’s like to be on the other side of Cancer.

The Pink House’s peachy family room, decked out in fabulous Shrimps for Habitat decor

The Pink House family room reveal!

September 26, 2018

In the same way that most families have an awkward uncle, stubborn aunt or uncooperative cousin, most homes have a room that’s just plain difficult to decorate. In The Pink House’s case, this room is the Family Room…

When Painthouse met The Pink House

The new paint company rewriting the colour rules

September 18, 2018

A couple of months ago I got a mysterious email about a paint brand called Painthouse - a brand so new their website didn’t even exist yet. They sent me the 72-colour paint chart…and I was sold straightaway. These are some seriously mood-lifting colours…

Sexy AND practical - what more could you want from a (otto)man?/Photo: Susie Lowe

Why you need an ottoman in your life

September 12, 2018

Wherever we live, we all wish we had more space. Especially if - like me - you live in London, where property costs an average of £7000 per square metre. Eek! And so we need to be making the most of every inch.

"Oh yes - it's TOTALLY to his taste..." Photo: Architectural Digest | Design: Drake/Anderson

QUIZ: Are you winning the interior war?

August 24, 2018

The first rule of any fight? Know thy enemy. This quiz will help you understand your interior design opponent and your personal fighting style, and I’ve included some useful hints and tips to help you overcome your nemesis…

Any brand that has you serving up pink champagne is fine by me | CREDITS: Jacket, hat, tables, all QVCuk.com; ice bucket Kalinko; skirt, Hush | PHOTO: Jane Looker Photography

How brands should work with bloggers - a case study

July 20, 2018

I made myself a solemn promise when I started The Pink House that I'd only work with companies that fitted the following criteria: 1) I loved their stuff, 2) they loved my stuff…

The Pink House in the Evening Standard

June 24, 2018

It's an odd feeling, standing on the Tube, watching people stare at your kitchen and read you being quoted as saying, "It was important to me that my kitchen didn't look like a kitchen"…

Me with fabric designer Emilie Georgia (L) and Zoe Anderson from W.A. Green

Oh what a night! The Pink House X Sofas & Stuff launch party

June 21, 2018

You know when the stars align, your dreams come true and your husband says, "I can pick the kids up, no problem"? The fabulous launch party for The Pink House X Sofas & Stuff, which took place in Shoreditch on 13 June, was one of those times…

The Pink House X Sofas & Stuff

Introducing The Pink House X Sofas & Stuff limited edition collection

June 10, 2018

It's here! I'm incredibly proud and excited to introduce The Pink House's first ever retail range, a limited edition capsule collection I designed in collaboration with my favourite sofa company, Sofas & Stuff…

Photo: Susie Lowe

The Pink House London kitchen renovation Part 2

June 8, 2018

Here it is! My pretty-much-finished kitchen, in the South East London house we bought last summer. I can hardly believe how different it looks now compared to before the renovations, especially considering we didn't actually change the main kitchen cabinets…

Amara Interior Blog Awards IBA16 Best Newcomer winner The Pink House

Winner Pinterest UK 17 Best Wow factor interior The Pink House bathroom

Best of Pinterest awards best use of colour 2017

"Fabulous family living!"

Emily Murray founder of The Pink House Living

"Hello! I’m Emily Murray, founder and editor of The Pink House. I’m a lifestyle journalist who has written and edited for loads of different publications, including Stylist, The Guardian, Grazia, Cosmopolitan, Conde Nast Traveller, Brides, and Mother & Baby. Here I am in the bricks-and-mortar Pink House in South East London, where I live with the Pink House Husband (PHH) and our two small, semi-feral boys. Our fabulous Christopher Farr sofa is covered in marker pen and chocolate, and the Eames rocker has a few suspicious stains. Come in and make yourself at home. No need to take your shoes off."

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Bringing your first book home to show your parents is a bit like introducing them to your new boyfriend:
😅Will they like it/him? 😅Are they just being polite? 😅Does it/he look comfortable in its/his new surroundings? 😅Will it/he stand up to scrutiny?
😅What are the chances of them flicking through it/him when you’re not looking...😳
Luckily, the first meeting of Pink House Living (the book) with the Pink House Grandparents has been a success so far. Not only did the book make itself at home on the pinkest thing in the house (this chaise in the garden room), but my dad was heard to make a number of enthusiastic-sounding noises before opining: “This one’s a keeper*” 💖
*He didn’t exactly say this, but I thought it would be a fitting conclusion to the book/boyfriend analogy.
OVER ON STORIES: A mini tour of my rug-mad mother’s super-stylish Edinburgh home, plus her verdict on her aesthetic vs mine 😒. #meettheparents #sorryabouttheswearing #lookatthespineonthat #sexybook

A few days ago the Pink House Husband and I agreed we’d postpone Valentine’s Day until next Thursday 💝🚫. As well as the fact that this tedious lurgy should have buggered off by then, it makes lots of sense from a restaurant-finding, bouquet-pricing, babysitter-booking perspective to make February 21st our own personal V-Day. I’m thinking I might apply the same principle to Christmas - just add a couple of weeks and your present budget will stretch a LOT further 🎁💯. Anyhow, this week is exciting enough without a posh dinner and some pink (never red) roses...because this week my kitchen was included in interior gurus @apartmenttherapy ‘s feature entitled These Are Our Favorite Kitchens Ever 😊. I’ve added the link in my bio if you want to check it out. This kitchen here, which belongs to @kipandco founder Alex McCabe, was also featured. Actually, sod PHH; I think Alex’s kitchen can be my Valentine - pink, gold and gorgeous: what more could you want from a life partner?🥰.
📷: @nikoleramsay #cheatingonPHHwithfurniture

Gutted. Tonight I was supposed to be heading to a glorious Galentine’s evening at the gorgeous @whitecityhouse with top gal pal @katefaithfullwilliams to listen to @bowelbabe talk about dildos with @cherryhealey as part of a @thehotbedcollective live podcast recording 🍆. Perfect night, right? Except I’ve got girl flu which means that instead I’ve got a date with my sofa and some Vicks Vaporub 😳. To cheer me up, Emma from my fave florist @hayfordandrhodesflowers showed up with this stunner of a love-wreath for my front door (#gift). It’s for all of you, too - my little Galentine’s gift to anyone in need of a bit of love 💗. Swipe for wreath close-up 😍. Right: better get into the Lemsip before my chat runs out...🤒

It’s like @houseofhackney read my mind sometimes 👩🏻‍🎤💭. There I am, trying to find a cool, jungle-with-a-twist wallpaper for my 9yo son’s bedroom when WHAM! the kings of maximalism serve up these rolls of dino-design deliciousness 🦕🦖 - swipe for the Ecru colourway. Obviously I prefer the pink but I don’t think the progeny is going to go for it 🙄. Hell, I might just paper the walls of the kitchen with it instead! PHH is going to be absolutely THRILLED! 😃💖😃
#pinkisforpeople

[AD] What an INCREDIBLE holiday. The main aim of this, our first ever family skiing trip, was to introduce the kids to a sport me and PHH both love with a passion, and show them how much fun it could be. Mission accomplished ⛷ 😍. And that’s thanks to: excellent ski instructors (St Gervais ski school 🙌🏻); wonderful weather (loads of snow, blue skies nearly every day); and, of course, @chalet_mirabelle, which has taken what is a potentially fraught situation (first time away skiing with two young kids) and turned it into a truly magical experience for every single one of us. Yes, this is an AD, but don’t for one second think I wouldn’t have written exactly the same thing had we been paying full price. And yes, I fully intend to book the chalet for next year, no AD required.
p.s. That is a cup of tea I’m holding #rocknroll
OVER ON STORIES: PHH jumping out of the hot tub into piles of snow. There are other Stories but they pale in comparison. 💖
#familyskitrip #stgervais #montblanc #hottub #thepinkhouse

[AD - #guest] This seriously stylish ski lodge comes with a serious story...As a result of @chalet_mirabelle owner/designer Jacqueline’s cancer diagnosis at the start of the chalet’s build (she has thankfully now been given the all clear), wellness played a huge part in its design. From the products - which are all sustainable, recyclable and eco-friendly - to the catering, with its emphasis on local, organic and seasonal ingredients, Chalet Mirabelle is full of thoughtful touches, with the well-being of its inhabitants and the planet in mind. But that’s not where the story ends...
Having survived the c-bomb (and the chalet build) Jacqueline pledged to give back, especially to cancer and family trauma support areas. And so she has committed to giving 2 weeks’ free stay per year at Chalet Mirabelle to charitable causes, starting with the chalet as an auction lot for @maggiescentres ‘Secret Garden Party’ this March.
It’s been an honour to stay at @chalet_mirabelle - not only because it has provided the venue for our family’s best EVER holiday ⛷🕺🏼🌭🥂 (and we still have 2 whole days left!), but also because of what it gives back to the world, in so many senses.
Photo: @susielowephoto 💖 SEE STORIES FOR: The 9yo’s reaction to apres ski | What kids can learn after 3 ski lessons | Ski style in the 1980s 💖

It’s been a brilliant, beautiful bluebird day up here in the French Alps above St Gervais 💙. But there’s no doubt that skiing - and especially skiing with kids - involves rather a large amount of faff. Is it worth it? YOU BETCHA! Especially if you’re staying at @chalet_mirabelle [AD - #guest], where they have genuinely thought of everything when it comes to ensuring all members of the family have the best possible skiing holiday. So for anyone who’s considering hitting the piste avec progeny, once I’m back from this snowy paradise I’ll be writing a blog post sharing my dos and don’ts of a successful family skiing holiday. Speaking of which, I’m just off for a sauna before I finish the champagne I started in the hot tub earlier 🥂. The kids? Oh they’re playing with the mountains of Lego and watching Netflix in the gorgeous playroom (pic to follow soon). Haven’t seen them for hours 🙌🏻. OVER ON STORIES: Me making an apres ski tit of myself as per 🕺🏼 | Lunch with a view | The 6yo ready to ski | Sauna @chalet_mirabelle
❄️ #skiingwithkids #bluebird #stgervais #ihavethisthingwithpink #ontopoftheworld #thepinkhouse #pinkhouseliving

Life’s pretty full on right now and I have a sneaking suspicion I may have taken on too much (ground floor renovation and wall knock-through; bathroom extension building; kids bedrooms renovation; blog relaunch; book launch; kids to keep alive; Pink House Husband to entertain...etc). But I refuse to be beaten. And I refuse to be one of those constantly busy people who are always rushing around saying how busy they are (I have been guilty of this on a number of occasions). Because, as The Beatles remind us, life is what happens to you when you’re busy making other plans. So to ensure I enjoy the life I’m living right now, as well as the life I’m planning for, I’m currently doing the following things:
* Listening to my favourite musical soundtracks (today was West Side Story and Crazy For You)
* Dancing to said musical soundtracks in the kitchen and imagining I’m on a West End stage until someone shouts they can smell burnt fish fingers
* Buying and appreciating lots of pink tulips (see Stories for the most amazing pink-and-yellow beauties)
* Gazed at these glazed breakfast bar tiles (@bertandmay Siham tiles) which are just the perfect shade of pink and one of my favourite parts of The Pink House
* Lapping up (not literally 😳) the hilarious memes involving #fyrefestival ‘s ‘take one for the team’ boss Andy King (see Stories) 🍆
What about you? What’s giving you life this week?
#cheatingonfashionwithfurniture #pinkhouseliving

Featured

Nov 16, 2018

How to design a dining room

Nov 16, 2018

When OKA asked me to design a room - any room - using their products, my first thought was, “where is the bar cart going to go?”. I bloody love a bar cart, me…

Nov 16, 2018

Nov 14, 2018

Pink House Helps...in the bathroom

Nov 14, 2018

Oct 18, 2018

Styling an adults-only Halloween party with Sainsbury’s Home

Oct 18, 2018

Oct 17, 2018

The Pink House X hush

Oct 17, 2018

My wardrobe is full of gorgeous Hush clothes, so when they asked if I would write a piece for the Hush magazine and blog about bringing the winter floral trend into your home I was delighted…

Oct 17, 2018

Oct 12, 2018

The dos and don'ts of Paris with kids

Oct 12, 2018

I don’t speak French, but 48 hours in Paris with an eight-year-old has qualified me to share my dos and don’ts of a (mainly) successful avec-kid trip to this sexy city…

Oct 12, 2018