Author: Rhoda Parry

Redesigned and refurbished for a new era, we take a tour of the archive design adorning this historic country house hotel in Scotland.

Nestled into the Stirlingshire countryside, between the Highlands and the Lowlands, sits the newly-opened country house hotel of former world number one tennis player Andy Murray and his wife, Kim Murray.

'Luxurious. By Nature' is Cromlix's raison d'etre and you can see this mantra from the moment you meander down the tree-lined road to the sweeping entrance of the handsome 149-year-old Victorian mansion. With a private picturesque loch and lovingly-tended kitchen garden, the local flora and fauna is the style inspiration for this boutique retreat. The bedrooms are replete with an eclectic country feel and have all been named after flowers and herbs which can be found in the hotel’s 34-acre grounds, including Lavender, Viola, Thyme, Rosemary and Verbena.

“The Murray family has had a connection to this building since 1982 and, after a decade of ownership, we are looking forward to the future with a real sense of excitement,” says Kim Murray, who managed the refurbishment with interior designer Suzanne Garuda of Garuda Design, architect Fergus Purdie and a team of local Scottish artisans, suppliers and designers.

“This kind of restoration project calls for sympathetic architectural thinking and a charismatic interior design eye that blends the tradition of the property with the aesthetics of today’s boutique hotel. Warner House’s archive designs were selected to enrich the bespoke bedrooms, bathrooms and communal areas.

“Our goal was to create a relaxed yet luxurious country house aesthetic, alongside a generous helping of drama and a sense of humour,” say the designers at Garuda Design. ”We wanted to bring more of the outside in by incorporating elements of nature through the use of pattern and wallcoverings. This has enhanced the overall ambience and aesthetic of the hotel, becoming a warm and welcoming space whilst elevating the guest experience.”

We take a step inside these interiors to discover how Warner House’s renowned archival collection elevates the aesthetic; creating twist-on-tradition, comfortable and quietly luxurious spaces shaped by the history of the property.

Reception foyer

Lined with a deep and rich wooden panelling, the Reception foyer with its roaring fire is a heartwarming place to start your stay. Warner House’s Lilou Charcoal wallpaper is hung above the panelling throughout this area. Inspired by an 18th century Kashmir shawl, this small-scale wallpaper design is the perfect layering partner for maximal, patterned fabrics on the curtains and upholstery.

The Glasshouse restaurant foyer

The Glasshouse restaurant with its glass atrium is fronted by Executive Head Chef, Darin Campbell, and overlooks the grounds. It is filled with light and life whatever the season and perfectly complements the fine dining menu focussed on locally sourced, thoughtfully prepared ingredients and seasonal produce.

The vibrant colour scheme of spice and juniper works so well for this space. Warner House’s handsome stripe, Holkham Spice, has been used to upholster the stylish dining chairs. While striking scatter cushions in Blakeney Spice and Fernbrook Juniper complete this nature inspired room.

Estate rooms

With garden and woodland views, each of the five Estate rooms has their own character and have deeply delightful bathrooms.

Venture into Fennel and you’ll find our atmospheric Balmoral Navy wallpaper. This beautiful pattern depicts a typical Scottish countryside scene of deer, birds and foliage.

And in Viola, the mystical Tabley Midnight is a fitting backdrop to the equally sumptuous tub. This grand arborescent wallpaper design, inspired by beautiful Indian chintzes, features paradise birds and woodland creatures hidden amongst trailing branches.

Step into Sorrel and you’ll be rewarded with a handsome bathroom enveloped in a botanical 18th century toile called Kew Olive.

Deluxe suites

Three Deluxe suites at Cromlix are designed with space and relaxation in mind, each with its own super king size bedroom, bathroom and sitting space.

In Tulip, the sitting area walls are lined with Warner House’s Lilou Honey wallpaper, a useful small-scale wallpaper design that sets the scene for a sumptuous velvet sofa and interesting artwork.

In Primrose, the playful bathroom showcases our Primula Blue wallpaper, a small scale woodland flower on a vermicelli ground.

Junior Suite

Step into Allium to see Warner House’s Janita Rose cushions sitting pretty on a loveseat at the foot of a luxury king size bed, providing a charming finishing touch. This majestic tree of life cushion design seeks its inspiration from the Indian Chintzes of the mid 18th century.

We hope you enjoyed this unique tour of Cromlix, showcasing some of our best-selling archival patterns. As curators of beautiful bold design since 1870, we know how to bring a twist on tradition to decorating schemes and hope you will be inspired to use our timeless designs in your own refurbishment projects. If you’d like samples of any of our products featured at Cromlix, please get in touch.

If you need any help pulling your scheme together, or can’t find quite what you’re looking for, our customer service team are always happy to help. Simply drop them an email at [email protected]