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Invite primary play into your home

Living room with red feature wall, white 3-seater lounge, cream lamp in the courner
Grown-up spaces get a playful, colourful makeover as part of the Primary Play trend using fun hand-painted stripes and bold colours

Consider adding an element of fun to your weekend projects – and your home – by embracing the emerging trend of Primary Play.

This fun new design style was identified by Pinterest as part of its annual trend forecast, Pinterest Predicts, which spotlights emerging search behaviour to give a view of the year ahead in terms of style.

As Pinterest says, the trend of Primary Play is about letting your inner child shine. Pinterest predicts that Gen Z and Gen X will embrace the idea of hand-painting murals onto furniture and turn grownup spaces into “playful little havens”. Ready for a little more fun in your life? Here’s how you can capture this trend in your own home.

Pinning down trends

Along with other emerging joyful trends identified by Pinterest, including ‘Dolled Up’ and ‘Castlecore’, Primary Play works on bringing a sense of fun and bold hues into the home, especially through colourful painted furniture and fun stripes.

Using primaries as the base notes, this trend layers on stripes, block colours and fun shapes to create a playful aesthetic that will appeal both to the young and the young at heart. You can embrace this style through the choice of colourful accessories, or strong statement pieces.

Why Primary Play?

After years of pared-back interiors and muted tones, it is not surprising that homeowners are wanting to add more colour and a little whimsy in their homes. Guaranteed to bring a smile to your face, this trend has even been reflected on the big screen – with cinema hits such as Barbie and Wicked, both of which feature brightly coloured sets and costumes.

It’s also a great antidote to the cold weather blahs – and bound to be a big hit with young children.

Start small

Don’t want to go all in on such a bold way? Start small with an easy weekend project such as How To Create A Funky Two-Tier D.I.Y. Coffee Table.

This brightly painted table is perfect for adding a touch of colour or complementing a maximalist decor scheme. And it’s oh-so-easy to create for the home handyperson. A budget-friendly project, it uses basic D.I.Y. skills and will create a striking showstopper for your home.

Don’t feel compelled to stick with the bright red we used – a sunny yellow or vibrant emerald would also work.

A red and white striped two tier coffee table with a vase, candle and book on top next to a white lounge

More great projects

Other great playful projects to try including How To Paper Mache A Table Lamp where you can transform a classic white lamp into a designer-styled and personality-driven piece in just four simple steps.

Two abstract paper mache lamps with lights on next to a vase on a table in front of an artwork and brick wall

Or you can add a modern touch to your bedroom décor with this project on How To Make Your Own Tiled Bedhead. While our project features pastel geometric tiles, you can go bolder with the colour palette or even choose blocks of strong primaries to fully embrace the trend.

A light-coloured tiled D.I.Y. bedhead with green plants on top, behind a bed in a room with a surfboard, chair and rug

Take it outside

Don’t feel you have to be restricted to interiors when playing with this fun new style. Gardens too, can benefit from a sense of fun. Why not try transforming a worn-out section of grass in the garden into a stepping stone pathway with pavers, turf and a pretty geometric pattern?

You can also add a touch of Primary Play trend through garden accessories, such as statues, water features or outdoor tiles.

A dog sitting on a completed stepping stone pathway with a small dining setting.

Are you ready for Primary Play?

Get playful in all levels of your home and garden and check out our Pinterest board for more Primary Play ideas.

Health & Safety

Asbestos, lead-based paints and copper chromium arsenic (CCA) treated timber are health hazards you need to look out for when renovating older homes. These substances can easily be disturbed when renovating and exposure to them can cause a range of life-threatening diseases and conditions including cancer. For information on the dangers of asbestos, lead-based paint and CCA treated timber and tips for dealing with these materials contact your local council's Environmental Health Officer or visit our Health & Safety page.

When following our advice in our D.I.Y. videos, make sure you use all equipment, including PPE, safely by following the manufacturer’s instructions. Check that the equipment is suitable for the task and that PPE fits properly. If you are unsure, hire an expert to do the job or talk to a Bunnings Team Member.