This Renter Turned a Gray Apartment into a Colorful, Wes Anderson-Inspired Space
This 775-square-foot apartment in Hamburg, Germany, was in perfectly “lovely” condition when freelance journalist Megan Murray and partner Jonathan Nussey moved in two years ago. It had been renovated for a young man, whose taste had included all “minimalist gray” walls with a black kitchen and black, industrial shelving. “This really put me off at first but obviously I could see that the ceilings were high, lovely windows, wooden floors, etc. so I just asked if we could re-paint,” Megan explains.
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“I think sometimes as adults we forget that the wonderful thing about growing up is that no one can tell you what to do,” Megan continues. “You can, pretty much, live your life however you want. It’s very easy to feel boxed in by society and get a certain job, dress a certain way, and not want to stand out too much — but the child in me says: ‘Hey, wait? I can literally paint my whole house pink if I want to? There are no rules!'”
Megan moved to London at age 18 to attend school for journalism and stayed for 12 years, working in the magazine industry for a decade covering subjects like wedding, fashion, food, and later interiors and travel. Now fully freelance, she continues exploring the world of travel and interiors, indulging her interests in maximalism and well-designed hotels, and applying what she’s learned to this small rental apartment.
The couple moved to Hamburg for Jonathan’s job and as a “chance to take a break from London’s fast pace.” Funnily enough, they found a little bit of London in Hamburg, however, as their neighborhood is “likened to Notting Hill in London — there’s even a sign that says ‘Little Notting Hill,'” she writes. “It’s leafy and idyllic, filled with coffee shops and wine bars. I absolutely love it.”
Her personal interior design philosophy can be seen in the couple’s home. “Why have white walls when you can literally do whatever you want?” she asks. “I’m constantly inspired (too inspired, really) by films, photoshoots, eras throughout history, and I get so excited wanting to try it all. I love interiors that just make me smile and allow me to test things out and express my creativity. So, when it came to decorating my apartment I wanted to just have fun. I was really inspired by Wes Anderson’s dreamy aesthetic and his mono-color approach — how each film has its own palette.”
Resources
PAINT & COLORS
- Living Room — Bauwerk “Charlottenburg”
- Dining Room — Bauwerk “Dandelion”
- Bedroom — Farrow & Ball “Farrow’s Cream”
LIVING ROOM
- Sofa — Formela in TWIN Bouclé, light blue
- Sofa — Habitat in Hendricks, velvet, but they no longer do rose pink
- Chair — Ceraudo in Elio; custom-made in this fabric
- Chest of drawers — Oliver Bonas in Tinta Mango Wood; they’ve update the style since I bought mine but this is it
- Mirror — Westwing in Selim
- Sideboard — Custom-made by a small maker on Etsy
- Cushions — Eldorado The Studio, custom cushions in handmade patchwork
- Cushions — Casa by Paboy
- Jewelry box — Daisy London x Shrimps
DINING ROOM
- Sideboard — WestWing, not the exact same but very close
- Table and chairs — Vintage sourced
- Storage — Mustard Made locker in Twinny Sage
- Rug — Nordic Knots in Jute Border Red
- Lamp — Ferm Living in Dou
BEDROOM
- Bedding — Sukun in New Yorker Mushroom
- Rug — Ruggable x Morris & Co in Bellflowers
- Lamp — Minnie-Mae Studio in Column of Strength
- Artwork — Hotel Magique set
- Pouf — Westwing in Alto
Thanks, Megan and Jonathan!
This tour’s responses and photos were edited for length/size and clarity.
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