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A bedroom in the Crosby Hotel, NY, designed by Kit Kemp

A bedroom in the Crosby Hotel, NY, designed by Kit Kemp

How I designed my dream bed

March 4, 2018

*REVEAL PICS OF THE BED I DESIGNED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST*

Have you ever wished you could edit your furniture? You know: that armchair you’d like to make substantially softer, lower by six inches and reupholster in flowery velvet? Or the bath that would benefit from being a tad wider, with more space on the side for your shampoo, reimagined in hammered copper? Yep. Me too.

So how would you feel if you got to design a piece of furniture from scratch, EXACTLY to your specifications?

This is what happened to me a few months ago when Hypnos, bed-maker to The Queen (as in they construct her beds and make her mattresses; they don’t actually pop round Buck Pal to change her pillowcases) asked if I fancied designing a bespoke bed for my bedroom in The Pink House.

Erm…does a Kardashian impact the share price of social media?

The Pink House Husband and I have been sleeping on a slightly saggy mattress on the floor for the past 9 months – the only better piece of news we could have received than the one Hypnos delivered was that the kids were to be whisked off on a three-month vacation with both sets of grandparents and a swimming teacher (teaching kids to swim has to be THE most tedious experience).

So I finally had a chance to design the bed of my dreams just as I wanted it, but how DID I want it? Read on for my 6-step build-a-bed process…

Step 1: Bed down the basics

The first thing I did was make a list of the essentials:

  • Comfy headboard, ideal for pre-sleep book reading (oh ok, Instagram scrolling)
  • Beautiful headboard, possibly in the style of a Kit Kemp-designed Firmdale hotel
  • Plenty of under-bed storage (our bedroom is rather compact and my 54 pairs of shoes are lacking a home)
  • Super kingsize, despite it being too big for our bedroom (much as I love the Pink House Husband, I also like my personal space in bed – though not all the time, as the existence of the small Pink House Dwellers will testify)

But beyond this I was scuppered. I felt I didn’t know enough about beds to be more specific. Plus the fact that there was a LOT riding on this decision added to the overwhelm: I had decided I didn’t want to over-clutter my new, bijou London bedroom with art, objets and unnecessary furniture, so the bed was to a) be the starting point for the whole room’s design, and b) act as the focal point.

Here are the first inspo pics I pulled out, based on two of my favourite hotels – as you can see, the beds look quite different:

Artist Residence London

Artist Residence London

Firmdale's Dorset Square hotel

Firmdale's Dorset Square hotel

So when Hypnos suggested I visit their factory, see how the beds and mattresses were made, I jumped (well, bounced) at the chance, hoping the visit would aid my decision making.

Step 2: Gather bed-based information

The factory was genuinely fascinating. So many people! So many skills! So much camel hair! I was given a full tour and learned LOADS about beds. I don’t want to bore you, so here are my edited highlights:

  • Lying down on a pillow-top mattress spells doom for your to-do list. I never wanted to get up again and only did so because the sandwiches arrived
  • Hypnos uses natural fibres - including camel and cashmere – in their mattress fillings, which helps explain my reluctance to leave my pillowtopped pit
  • Their mattresses are framed and edged in such a way that you don’t get the sagging-edge thing that renders three inches at each side un-lie-on-able (unless you enjoy descending rapidly to the floor)
  • There are sewing machines specially set up to embroider intricate crests and designs on to the mattresses, and they do so at an astonishing rate. Don’t put your fingers in them
  • There is one Hypnos bed that lifts up to reveal enough storage space underneath to hide the Pink House Husband and both small Pink House Dwellers – it’s called the Super Storage™ [click 'Super Storage' after clicking link to see the design]
  • There is another – the Easy Store™ [click 'Drawers' after clicking link to see the design] – that has two huge drawers, each one big enough to store 28 shoe boxes. Hmm…
  • Hypnos can make beds in pretty much any shape, size or colour. They once made a massive round one for a prince who fancied himself as a bit of an Austin Powers
  • There’s a really pretty soft pink fabric in one of their fabric books called Tweed Rose
  • Brass studs come in various finishes

Step 3: Mattress-related revelation

Due to the way Hypnos frames their mattresses with rows of hand side-stitching, I discovered their king sized versions have about as much usable sleeping space as our existing super kingsize, with its drooping edges (drooping is not a word that should ever be used in connection with beds). Which meant that we could SAVE SPACE in our bedroom by swapping our super king for a king sized bed with Hypnos mattress. Who knew a well-made mattress could actually save you square-footage? Mind = blown.

And then there was the fact that I had discovered the heaven that is the Emerald pillow-topped cashmere mattress and I wasn’t leaving without it.

So the mattress was sorted – what about the bed base?

Step 4: Bed-base no brainer

Much as I loved the lift-up-and-hide-the-family bed, I couldn’t resist the Easy Store™ divan, with its ability to store 28 shoe boxes on EACH SIDE. So that’s my 54 pairs of shoes sorted, with plenty space left over for PHH to store his brogues. Well, one of them at least.

Hypnos' Easy Store ™  divan bed base stores 28 shoe boxes on each side

Hypnos' Easy Store™ divan bed base stores 28 shoe boxes on each side

Step 5: Pinterest makes perfect

As you could probably tell from my factory edited highlights, a certain pink fabric caught my eye, as did a couple of studded show beds. I was told that although brass studs (my fave) aren’t a standard design option, due to the fact Hypnos can make bespoke beds tailored to your needs, they are available upon request – yay! I also found myself drawn to button-backed headboards. But how to bring all these elements together?

Now I had a better idea of the component parts and could be more specific, a Pinterest trawl was much more successful. I came up with the following:

Photo from Style At Home

Photo from Style At Home

Photo from  Four Chairs

Photo from Four Chairs

Atkin & Thyme pink  Coco  headboard

Atkin & Thyme pink Coco headboard

Next, I pulled together my favourite aspects of the different beds and drew the following quick sketch:

The Pink House sketch for a Hypnos headboard

Finally, I sent this sketch, along with the following specifications over to the clever bed makers at Hypnos:

  • king sized Easy Store™ divan
  • headboard with two rows of bright brass studs spaced 10cm apart
  • bed to be made in the soft pink Tweed Rose fabric I’d found at the Hypnos factory
  • Emerald pillow-topped mattress

Step 6: Making the bed (and getting over-excited about lying in it)

A few days ago Hypnos sent me the following pics of my bed in the various stages of being made in their factory. It is due to be delivered ON MONDAY NEXT WEEK AKA TOMORROW! The day it arrives will herald the end of more than 9 months of sleeping on a squidgy-edged mattress on the floor. And it will also mean the massive tower of 54 shoe boxes on our landing can finally be stored away, significantly reducing the chances of a Pink House Dweller being incapacitated by a size 5 Sophia Webster. 

My divan being constructed

My divan being constructed

Making a space for all those shoe boxes

Making a space for all those shoe boxes

Shaping my headboard

Shaping my headboard

Getting the curve just right

Getting the curve just right

Hammering in the shiny brass studs

Hammering in the shiny brass studs

Adding the finishing touches...

Adding the finishing touches...

Am I ridiculously excited? You BED I am!!!

NB: Keep an eye on @pinkhouseliving on Monday 5 March – I’ll do an Instagram Live of The Bed arriving at The Pink House…

This post is sponsored by Hypnos, but as always, all opinions, thoughts and designs for pink-and-gold dream beds are entirely my own.

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"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
This where I’ll be having breakfast on Sunday morning 🥐. And for the next 6 mornings after that 🥐🥐🥐🥐🥐🥐. Except the view from the beautiful @chalet_mirabelle doesn’t look like this right now. Because the mountains around St Gervais in the French Alps are COVERED IN SNOW! ⛷☃️ Yup - me and the Pink House Husband are taking the kids skiing for the very first time, and we couldn’t be staying in a more beautiful, or more family-friendly place 👨‍👩‍👦‍👦✅. If you’ve ever thought about taking your kids skiing but were worried it would all end in tears (yup 🙋🏼‍♀️), Chalet Mirabelle could very well be the answer. I’ll be reporting from the slopes, sofa and sauna next week (I know; tough job) so you can see how we get on ⛷🛋😅
FULL DISCLAIMER: My family and I will be staying at Chalet Mirabelle as Jacqueline’s guests. Jacqueline followed me on Instagram and asked if I would be interested in staying in her brand new chalet in return for Instagram coverage and a blog post, as she thought you, my style-savvy Pink House Guests, would appreciate the place (spoiler: it’s completely gorgeous.) Even better, when Jacqueline was looking for an interiors photographer to photograph her beautiful new chalet she decided to ask The Pink House’s very own @susielowephoto out to the Chalet in the summer, so I have Susie’s beautiful interior shots to share with you, which will be interspersed by some snowy scenes when we actually arrive. I’m so excited I might cry; though it’s been 11 years since I last went skiing so let’s hope the crying isn’t as a result of a downhill race against PHH that goes badly wrong... #guest

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