12 Colourful Homes That Will Convince You To Ditch White Walls
Interiors
Paddington by Natalie Bradburn Studio and Salad Days Ceramics. Bed by Woodwrights. Custom carpet by Eden Studio. Linen by Sutram. Bedside lamps by ECC. Custom wardrobe handles by Natalie Bradburn Studio. Artwork: ‘How I Keep from going under I’ by James Watkins (2025), sourced from Twenty Six Gallery. Curtain in James Dunlop Element fabric. Photo – Simon Wilson
Tapware by Plumbline. Mirror by Salyasi. Custom sink by Natalie Bradburn Studio. Wall light by Volkerhaug. Curtain in James Dunlop Chaco by Designs of the Time fabric. Photo – Simon Wilson
Bed by Woodwrights. Linen by Sutram. Bedside lamps by ECC. Curtain in James Dunlop Element fabric. Photo – Simon Wilson
An Unexpected Transformation Of A ‘Stock Standard’ Townhouse
Stepping into this Wellington, New Zealand home feels like you could be anywhere in the world — which is entirely the point.
Natalie Bradburn Studio and Lucy Coote of Salad Days Ceramics were tasked with bringing the poorly planned and ‘stock standard’ townhouse to life through reconfiguration and an inspiring material palette.
The result feels truly bespoke; a product of Natalie and Lucy’s practical updates and colourful refresh spanning shades of pink, umber, and chartreuse.
Home of Kelly Thompson. Custom paint colour by Tint, available on request. Rugs from Etsy. Pendant by Oi Soi Oi from Lander—Se. Vintage sideboard, daybed, coffee table, bowl, small plinth, armchair, and floor lamp. Mobile by Fellows Mobiles. Sculpture by Neighbourhood Studios. Painting by Kate Banazi. Smaller painting by Barbara Kitallides. Vintage burl side tables designed by Milo Baughman. Vintage lamp on plinth from Smith Street Bazaar. Brown ceramic plinth by Alison Frith. Couch and cushions by Jardan. Blue side table by Zachary Frankel. Items on sideboard from left by: Lucy McMillan, Ella Reweti, vintage vase bought in Greece, vintage horse from Ma House Supply Store. Photo – Eve Wilson. Editorial styling – Sarah Hendriks
Bedroom stool designed by K Thompson. Vintage plinth. Ceramic on plinth by David Austin. Hanging ceramic by Jennifer Conroy Smith. Feltex Spinifex carpet in Chalky. Custom blue paint colour by Tint, available on request. Photo – Eve Wilson. Editorial styling – Sarah Hendriks
Photograph by Sara Orme. Ceramic beside bed by Jan Vogelpoel. Vase on shelf by Alison Frith. Candle holder by Deborah Sweeney. Small bowl by Glost Studios. Cushions by Weave Home. Bed cover by In Bed. Photo – Eve Wilson. Editorial styling – Sarah Hendriks
Stylist Kelly Thompson’s Colour-Rich, Happy Home
When interior stylist Kelly Thompson first inspected this Heidelberg Heights home, she thought it was ‘way too white and stark looking’, but there was enough potential in the spacious block and retained 1940s features to make it her own.
Over the past three years, Kelly has slowly chipped away at mostly DIY cosmetic updates to introduce gorgeous colour throughout the interiors.
Pieces by local artists (many collected from her time running online design store Makers’ Mrkt) and vintage furniture add character, creating a home that’s distinctly ’Kelly!’
Clique by WOWOWA. The colourful renovation reflects the clients’ wish to avoid ‘anything too sterile’. Photo – Martina Gemmola. Styling – Bea Lambos
Large LED pendant in burnt orange by Acustico Lighting. Ceramic vase by Mali Taylor from Pépite. Photo – Martina Gemmola. Styling – Bea Lambos
This 1940s Brick Duplex Renovation Is Bursting With Bold Colours
Located in Melbourne, this 1940s brick duplex is ushered into a new era with WOWOWA’s signature flourish of radiant colour.
See how hues of rich purples, earthy reds, bright orange and dusty pink are expertly woven together to create a home that’s both bold and rejuvenating.
Merry House by Circle Studio Architects. Owners Marg and Andy inside their renovated Coburg North home. Artwork: Gold and cotton pearls by Ben Randall. Photo – Jade Cantwell. Styling – Studio Jaddi
The new kitchen is defined by its green accents. Photo – Jade Cantwell. Styling – Studio Jaddi
Photo – Jade Cantwell. Styling – Studio Jaddi
This Colourful Home Is Tailor-Made For A Retired Couple’s Next Chapter
This unassuming brick veneer unit hides a colourful renovation inside, created for a retired couple who are embarking on their next chapter, together.
Circle Studio Architects tailored the home to suit their client’s creative interests, with playful interiors and spaces for music, reading, writing, and gardening on the edge of the Merri Creek.
Home of Nina Siska. Interiors by Studio Co & Co. Jardan Lola curved sofa. Hale Mercantile Co. cushion and Jardan Elk velvet bolster cushion. Wullf Chair by &Tradition from Cult Design. 1970s Floor Lamp by Jan Erik Lindgren from CCSS Shop. Nanimarquina Rabari 1 Rug from Cult Design. Smooth Coffee Table by Nicole Lawrence Studio. Artwork by Gillian Wardan. Photo – Amelia Stanwix
Sancal dining table from Kezu. Cozoni Nela stool. IKEA cabinets customised with dark sage fronts by Ren Studio. Artwork: ‘Antipodean Dream’ by Heidi Yardley. Photo – Amelia Stanwix
Vintage Italian posters from Angelucci 20th Century. Vintage extendable dining table from 20th Century Scandinavia. Custom Dowel Jones Volta chairs. Photo – Amelia Stanwix
An ‘Unliveable’ Retro Apartment Turned Playful + Personal Home
When Nina Siska came across this Parkville apartment, it was unliveable, with mouldy ceilings, stained walls, and peeling paint.
The listing wasn’t lying when it described the art deco pad as a ‘renovators delight’, but Nina saw the potential in the retro details and wooden floorboards that were hiding under carpet.
With the help of Studio Co & Co, Nina has renewed the 90-square-metre apartment, creating a bold peachy kitchen and eclectic interiors, styled with art and furniture from some of Melbourne’s best local creatives!
Home of interior designer Jana Isaza-Smith. Photo – Milly Mead. Styling – Annie Portelli.
Spotted gum joinery by Turner Joinery. Vintage lamp with custom shade from Tikifeva. Photo – Milly Mead. Styling – Annie Portelli.
Hexacorallia Sconce by Milly Dent. Basin by Concrete Nation. Spotted gum vanity created from leftover decking boards by Jana and Nic’s carpenter Che Bagshaw. Photo – Milly Mead. Styling – Annie Portelli.
A Relocated + Renovated Queenslander, Brimming With Bold Colour
Interior designer Jana Isaza-Smith and her husband Nic Smith faced challenge after challenge when it came to renovating their relocated Queenslander in South Golden Beach, NSW.
Thankfully, the resulting home — brimming with colour and sentimental pieces — leaves them with only good vibes.
Home of interior designer Stefania Reynolds. Joinery work by Bettastyle. Photo – Anson Smart. Styling – Kirsten Stanwix Bookallil.
Sculpture (far left) by Odette Ireland from Curatorial + Co. Photo – Anson Smart. Styling – Kirsten Stanwix Bookallil.
Custom dining table by Charlie Campbell. Photo – Anson Smart. Styling – Kirsten Stanwix Bookallil.
A Blue + Peach Sydney Apartment For A Young Family
Stefania Reynolds of Studio Johnson has an eye for design and a knack for creativity, which makes sense given her line of work as both an interior designer and artist.
Her Redfern home is a reflection of both these passions. Taking inspiration from the airy interiors and peachy blue colour palette of her childhood home in Corfu, Greece, Stefania’s playful renovation makes everyday living a delight.
Home of Eryca Green. 1950s Vittorio Dassi sideboard. Fornasetti clock. Stephen Gill painting. Photo – Eve Wilson. Editorial styling – Annie Portelli.
Afra & Tobia Scarpa chairs. Corey Ashford brass coasters. Photo – Eve Wilson. Editorial styling – Annie Portelli.
Flos Snoopy table lamp. Louise Olsen painting. Raymond Loewy sideboard. Photo – Eve Wilson. Editorial styling – Annie Portelli.
An Early 2000s Melbourne Apartment Turned ‘Piccolo Palazzo’
Eryca Green says buying her Carlton apartment was ‘never a case of love at first sight.’ With its all-white walls and grey carpet, the circa 2001 apartment was a far cry from the established and eclectic homes she’d previously lived in, but the price was right, and Eryca had a vision.
Almost two years later, the apartment is unrecognisable. Working with Julia Cox of jcHQ, Eryca has designed a home that feels rich in history, featuring vintage furniture, coloured walls, and beloved art.
Eryca has created ‘a room of one’s own’ — an always warm, light-filled, and decorative sanctuary away from the busy world outside.
How Colourful Timber-Look Tiles Inspired This Bungalow’s Bold Renovation
The back of this traditional brick bungalow in Melbourne’s northern suburbs is bursting with personality after a quirky renovation.
Taking inspiration from their creative clients, Healy Ryan Architects paired green walls with ceramic floor tiles designed to look like coloured woodgrain, and glass blocks — marking the owners’ next chapter as empty-nesters in a bold way!
The view from the kitchen into the hallway and the 1930s original rooms beyond. Photo – Ben Hosking
The matching new bathroom at the centre of the home. Photo – Ben Hosking
Perth’s Historic Market Gardens Inspired This Colourful Home
This 1920s home was once the site of a market garden. The recently extended house by Brunsdon Studio speaks to this history, bringing the garden into the home with a bold green palette inside and out.
The extension has fundamentally changed the experience of living in the home, which is now connected to its immediate and historical context.
Joy Haus by Studio Shields. Cabinetry in Laminex Kalamata and Smoked Birchply. Handles by Mi&Gei Hardware. Island stone in Cherry Blossom from Fum. Stellar Table Lamp by Tantri Mustika. Glass Sculpture by HotHaus. Art by Ashton Wastney. Photo – Martina Gemmola. Styling – Jessica Rayment
Hay Arc wall light from Cult. Art by Hannah Nowlan. Merlin lamp by Tantri Mustika. Bed linen from Sheet Society. Photo – Martina Gemmola. Styling – Jessica Rayment
The main bedroom. Cork flooring from Cork Imports Australia. Joinery in Laminex Kalamata and Natale Walnut. Dot Marble Handles in Rosso by Lo & Co. Art by Leyla Bulmer, from Lander—Se. Cheeky Stools by Maryam Moghadam. Bed linen in Cacao by Bed Threads. Photo – Martina Gemmola. Styling – Jessica Rayment
How A Palette of 15 Hues Brought This Joyful Mount Eliza Home To Life
In the hands of Studio Shields, this Mount Eliza house has been reworked from the ground up to create a layered abode that isn’t afraid of colour — with only the existing roofline remaining in place.
Where previously white walls met beige floors, now a palette of 15 hues unfolds cohesively and deliberately intensifies as you move through the home.
Ochre House by MyMyMy Architecture. Farmland vistas are enhanced by the playful interiors. Photo – Anne Stroud. Styling – Tilly Roberts.
The main bedroom reveals calming green walls. Photo – Anne Stroud. Styling – Tilly Roberts.
Two-tone pink tiles and terrazzo bench tops feature in the bathroom. Photo – Anne Stroud. Styling – Tilly Roberts.
This Colorbond-Clad Country Home Is A Superb Take On The Typical Shed
With its bold Colorbond-clad exterior and timber-lined interior, Ochre House by MyMyMy Architecture offers a contemporary take on regional living.
The striking home takes inspiration from the typography of traditional shearing sheds and the vibrant hues of Australia’s native landscapes to create a utilitarian yet elevated residence, where the owners can thrive living off-grid, just outside Canberra.