Kim Murray: Art, Vision and the New Cromlix
2022 was a pivotal year for Kim Murray – her fourth child had just turned one years old and she’d moved into the home she’d spent four years building. She was ready for a new project, and so it was she turned her eye to Cromlix, the five-star, country house hotel she owned with husband Andy.
The hotel had been under the supervision of a management company since 2013 when the Murrays bought it and was in need of a total revamp. “I knew we either had to let the hotel go, or breathe new life into it. We were on the fence for a while, but I knew if somebody else did it, I’d be kicking myself,” said Kim.
Fast forward two years, and the refurbished hotel is not only looking fabulous, with a new restaurant, Gourmet Garden, extensive art collection and new brand identity, but it’s received a whole clutch of awards including, most recently, AA Hotel of the Year Scotland 2024, a Michelin key and Rural Hotel of the Year in the Food & Travel reader awards.
For Andy it was really important that we got the best mattresses
So what is it that makes Cromlix such a special kind of luxury experience?
The Glasshouse Snapshot
The recreated restaurant at Cromlix, The Glasshouse is an important part of the picture. A bright, window filled space, the 50-cover restaurant is led by award winning Executive Head Chef, Darin Campbell. Raised nearby on a farm in Lairgs, Campbell is passionate about celebrating the very best Scottish ingredients in his dishes.
His network of local suppliers work with him on a weekly basis to provide in-season produce that he supplements with ingredients grown in the hotel’s extensive kitchen garden, or foraged from the Cromlix estate’s woodland.
“I love what Darin has done with the food at Cromlix. Our menu used to be French inspired so it featured lots of rich dishes, that could sometimes feel quite heavy. Darin’s totally reinvented the menu, making it lighter, healthier and adding his own internationally inspired twist to some classic dishes”, commented Kim.
His creative flair is allowed to run wild, with some of his plates of food described as ‘works of art’ by Kim, in particular those from the afternoon tea and dessert menu.
This new direction for the restaurant fits in with Kim’s overall vision for the property which has a love for the great outdoors coupled with sustainability and authenticity at its heart.
Art of Cromlix: A Visual Feast
Inside the hotel, Cromlix has a bold and bright new colour palette on its walls, which is offset by a fantastic art collection. Much of it is on loan from the Royal Scottish Academy, featuring up and coming local artists, and some is from the Murrays’ own private art collection. Most notable are the David Shrigley’s that brighten up the back entrance to the hotel, and the Damien Hirst prints that line the main stairwell.
“Andy developed a love for art a few years ago and has quite eclectic taste! He wasn’t that involved in the refurbishment of the hotel, but wanted to have a say in the curation of our art collection. We’ve got over 60 pieces of art on our walls, from abstract landscapes to colourful still lifes” said Kim.
Whilst not all of the art may suit your own personal taste, there are certainly some bold choices and some that will provoke talking points during your stay.
Q&A with Kim Murray
We asked Kim some further questions about the hotel:
What convinced you to take on the hotel project?
Well, Andy had a real connection to the hotel. His family have had loads of events here over the years – his grandparents held their silver wedding anniversary at Cromlix and since then a number of other family events have taken place, including our own wedding reception. We wanted to have a base in Scotland, so our children could know more about where Andy grew up, but back in 2022 the hotel really didn’t reflect us as a family or a couple. I wanted it to be a place where people could visit for all sorts of reasons and feel special whilst being in a comfortable and relaxed environment. It’s been a labour of love but I’m so proud of what we’ve achieved.
What inspired the design of the hotel and The Glasshouse?
The whole vision for the new design was to bring elements of the beautiful Scottish countryside into the hotel. We wanted to use the colours of nature, coupled with botanical prints and patterns. All of the bedrooms are named after flowers you can find on the estate and our new logo features the Virginia Creeper that grows up the front of the building. The Glasshouse was really an extension of this – a garden themed space, looking out across the grounds, with food that was fresh, locally produced and beautifully presented.
What inspired focus on homegrown produce/ menu?
We are lucky to have the space to have our own kitchen garden which we’ve extended this year into a Gourmet Garden to include a wider variety of produce. We also have a polytunnel where we can grow things that need a warmer environment like tomatoes and cucumbers. Sustainability is really important to us all. We wanted to reduce our food mileage and so by combining ingredients from the estate with those produced by suppliers that were hyper-local, we are able to do that. Andy really wanted Cromlix to be an employer for those in the local community so by using these local suppliers, we are also helping to do that.
How does the art collection reflect the Cromlix identity?
Our art collection is bold, thought-provoking, overwhelmingly Scottish but not as you would expect. And I think that’s what you would also say about Cromlix. We are a Scottish country house but there isn’t much tartan on display and although we have retained lots of the original furniture and fittings, it’s been upcycled and modernised to give it a more current aesthetic.
How do you balance Cromlix heritage with modern elements?
We wanted to retain the original fabric of the building, celebrating its history but improving it for the modern traveller to make it more comfortable and luxurious. We had a lot of repeat bookings from guests that came back year after year – one couple have been over 100 times in the last ten years, so we didn’t want to alienate all those loyal customers with a really modern overhaul.
So we’ve chosen wallpapers which have a heritage feel – lots of botanical prints in rich hues, complimented by painted woodwork, fireplaces and cornices in colours you would find in nature. The fabrics we’ve used are a mix of heavy brocades with pops of colour, and we’ve used multiple different prints in each room to give it a more contemporary feel. Lighting has been really important and each room is layered with pendant ceiling lights and stunning wall lights, so you can brighten your room if you want, but tone it down if you want a slightly more cosy feel.
And then we’ve focussed on making sure we have the best luxury amenities in each bedroom such as handmade MODM toiletries, Nespresso coffee machines and superfast WIFI to ensure that the guest experience is top notch.
Does the family’s expertise in travelling frequently around the world effect the experience at Cromlix?
Yes I think so. For Andy it was really important that we got the best mattresses and had great WIFI as those were always his bugbears from travelling on the tennis Tour. From my point of view, I’m usually travelling with a gaggle of children, so I wanted Cromlix to feel like a home from home, where children could be themselves and have a place to roam outside in the fresh air.
What are your future plans for expanding both culinary and artistic experiences at Cromlix?
We are excited about the future at Cromlix. We have just submitted planning for a new, larger restaurant which will hopefully open in 2026. This will take our dining capacity from 50 covers to 80 per sitting. It will also mean we can offer an extended afternoon tea service and also cater for more private events.
We are developing our artistic experiences at the hotel – we run lots of art workshops already from embroidery and water colours to flower arranging and wreath making. We will look to continue those and also supplement them with art, photographic and sculpture exhibitions. There is definitely lots more to come at Cromlix so watch this space!!
Exclusive dining with Luxury Restaurant Club
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