Andy Murray: The tennis champion discusses the meaning of ‘home’

Andy Murray OBE is among the most successful tennis players in British history – winning three Grand Slam titles and 46 ATP singles titles to date. Though, despite a career spanning worldwide, home, for Andy, has multiple meanings – from the setting of his childhood to his place with his young family. 

In an exclusive interview with H&G, Andy shares his homes and interiors secrets – not so much living room ideas as the places that made him the celebrated player he is today.  

Most of my early memories… 

... are linked to my brother Jamie. We are only 15 months apart, so were very close growing up in Scotland. I remember playing swingball, which was probably with Jamie, and also sipping my babysitter’s coffee when I was very young, which I spat out. I have never touched coffee since.  

I’m very close… 

… to my grandparents who still live in Dunblane, and speaking to them brings back memories of home. I spent a lot of time with them when I was younger, playing games like Monopoly, snap, and dominoes together, and they tell me I was very competitive even then. I had to win at all costs.  

I’ve lived in Surrey… 

… since 2009. It’s close to where I train when I’m in the UK and also near to Heathrow and Gatwick when I’m traveling. But home for me is wherever my wife Kim and our children are. I’ve been living away from home since I was 15, playing tennis, so I’m fairly good at adjusting to wherever I am. It’s become a way of life.  

I enjoy traveling… 

… but it’s great to come home after a big tour – I really miss my family. We FaceTime a lot, but it’s hard with very little children. I’ve got four children now, so I’m usually thrown straight back into family life as soon as I walk through the door. They change so quickly; it’s always nice to see what they’ve learned while I’ve been away.  

I leave most of the house decor to Kim... 

… And now we’ve got four children; I don’t have much time for DIY. That’s my excuse anyway! When I bought and renovated the Cromlix Hotel near Dunblane (above), Kim and I both had input in the interiors. We wanted it to feel like a grand old country house that is comfortable and cozy but feels luxurious. There are some traditional Scottish elements I really like, but not too overdone. I particularly love the giant baths, which are great for relaxing in after a day in the Scottish countryside.  

(We're taking country bathroom ideas from Cromlix Hotel's glorious tubs.)

Lockdown was a strange time for me… 

... Compared with what so many other people went through, we were pretty lucky, so I’m grateful for that. But it was frustrating as I was just preparing to get back onto the Tour after my hip surgery and recuperation. Fortunately, I have a lot of training equipment at home, so I could do quite a bit remotely. I’m hoping to stay healthy and get lots of match time, so I can be back at Wimbledon.  

My son, our third child… 

… was born in the October before this all happened, so it was great spending time with him and my daughters. That was the silver lining to all of this for me. 

The point in my life where I have felt most at home… 

… is probably now. I feel confident in who I am. I’ve achieved a lot, although I still believe I can do more. I’ve got a great family life, a good team around me, and after such a long time out with my injury, I really appreciate being back playing the game I love. 

For more home secrets, we caught up with Frieda Gormley, co-founder of House of Hackney who discussed her life in the Cornish countryside. 

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The feature above was by Danielle Lawler for Homes & Gardens magazine August 2021. If you would like to get your own subscriber issue delivered every month, you can subscribe above.

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