A DEEP DIVE INTO THE COLOURS BEHIND OUR LIVING ROOM TRANSFORMATION
When our friends at Dulux set us the challenge to transform a tired family living room (that had slowly but surely been claimed by small humans and their thousands of toys) with no renovation, just paint and styling, all in one long weekend, we said: “Pass us the paint!”
The twist? We could only use paint from their selection of most-loved whites.
Challenge. Accepted.
Dulux’s most popular whites have earned cult status for a reason. If you’re in Australia, you’ve definitely heard of Lexicon® Quarter, Natural White™ and Antique White U.S.A.®. They’re the ride-or-die shades people come back to again and again - the ones that quietly outlast trends and still look good doing it. Naturally, they were our top three contenders for this room makeover.
THE BEFORE: BEAUTIFUL BONES, BUT A BIT DAGGY
This living room had beautiful bones - soaring pitched ceilings lined in warm timber, loads of natural light and generous proportions. But it felt heavy, dated and daggy.
The creamy yellow walls were adding warmth to an already warm space. The trims disappeared, and everything sat in the same tonal family, which meant the architecture got a little lost.
We didn’t need more colour. We needed restraint, clarity… heck, we just needed the white right to create the backdrop for some beautiful styling!
Walls: Dulux Antique White U.S.A.®
After sampling a whole lineup of whites, Dulux Antique White U.S.A.® was the clear winner for the walls in this transformation.
In a timber-heavy room like this, choosing the right white is everything. Go too cool and the ceiling throws orange. Go too warm and the whole space starts to feel heavy.
Antique White U.S.A.® sits beautifully in between - warm without tipping yellow, creamy without feeling beige, soft without ever looking flat.
The moment it hit the walls, the shift was instant. The room felt brighter, and the timber ceiling looked richer and more intentional. Natural light bounced around the space instead of being absorbed, and it set the perfect canvas for the new furniture and artwork to shine.
On the walls, we used Dulux Wash&Wear® Low Sheen because of its hard-wearing, washable finish, which is super important in a family living room. It allows you to wipe away most everyday marks, scuffs, and stains with a damp cloth, so sticky fingerprints and mystery smudges don’t become permanent features of your design. The walls keep looking freshly painted for years, not just for the reveal photos.
Because a white this good deserves to stay that way.
Skirting & Architraves: Dulux Camel Hide
Trims are to walls what your favourite contour stick is to your face 😉 - subtle, but seriously transformative.
With that gorgeous timber ceiling overhead, we didn’t want the details quietly fading into the background. Painting the skirting boards and architraves in Dulux Camel Hide gives the room definition - like a soft contour that gently frames everything and makes the whole space pop.
It’s not loud or showy, but it adds just enough contrast to sharpen the room and make the architecture feel more intentional, while still sitting comfortably next to Antique White U.S.A.®.
The trims are painted in Dulux Aquanamel® Semi Gloss, which adds just enough sheen to catch the light and give the trims a tailored, finished feel. It’s also durable - handy, because trims in family homes tend to get knocked, bumped and generally lived on.
CEILING & CORNICES: DULUX ANTIQUE WHITE U.S.A.®
With such a striking timber ceiling, our approach was simple: let it shine.
For the plastered ceiling areas and cornices, we used Dulux Ceiling Flat in Antique White U.S.A.® to create a seamless transition from wall to ceiling. Keeping the same tone overhead makes the space feel cohesive and calm, without unnecessary contrast.
The flat finish minimises glare, softens light reflection and helps disguise surface imperfections, which is especially important in a room flooded with natural light.
THE POWER OF CHOOSING THE RIGHT PAINT TO TRANSFORM A ROOM
This transformation goes to show that you don’t always need to renovate to completely change the way a space feels.
With the right white paint, a room can go from heavy to light-filled. From cluttered to calm. From tired to intentional.
Dulux Antique White U.S.A.® brings softness and cohesion to the walls and ceiling, while Camel Hide adds warmth and definition through the trims. Together, they create a layered, tonal palette that feels timeless, relaxed and perfectly suited to family life.
Sometimes the biggest impact comes from restraint. From understanding undertones. From choosing a paint that works with your home, not against it.
And when you pair a beautiful colour with a practical, washable finish that stands up to real life, you get a space that doesn’t just look good on reveal day - it stays that way.
