Alternative Flooring blog Q&A by Emily Murray, The Pink House

Emily Murray, founder and editor of the award-winning blog The Pink House has written about her chic home for us before when she chose our Liberty Fabrics Capello Shell in Coral for her beautiful bedroom. She continues her house tour, this time selecting some Quirky B Honeycomb patterned carpet in black and white for her son Oscar’s bedroom.

We caught up with her for an update on how to decorate children’s bedrooms.

Emily, founder and editor of The Pink House

WHAT’S NEWS FROM THE PINK HOUSE?

I’m just kicking off The Pink House’s biggest renovation project to date – the skip arrived this morning and the sounds of drilling and heavy machinery is music to my ears!

HAVE YOU FINISHED DECORATING YOUR HOME? 

It might seem on social media @pinkhouseliving that my house is ‘finished’ but that’s very far from the truth! Yes, I have decorated the kitchen, my bedroom (complete with swoonworthy Quirky B Liberty Fabrics Capello Shell Coral Carpet, one of my absolutely favourite things in the house), the sitting room (sort of – there’s more to come), my study and most recently Oscar’s bedroom. However, what I haven’t yet done is address the layout of the house and how it flows, or deal with any of the bathrooms, the spare room, the hallway and stairs, the utility room or my other son Zac’s bedroom.

Oscar’s bedroom with Alternative’s Quirky B Honeycomb in Black carpet. Image © Susie Lowe Studio

The people who owned this Edwardian semi-detached house before we moved in two years ago built the kitchen extension but didn’t reconfigure what was left behind. So this renovation project is going to involve knocking down walls, building a new bathroom, creating a utility room, opening up the hallway and building a new shower room extension. And once the structural work is complete I’ll be getting on with decorating all the rooms we haven’t done yet. I especially can’t WAIT to get to grips with the hallway and stairs so it looks lovely the moment you walk in. You can read more on our renovation plans in my recent blog post HERE.

Alternative Flooring’s Liberty Fabrics Capello Shell Coral as seen in Emily’s bedroom The Pink House

 

DO YOU LIKE WOOL CARPETS IN BEDROOM?

Like them? I LOVE them! Once you’ve gone wool there’s no going back, especially in the bedroom (the red-headed Pink House Husband says the same about gingers…). Every single morning my Capello Shellcarpet ensures I get out of the right side of bed – as soon as my toes touch the dreamily soft pink carpet I know it’s going to be a good day!

HOW DID YOU DECIDE ON THIS HONEYCOMB PATTERN FOR OSCAR’S ROOM?

Not only did the flooring have to look and feel right in Oscar’s Urban/Jungle room, it also had to be appropriate for the whole (yet-to-be-decorated) 2nd floor of the house, which includes his little brother Zac’s room, and the landing between the two. My idea was that a patterned carpet would unite the rooms, creating a ‘boys’ zone’ on the top floor, and I wanted something striking, which combined the concepts of nature and city living, in a colourway that would go with anything.

Alternative Flooring’s Quirky B Honeycomb design in Black was ideal for this. The honeycomb pattern evokes bees and flowers, while the geometric, monochrome design is more metropolis. And, of course, black and white goes with everything. Being from Alternative Flooring, the carpet is top quality – the 80% wool, 20% nylon mix means it’s both soft and hardwearing. Definitely a carpet that will see Oscar into adulthood, and one that I’m enjoying myself every day.

Oscar’s bedroom with Alternative’s Quirky B Honeycomb in Black carpet. Image © Susie Lowe Studio

 

AND BLACK AND WHITE AND NOT PINK! 

I did consider pink to be honest, but figured the monochrome was more likely to continue to be considered cool by my two boys as they grew up. And I’ve already indulged my desire for a pink patterned carpet in my own bedroom. Though there’s always room for more…

DID OSCAR TAKE AN INTEREST IN DECORATING HIS BEDROOM?

Unlike the Pink House Husband, Oscar does take an interest in the design of his room beyond vetoing my design suggestions! He was the one who suggested green and gold as the starting colours for the room’s design and was delighted with my idea that we used his room to bring an element of nature into the space to complement the urban view from his window.

Oscar’s bedroom with great views of London and Alternative’s Quirky B Honeycomb in Black carpet. Image by  © Susie Lowe Studio

WHAT DO YOU HAVE IN MIND FOR ZAC’S BEDROOM?

I’m planning to pair the Honeycomb carpet with a more graphic, urban vibe in six-year-old Zac’s room. His bedroom overlooks the woodland behind our house so as with Oscar’s room I’m going to balance what’s outside the window with what’s inside. If Oscar’s room is Urban/Jungle, I guess you could call Zac’s theme Jungle/Urban! I’m thinking clean lines, and a colour palette of grey, white, black and…pink!

DO YOU THINK WE ARE BECOMING BRAVER WITH PATTERN?

Without a doubt. Social media has been brilliant for allowing us all a glimpse inside other people’s homes and showing that pattern – and colour – can be used in so many wonderful ways and on so many different surfaces (including floors!) to excellent effect. We’ve worn pattern on our clothes for a long time and now it’s time to transfer that confidence to our homes.

Oscar’s LEGO station in his bedroom. Alternative’s Quirky B Honeycomb in Black carpet. Image by  © Susie Lowe Studio

NEXT BIG TREND?

The anti-trend; a growing realisation that the things we buy for our homes need to be environmentally friendly and built to last.

We love Emily’s style, visit her website for more!

Find more flooring and interior design inspiration on our Alternative blog.