This week in our conversations in colour series we spoke to travel and design writer Megan Rose Murray. We discussed her love of colour, her favourite design destinations and why wearing something colourful can be one of life’s simplest little joys.
Tell us about you. How have you got to where you are today?
Hi, I’m Megan! I grew up on Sex and the City and always dreamed of leaving rural Nottinghamshire behind for the Big Smoke, where I channelled my love of Carrie Bradshaw into a journalism degree at the University of the Arts, before starting a decade of working in magazines.
I began in weddings and lifestyle, before scoring my perfect job at Stylist Magazine writing about everything from women’s issues to travel features, and even ending up on the cover when an (armpit - so not very glamorous) model couldn’t make it.
Here, I discovered that my interest in travel was the strongest, especially telling the stories of unique, design-led independent hotels and guest houses. After a few years in editorial and social at Soho House, which allowed me to indulge my travel-design bug, I went freelance coinciding with a move to Hamburg, Germany, for three years. In that time, I’ve written for Conde Nast Traveller, House & Garden, FT, SUITCASE, The Times and travelled around 50 percent of the time.
I’ve actually just, within the last week, moved back to London and I’m so excited to delve into more of our amazing staycations, something Germany doesn’t do with such flair!
You see so many different interiors and colour palettes through your work, are there any colours you're particularly drawn to?
I love a concept. When a space has - not a theme, as such - but a whole world built within it, that’s what I really admire and feel drawn to. It could be rich, rust colours and textured walls with bottle-green tiles in a Moroccan style, or Scandinavian brights of red, blue and yellow; I think colour is such a powerful tool at translating personality, identity and a story.
Personally, I’m very drawn to candy-coloured hues and look to Wes Anderson’s colour palettes for inspiration. His films are also often related to travel - think The Darjeeling Express or The Grand Budapest Hotel - and certainly take the audience on a journey which I find really inspiring. In my last home, I used his method of mono-colour to set the tone for each room; a pink living room complete with matching sofa and armchairs, a verdant green dining room with lots of plants and tonal upholstery, and a butter yellow bedroom with retro accents.
Has your idea of what makes somewhere beautiful changed since you began writing about travel and design?
That’s such a brilliant question. I think it’s given me an appreciation for the details, layers and nuance that a truly beautifully-designed space has. You don’t know what you don’t know, so if you haven’t spoken to interior designers or learned some of those techniques, it’s easy to put together a room and wonder why it feels flat.
But, through speaking to designers of hotels (I did this a lot at Soho House and they are such a talented bunch) it’s given me a slight understanding of how important creating contrast is, adding layers, using a mix of textures etc. It’s things like, if the room is looking too one way, do something totally opposite to stop it looking thematic. Or, use reclaimed wood for panelling, floors or furniture so that the space looks lived in and not shiny and new - it creates a sense of story, and stops it feeling IKEA-like. Or, build accessories up over time, root around for vintage and antique furniture, find pieces that feel collected and curated, rather than all bought on the day you moved in.
What makes somewhere truly memorable to you?
Speaking from a travel point of view, it really is the people. It sounds a bit cliche to say “people make the place” but from reviewing hotels monthly for the last four years - in fact, in the last 10 days I’ve actually visited six hotels! - atmosphere and personality is everything. For me, it’s how you’re greeted and the authenticity of that moment. You can tell when someone loves hosting and wants to explain the history of the building, the story behind the wine maker, or has fun with their colleagues.
Specifically for design, I also think you can see from an art scheme if it’s been curated with love, or if the furniture has some history behind it. My favourite places are certainly those that weren’t borne in a boardroom - for example, Hoby Kulle Herrgard is a fairytale-esque manor house in Sweden, taken over by a young family who have pain-stakingly renovated and re-decorated it in traditional style with some touches from contemporary Swedish designers. You should check it out!
How does wearing colour make you feel, particularly when it comes to lingerie?
I think my brain reads the world in colour. Like Neo, in the Matrix, when he sees all of those numbers and letters - I think my brain is seeing colour and having little happy explosions. The right tone and shade just feels… right? If I see a green wall and it’s just the most lush shade of green, I want to photograph it. Or, I walk past a restaurant and the tables outside are the most perfect custard colour, I want to go there. So, wearing colour to me is the essence of my wardrobe and what makes me happy and motivates me to put something on.
Underwear should be a joy. It’s (often) just for you and I think, should feel like a lovely, little luxury. Putting on a lingerie set that makes you happy and feel like yourself is something we all deserve! I know it puts a spring in my step and when you’ve been without it for a little while, perhaps everything in your underwear drawer is feeling a bit old and tired and drab, you really notice how brilliant it makes you feel when you invest in something beautiful again.
What’s coming up next for you?
How nice to be asked. As I mentioned, I have quite literally just moved back to London and I cannot wait to be back in the city that makes me feel alive and at home at the same time, and back around so many of my gorgeous, talented friends.
I will be enjoying freelancing here, being able to network and spend more time with other creatives in my field. I’m creating more social media content for small brands and hotels, too, so will be working on crafting a proper platform for that work and championing those small businesses I admire.
