SHE MAKES LOTS OF NOISE AT WORK, BUT SINGER-SONGWRITER RÓISÍN MURPHY LIKES THINGS CALM AND QUIET AT HOME

When she’s not making music, Róisín Murphy likes to relax among the thousands of books in a quiet corner of her home.

She shares the house with her artist partner Simon Henwood and their dog Charlie, and the walls in their elegant dining room are lined with Simon’s huge collection of books.

“We had the bookshelves made when we first moved in, which meant literally counting all the books,” explains Róisín, 34.

“In total he has 25,000. They’re an endless source of inspiration.

"There’s nothing visual I’ve done in the past two years that hasn’t come from them.

"In the video for my new single, You Know Me Better, where I play lots of different characters, I reference the artist Cindy Sherman, whose work I browsed through here.”

Róisín moved to Cricklewood in North London two years ago.

Brought up in County Wicklow in Ireland, she later moved to Sheffield and joined forces with then boyfriend Mark Brydon in the electronic duo Moloko, before going solo.

Róisín’s mum was an antique dealer and she describes her father as a ‘wheeler-dealer’ who sold everything from scrap to paintings.

Getting a bargain is a talent she’s inherited, and it can be seen in original touches like the brass mice she picked up from a charity shop.

But loving a bargain doesn’t mean she allows her home to become cluttered.

“I’m looking for a classic kind of warm modernism which is never going to date,” she says. “I’m happy for the way I dress to go out of fashion, but in the home, I don’t want to be replacing things all the time.”

Róisín’s single, You Know Me Better, from the album Overpowered, is out on March 31.

1. DINNER TABLE AND CHAIRS “These are made of Danish rosewood. The design of the table is really clever in that it folds down into a perfect circle.”

2. CUSHIONS “These are linen and velvet. My mother-in-law made them for me. She has a textile company that makes the most beautiful curtains.”

3. BRASS MICE “My mice were from a charity shop – I love their big ears and ’60s feel.”

4. RUG “This is a silk Persian rug which I’ve had for about seven years. It cost £3,000 – the first really expensive thing I bought for my home.”

5. DOLL “She belongs to Simon and is a gothic cartoon character.”

6. PRINTS “My uncle took this photo of jazz musician Dizzy Gillespie. The oil painting is by the artist Derek Thomas and was a birthday present from my boyfriend.”

 

RÓISÍN'S STYLE TIPS

* With modernist furniture, opt for warm, organic pieces made in wood to avoid the room looking too stark.
* Mix traditional pieces, such as a Persian rug, with contemporary designs.
* Plan bookshelves carefully. Count the number and size of your books before you put them up.

 

Words and Styling: Olivia Buxton. Claire Bingham. Photography: Katie Wilson. Hair: Faye Leith at SkinnyDip. Make-Up: Tracy Cahoon at CLM. Róisín wears metallic suit by Luella, shirt from Dover Street Market, shoes by Alexander McQueen.

 

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