Don’t Draw On The Walls: Inside This £2m Home Where Every Room Is Hand Painted

What do your walls look like? Are they neutral and minimalist? Do you take inspiration from celebrity houses featured on Instagram? Or are you craving a pop of colour? If you’re looking for an antidote to Pantone’s off-white 2026 colour of the year Cloud Dancer, then artist Emily Powell’s home may be the rush of colour you’re craving. Where most people simply hang their curated canvases on their perfectly white painted walls, Powell has gone the extra mile by covering every inch of her Devon home with her signature doodles. 

Inside Emily Powell’s Hand-Painted Home

Step Inside

As children we were all told not to draw on the walls. But when you’re one of the hottest young artists around, it seems mum and dad no longer possess the power to tell you no. Finding the medium of canvas too restrictive for her artistry, contemporary painter Emily Powell has immersed herself into a world of her own creation – where every wall is meticulously hand-painted. 

One of a kind is an understatement, with this being the first known instance of a UK home being hand-painted in its entirety by an artist. (The perfect opportunity for anyone who detests the minimalist trend of ‘clean’ living.)

Currently on the market at a guide price of £2m, the property is being sold along with an additional 65 pieces and 20 items of painted furniture – from bookshelves to the toilet, no stone (or wall) has been left untouched by Powell’s paintbrush.

Who Is Emily Powell?

Originally from Liverpool, Powell is a contemporary British painter who has been dubbed ‘one of the most important emerging artists in the UK today’, with her work having been featured in a BBC documentary about the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition.

In her latest project The Art of Living, Powell has blurred the lines between work and play. A decade in the making, the Art of Living has transformed her former home into a living work of art. Spanning just over 1700 sqft across three floors, this five-bedroom canvas is now washed with approximately 400 sqm of colourful creations. Powell envisioned a theme in each room – whether it’s the family memories etched onto the fireplace tiles in the living room, or the birds flying up the staircase as a nod to her late father – seeking to evoke a specific emotion for every corner of those four walls.

The selling agent, Chesterton’s, note that this is a ‘highly unusual arrangement’ but according to them, the price reflects the value of the property, the original artworks and hand-painted furniture included in the sale. Not only is she selling her home, artwork and furniture, but Powell is also pledging to return to the Devon home every 10 years for the remainder of her life, to touch up any chipped or fading colours, to preserve the house as a time capsule. 

Onto The Next

Prior to selling the Brixham property, Powell has opened a series of open house tours, with 400 tickets sold to members of the public travelling far and wide to see these illustrations first hand. These tickets were snatched up in just 24 hours, with around 500 people on the waiting list. To sweeten the deal, Powell’s kitchen will be turned into a tearoom with cakes and pastries from Devon company, High Tide Tea.

 After almost a decade of work and running out of available wall space, Powell decided it’s time to pack up her paintbrushes and move onto the next project. She said: ‘We’ve chosen to put it on the market because it’s really important to me that this entire chapter is preserved. I don’t want to paint over what’s already here. I need to start a new chapter; This is an opportunity for people to have an entire capsule of art.’

Despite no current plans for their next home, Powell is certain she will be opening the paint pots the minute they have the keys. 

Emily Powell’s home is on the market for £2m. Find out more at chestertons.co.uk