Not so long ago we had the pleasure of adding some GAFF love to the kitchen come living room come bar area in the Camden Recording Studio (where Bressie spends most of his waking hours). It was such a cool project for us because the space had such a key function: Bressie wanted somewhere that the likes of Ed Sheeran and Hozier could come and chill (taking time out from their recording sessions) and keep the creative juices flowing all the while. Not only that, Bressie told us he’s spent many a night in the foetal position on what was a very drab sofa, so we knew we need something good enough to sleep on.
First, we addressed the colour palette. The walls were off-white and lacklustre. We decided to paint a thick stripe around the room (which was a lot harder to achieve than it looks; lots of masking tape and patience required) in a striking teal (Tilbury Teal from Dulux Moda) which was offset by the brilliant white on either side of it. Brilliant white can be quite cold, but you get away with it when you choose a colour as bold as teal to go with it. Then we sought about getting our hands on some functional yet stylish pieces to bring the room to life with a more put-together look. We went shopping in Michael Murphy Home – one of our favourite Irish interiors brands – where we got most of our furniture and styling essentials. Not only are they on top of decor trends, the quality of their furniture is outstanding, and durability is key for a studio as busy as this.
The Romeo couch takes centre stage. We wanted an L-Shape (have you seen how tall Bressie is?) sofa but in a neutral and dark hue that lends itself to lots of wear and tear (and parties). This was our dominant colour in the furniture while the accent colours within the hot pink lamp and the rug gave the room more energy. We loved the mirror – we’d choose a round mirror over something angular any day – and the grainy effect over the glass. This gives an edgier feel to it and on a totally practical level – it’s low maintenance.
Our favourite piece? The absolutely beautiful bucket style armchair that you can sink into (beside the pink lamp). Also from Michael Murphy Home.
We finished the room off by hanging some of the recording studio’s deadly prints on the wall – further highlighting that teal stripe – and incorporating lots of fresh greenery which we picked up at IKEA. The jukebox and the foosball table were already there, so we styled around them, allowing for them to stand out as key features.
Browse Michael Murphy online here.
