For bare porous unpainted masonry substrates such as lime plaster, stone, pebbledash & concrete.
£5.00
£34.50
£60.00
For masonry substrates with previous masonry paint application.
£52.00
£86.00
Earthborn Multi Purpose Primer provides a perfect base coat on interior wood, melamine and MDF surfaces.
£61.00
£22.99
Tucked away in the charming seaside town of Bray, Co. Wicklow, Richard and Michelle Murphy have turned a piece of Irish history into their dream family home. Often called the “Brighton of Ireland,” Bray is full of Victorian-era architecture — and their stunning property, Bray Coach House, once played a very different role.
Built around 1860, the coach house was originally designed to shelter horses, carriages, and hay.
One of its most striking features today — beautiful curved brick walls — was actually a practical solution for manoeuvring carriages around tight corners.
“We love the curved walls,” the couple shares. “They’re so full of character and history.”
The building had seen many lives, later serving as a workshop before falling into disrepair. Richard and Michelle were lucky enough to know the previous owners and eventually bought “one and two-thirds” of the original coach houses, which they combined into one unique home.
“It was a long journey — two years of planning, construction, and plenty of DIY — but it’s been worth it and really has become a dream home for us,” says Richard.
As with many older buildings made of stone and lime plaster, breathability was key. After plenty of research, the Murphys landed on our Claypaint for its outstanding breathability and eco friendly credentials.
“We researched mainstream manufacturers,” says Richard, “but Earthborn kept coming up as the best option.”
“Breathability was the number one factor. It made no sense to invest in breathable insulation and lime plaster, only to seal it all in with a plastic-based paint.”
Michelle adds, “We also wanted to complete our renovation in a sustainable way, and we loved the eco aspect of Earthborn – the fact we painted our whole house and there was no smell was such a bonus too!”
When it came to colour, they were just as thoughtful.
After ordering samples, they chose Flutterby as the main colour throughout their home, it complements everything and ties it all together.
“It’s a beautiful soft colour that works really well in our home. We have a terrazzo tiled floor with white, pink and grey hues alongside walnut joinery, black cladding and lime coloured bricks and render. We needed a neutral that would complement this and Flutterby was a clear winner, we love it!”
They even let their 6-year-old son Logan choose his own bedroom colour — and he went straight for Hobby Wood, a deep, earthy green. “He called it his ‘army green’,” they laughed.
“We liked the deep but warm colour, and as his bedroom has a low level roof line due to being a coach-house, we were able to bring the white Flutterby down from the ceiling and create a feature of the green walls. It provides a beautiful contrast and calming space for him to enjoy.”
Elsewhere in the house, they embraced bold choices — including Rocky Horse, a rich chocolate brown, in a cosy north facing room.
‘We knew picking a dark colour here would make it feel cosy and snug,” Michelle explains. “Particularly as one of the brick curved walls wraps around it feels like the room is giving you a hug. Since we painted the room, we spend so much more time here with the kids.”
After just a year in their transformed home, the Murphys have created something truly special. So, what’s next? “We’ve got big dreams,” they smile. “A garden room, maybe a wood-fired hot tub… but for now we’re just enjoying the space. Though we are thinking about trying another Earthborn colour in our bedroom — something darker like Rocky Horse might be on the cards!”
Inspired by Bray Coach House?Follow their journey on Instagram @braycoachhouse for more gorgeous updates.
And if you’re planning your own renovation, check out our full Claypaint colour range — perfect for heritage homes, modern eco builds, and everything in between.
