Designer Insight: Rose Murray ~ These White Walls

March 02, 2020

FOLLOWING HER RECENT WIN AT THE RESTAURANT & BAR DESIGN AWARDS FOR HIDE RESTAURANT, ROSE MURRAY IS DEFINITELY ONE TO WATCH FOR 2020. WE SAT DOWN WITH ROSE TO HEAR ABOUT HER UPCOMING PROJECTS FOR THE YEAR AND PLANS TO TAKE THESE WHITE WALLS GLOBAL...

Rose Murray These White Walls

When did you know you wanted to become an interior designer?

After a decade working in art direction across numerous industries - from editorial styling, set dressing, event design and interior decorating - I loved the roles but wished that some of the work I created could survive longer than a single shoot, or a scene, or an event. I wanted to build something that would last. One event involved transforming an empty retail unit into a cocktail bar with open kitchen, restaurant and cabaret stage which lasted several months - the experience of seeing people returning to the space and savouring it with friends again and again helped me to realise that I could apply all that ephemeral creativity to a more permanent space, and so the shift began.

These White Walls Hide Restaurant

Which project are you most proud of to date?

HIDE in Mayfair will always be special - she was our first project and I threw everything into her, designing at all levels from the wall surfaces and wider room schemes down to the tables and chairs, bespoke drinks trolleys, rotating drinks cabinets, bespoke mouldings, you name it! There was so much scope to make bespoke for the project that I took it as a wonderful opportunity to really show what the studio is capable of and I still savour every detail.

You recently designed a space for the Design Encounter area at Decorex, tell us more about the beautiful space you designed?

We were asked to design the 'Wild Card' space within the Encounter, so I came up with 'The Withdrawing Room' which was inspired by traditional-style drawing rooms, but I added our own contemporary twist. We worked with decorative artisans, Pigmentti, to line the walls in canvas with hand-painted trompe l'oeil details and dressed the room with rugs, furniture and lamps by London-based makers and sculptures by British artist Kathy Dalwood. The centrepiece was Cameron Design House's brushed brass Inari that we rigged amidst hundreds of handmade plaster birds that emerged from the wallpaper - we got lots of 'wows' from visitors who passed through with so many people commenting on how extraordinarily 'magical' the space felt for them.

Cameron Design House These White Walls Decorex

Cameron Design House These White Walls Decorex Inari

Which are your favourite Cameron Design House pieces?

The 'Inari' is a definite favourite, and we were delighted to feature it in our room set at Olympia - its wild fluidity makes it a real statement piece. I'd also love to incorporate the 'Salla' into one of our newly modern schemes as there's something almost sci-fi about its style, plus I am eyeing up the multi-tiered Vantaa for a stair void somewhere.

Tell us about your dream project...

My family lived in West Africa for several years when I was a child and I have many memories of sunset-soaked safari lodges, so I would love to design a project in that region, with an emphasis on sustainability.

What's next for These White Walls?

Lots of exciting launches are coming up this year for us, including a boutique hotel and spa in the north of Italy and our first restaurant in Hong Kong, so 2020 is looking global for These White Walls!

Photography credit Nacho Rivera

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Designer Insight: Rose Murray ~ These White Walls

FOLLOWING HER RECENT WIN AT THE RESTAURANT & BAR DESIGN AWARDS FOR HIDE RESTAURANT, ROSE MURRAY IS DEFINITELY ONE TO WATCH FOR 2020. WE SAT DOWN WITH ROSE TO HEAR ABOUT HER UPCOMING PROJECTS FOR THE YEAR AND PLANS TO TAKE THESE WHITE WALLS GLOBAL...

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