Should you paint over that "artwork" before selling your home? Five examples of murals currently on the market

Home buyers have distinctly different tastes, and very often different tastes to the vendor selling them their much-loved home. While differences in opinion over furniture and even window furnishings can be looked over, murals and colours remain contentious.

Murals, particularly those covering entire internal walls, are often beautiful. However, they’re also often much to do with personal choice – and your potential buyer may not appreciate the sheep you’ve painted through much of your lounge room.

Having explored the properties with murals that are currently on the market, it’s clear that there’s no consistency across the board in price range, area or artistic skill of the painter. Each case is going to be individual.

We also clearly remember Lleyton Hewitt’s mural next to his Adelaide property's pool (pictured below), that divided readers and the Property Observer team.

So what do you think – does it give the property an uplift and character, or should those looking to sell their house hit up their local hardware shop for a neutral colour shade?

This home, at 3 Eildon Place, Helensvale in Queensland (pictured below), has had a $26,000 price drop and is advertised for $439,000 negotiable. It’s a three-bedroom, two-bathroom house with a number of great features – including enviable timber flooring and a lovely kitchen.

It also features a Balinese mural in the enclosed entertaining area with a heavy focus on nature and green/blue hues (pictured below). Obviously the work of someone with much experience in painting, we don’t deny that it’s certainly exotic and might appeal to some. The rest of the house is fairly neutral.

For this reason, Property Observer thinks this home passes the mural test.

Meanwhile, in Western Australia’s South Yunderup is 7 Banksia Terrace (pictured below), asking $1,450,000.

The four-bedroom, three-bathroom house features a “Rammed Earth Wall mural” by the Margaret River artist Lynne Tinley.

We adore this. It’s subtle, fits in with the theme of the room, and has the local fame aspect that we believe will attract the $1 million plus buyers. It also doesn’t make up the focal point of the room, even though your eye is somewhat drawn to it. The house itself is actually constructed of Rammed Earth, so it ties in beautifully and has a certain Australian flavour.

Careful attention has been given to the terracotta and brown colours and shape of the piece, so we certainly don’t think that a bucket of paint is warranted.

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In South Australia, Lot 52 of Leonard Court, Minlaton, is up for sale. With four double bedrooms, this holiday-style home has us torn.

Clearly a well-loved space, with a huge blue-coloured mural on the living room hall (pictured below) – courtesy of the builders who have owned the home since it was built – we can’t help but feel that the colour choice makes the central area feel a bit cold, particularly with the tiles.

The mural wraps all the way around the living/dining and into the kitchen.

This New South Wales home, for $675,000 at 171 Lakes Boulevard, Wooloweyah (pictured below), is another we’re just not too sure on.

With not just one, but a number of murals, it can quickly become an overwhelming prospect.

The first, which hits you upon entrance is a sunset-over-a-lake mural. Another separate private entrance “features a wall length display of outback Australia including gumtrees, kookaburras & kangaroos”.

While these might be passable, we definitely think that paint may have been needed to attend to the spa room, which has trees and other plants painted around it. The blind may have been a saving grace in breaking up the room, but it appears to be a floral-affair. We think this is a little overwhelming, although it may suit some.

Heading to South Perth is a particularly unusual mural, for the $2,650,000+ 33 Hampden Street (pictured below) five-bedroom, three-bathroom listing.

Through double doors in the “large, front facing activity room” is the solution to no ocean views – paint them. You can see the bright sky and blue painted ocean, plus beach and lighthouse, through the doors.

While it’s hard to tell from the photos, it’s actually not too garish and may actually make an attractive addition to a modern house that already has some aspects of a beachside theme.

In the one shot of the courtyard, from the side, it actually blends in very well.

Have a look at this Victorian 981 Bet Bet Creek Road, Maryborough house. The five-bedroom, two-bathroom offering is on the market for $300,000.

We applaud the owner for having murals outside of the house – on the out buildings, with original outback murals by Daryl Boyd, who is a local artist.

These subtle, exciting pieces make the functional buildings far more interesting, and we doubt would put off a prospective buyer. We’re also thankful that the owner decided to leave the murals outside, with the internal home included stunning exposed beams, leadlight doors and a number of gorgeous features.

Then there's this modern offering, at 11/102 Jolimont Road, East Melbourne (pictured below). While we're not sure whether it's wall art from the clever home stagers, who appear to have done a fabulous job with this home, or actually painted on - we're in love with the mural-style art at the bed head. The apartment, expecting up to $800,000, really benefits from this modern addition. With a touch of whimsy, and clearly facing out onto the balcony - we can't think of many better examples of subtle murals that work so well.

What do you think – should owners paint over their murals?