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Painting is one of the most effective ways to transform your home according to one of the winners of our D.I.Y. July competition last year.
The winner of Australia’s best paint project of 2022, Jemma (@jemma11) transformed her dining room with a dramatic cloud-inspired feature wall.
“I’m a big believer that your home should reflect who you are, and paint is a brilliant, non-structural way to make a big impact,” says Jemma.
She says the paint “has held up beautifully” over the past year and the cloud wall has become a real feature of her home.
“The wall has changed the dark and dingy little dining room with no windows to a place of wonder that we’re delighted to entertain in.
"After avoiding the room for years, we’ve since held all our annual celebrations in there, and eat together as a family far more often. I wish I’d done it sooner.” 
Jemma reveals her success has since given her the confidence to pursue other painting projects.
“I’ve gone on to paint almost the entire house now and am much braver getting colour onto my walls.”
For anyone wanting to attempt a paint project, she suggests focusing on the fact that it’s easy to fix mistakes.
“Don’t hesitate to give it a go! It’s only paint and can be changed so easily.”
Expert advice for your paint project
Mitchell Mclean (@MitchellMc), resident Bunnings D.I.Y. expert and one of the judges for this year's competition to find Australia's best D.I.Y. projects, has further advice for those attempting a paint project.
Mitch's tips include:
1. Preparation is key to a successful painting project. The more time you put into preparing the surface, the better your results will be. The finish will only ever be as good as the preparation you put into it.
2. It's better to apply multiple thin coats of paint than a single thick coat. This reduces the chances of drips and allows for better control.
3. When removing painter's tape, do it slowly at a 45-degree angle and always remove it before the paint has dried. This prevents the paint being pulled off along with the tape.
4. Always test a small area or use sample pots to confirm the desired colour before committing to painting an entire wall. Samples can be painted onto a sheet of cardboard, and it moved around the room to see the colours appearance under different lighting conditions.
5. Start painting at the top of the wall and work your way down to avoid accidentally splattering freshly painted surfaces. If you do happen to drip paint on the lower section, it will be covered as you progress.
Bunnings Workshop community members have also shared several step-by-step guides on painting your home, including How to paint like a professional and How to choose the right paint for the job.
Inspiration for your paint project
Have a look at our Top 10 most popular painting projects and our collections of bathroom, kitchen and fence painting makeovers.
D.I.Y. July is here and we are again searching for Australia’s best D.I.Y. projects. Winners will have their projects featured in the September issue of Bunnings Magazine. We encourage you to enter.
