Like many young Australians, my partner and I looked long and hard for our first home together in Sydney before making the leap of faith late last year.
We were lucky enough to secure an apartment that was fairly freshly renovated, with everything a stock-standard coat of white and beige paint — perfect for new homeowners to imagine their life within its four walls.
But I didn’t want to live inside a white box and was eager to add some colour to the walls — and stat. Which is where my initial idea of stencilling on the walls came from.
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I decided that our breakfast nook in the kitchen should have a floral arrangement adorned on the walls, so I procured a range of stencils on Amazon Australia and got to work handcrafting a range of bouquets.
The result is eye-catching to say the least.
While most people turn to furniture and ornaments to add colour to a space, paint and wallpaper shouldn’t be overlooked for their ability to transform.
Graham & Brown, one of the UK’s most prestigious interior design brands that ships products to Australia for free if you spend $250, was my first port of call for paint that not only lasts the test of time but is available on the colours I love the most.
The paints come in a broad range of finishes so you can make a room appear glossy or matte with the swivel of your paintbrush.
The website helpfully shows you what each colour looks like against a doorframe, to decide whether it will work in your space, before recommending corresponding wallpaper that “perfectly partners” with your choice.
I picked up a four litre pot of First Date Paint in the Resistance Durable Matt Emulsion, and the shade Pool Deck too, with the sole aim of turning some of our white painted door frames and furnishings into colourful corners of the room.
Shippping was seamless and arrived during the busy Christmas period in less than two weeks.
While I didn’t order samples of the colours this is an option for customers too, so you can actually see the colour in a space before you order a full pot.
Graham & Brown offer a full range of colourful accessories including wall murals, curtains and blinds, which are in stark contrast to the fairly beige options available to Aussies through brands like Wynstan.
As someone who regularly dreams about living in an English cottage one day, this is exactly the sort of aesthetic I’m trying to foster.
If you’ve been struck by the very limited colourful options available to Australians searching for wallpaper and paint, don’t discount our friendly neighbours in the UK for your next DIY job.
To shop and view the full range, visit the Graham & Brown website here.
