You know those home makeover shows where they yell “MOVE THAT BUS!” and suddenly the homeowners are crying because their house just went from sad to stunning? Yeah, that was basically our experience… but minus the TV cameras.
We purchased our 1950s home in October 2024. We had run out of space to grow flowers at our previous property with The Wildstyler, so when we saw this opportunity, we jumped at the chance! We had big plans to convert the old sheep farm into Feral Flower Farm and settle down in the retro 1950's home. The Inside of the house was like stepping into the 50's, 60's and 70's - all at once! The carpet and wallpaper were next level amazing and the house came complete with an old (and still working) coal range.
As retro is our vibe, we instantly fell in love with our home. But, the exterior was tired. She had good bones, sure, but she was tired. It went from feel good, bold, happy interior, to a tired, sad and depressed, exterior. She needed a transformation, a bold one. And that’s exactly what Paint It ColourSmart delivered.
The Before: Beige, Boring, and Begging for a Makeover
Let’s be honest: our house was fine. It had walls, a roof, doors, all the essentials. But aesthetically? It had nothing going for it - besides our retro rock wall.
Inside, there was this incredible retro mix of bold and bright (still loving our wallpaper so much!), and it just didn’t match the outside vibe at all.
The exterior walls were a washed-out, tired beige - a colour that screamed, “I was cool once … back in the 50’s... maybe."
The trim? Non-existent. Unless peeling white, brown, yellow, lichen, pink, is a trim?! Whatever colour it used to be had long since faded into irrelevance.
The overall vibe? Forgettable. The kind of house people drive past without giving a second glance.
Our old exterior had one redeeming quality - it made for a grungy, textured backdrop in my Wildstyler Photography photoshoots! The peeling paint, weathered walls, and faded charm worked for moody, raw portraits, but as a home? She deserved better. Way better.
The Transformation...
Fast forward to Paint It ColourSmart showing up, rollers and brushes in hand, and working their absolute magic.
The result: "HOLY. SH*T!"
The walls? Dark grey. Not just any grey, deep, dramatic, and downright luxurious. It’s the kind of colour that makes a house feel modern, moody, and sophisticated all at once.
The trims? Copper. And let me tell you, this was a game-changer. The warm, metallic contrast against the dark grey? Next-level stunning. It catches the light in all the right ways, making the architectural details pop like never before and highlighting our awesome stone wall.
What used to be a house that looked tired and awkwardly just plonked on an hill, suddenly became a showstopper
The first time I stepped back to take it all in, my jaw actually dropped and I got super emotional. The dark grey gave the house weight, depth, and style, while the copper trim made it feel regal, intentional, and straight-up awesome.
And it wasn’t just me.
People literally slowed down driving past.
People in the community came over just to say, “WOW!”.
Even the courier guy did a double take.
Our home finally had a personality and a vibe that matched the interior, and it was badass.
Why Paint It ColourSmart? (Because they freaking deserve a plug after the job they did!)
I’ll tell you this right now: this kind of transformation doesn’t happen with a DIY paint job. It takes experts who know what they’re doing. We DIY painted our last home. It looked great… a few drips here (there and everywhere), lots of cracks and lines and pitting there, lots of “crocodile skin” here, paint on the windows... that actually ended up being painted shut for eternity. But we were happy, saved ourselves some money. Who cares if windows don’t open in the middle of a heat wave, right?!
I guess when we got Paint it ColourSmart in, I kind of expected a slightly better job that what we did on the last place. You know, our house was old and that weatherboard was in a bad way. No way that was ever going to look smooth again… or so I thought.
Paint It ColourSmart NAILED the execution. No streaks, no mess, just flawless work.
They spent hours filling and sanding our old girl.
They helped us pick the perfect colours. Because let’s be real, choosing paint is terrifying, and they knew exactly what would look good.
They worked fast but with insane attention to detail. Every trim, every edge, every little corner? Perfect.
They made our house feel BRAND NEW. And honestly? I still can’t stop staring at it.
Paint It ColourSmart didn’t come in with the attitude that this-was-an-old-house-so-let’s-just-slap-on-some-paint-and-Bob’s-ya-uncle. They didn’t treat her like just another job, or write her off because she was "too old to be worth it." Instead, they saw her potential, treated every wall, every trim, and every detail with patience and precision, and gave her the revival she deserved. This wasn’t just a paint job, it was a restoration, a celebration of her history with a fresh, bold, Feral Flower Farm future ahead. They came in with the respect and care this old girl deserved. They took time to actually restore her to her former glory - but way more awesome.
The Verdict: 10/10 Would Do It Again (If I Had Another House to Paint, but I won’t because we are never leaving this one now).
To Danny and the team at Paint It ColourSmart - thank you from the bottom of our hearts. You didn't just paint our house; you brought her back to life. You saw the beauty beneath the years, treated her with the care and respect she deserved, and gave us a home that we are proud to stand in front of every single day. Your passion, skill, and attention to detail made all the difference, and we couldn't be more grateful. You didn't just change our house - you changed how we feel about home.
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If your home is crying out for a makeover, do yourself a favour: call Paint It ColourSmart.
Because trust me, there is NOTHING like pulling into your driveway and thinking, "Damn, our house looks GOOD."
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Painting Team
Paint It ColourSmart
danny@paintitcoloursmart.com
022 425 8187
Levin, NZ
Facebook Here Paint It ColourSmart
Location Feral Flower Farm, Koputaroa, Levin.
Photography The Wildstyler Photography
www.thewildstyler.nz
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