Discover more about Bauwerk; the award-winning modern limewash paint company with sustainability at its heart
IMAGES: BAUWERK PAINT IN SILVERSKY (LEFT) AND MOUNTAIN (RIGHT); STYLIST AND PHOTOGRAPHER MEGHAN PLOWMAN
Few other interiors topics attract the level of enthusiasm that colour unfailingly does. As we become ever more creative with colour in our homes, not only are we being more daring with hues and patterns, but the latest wave of paints on the market are allowing us to experiment with texture as well – with astoundingly beautiful results.
Leading the way in modern limewash paint is Bauwerk Colour, which has quietly grown from modest beginnings in Western Australia to become recognised and coveted across the world. Launched in 2000 by former textile designer Bronwyn and stone mason Andreas Riedel, Bauwerk paint is completely natural – made from clay, minerals and natural pigments – making it non-toxic and non-polluting. As such it’s an especially kind paint option for heritage buildings and other masonry as the paint absorbs into the wall, allowing it to breathe, yet protecting it with the paint’s natural properties. Indeed, the name Bauwerk translates to ‘building’.
Bronwyn and Andreas have sourced the finest pigments on earth to create a vast palette of nearly 400 shades – for use both indoors and out. Using natural pigments means that their paints aren’t tinted with artificial colours, which results in an extraordinary depth, as well as a unique textured effect.
We caught up with Co-Founder Bronwyn Riedel, to find out more…
IMAGES: (L TO R) BAUWERK PAINT IN DUSTY, STYLIST AND PHOTOGRAPHER HANS BLOMQUIST; BAUWERK PAINT IN SWEET PEA, STYLIST ANOUK B, PHOTOGRAPHER FIONA RUHE; BAUWERK PAINT IN DRIFT, STYLIST AND PHOTOGRAPHER HANS BLOMQUIST
What prompted you to launch the brand?
We started in 2000, prompted by our joint interests in the restoration of heritage buildings, textile design and colour workshops. We believed there was a gap in the market for modern limewash, using traditional methods, created in hundreds of colours.
What’s your brand ethos?
Do one thing well, with integrity, with a deep understanding of the materials and how they work in the built environment.
What makes lime paint so special?
Lime paint is made from naturally occurring Calcium Carbonate, which is one of the world’s most abundant materials. It is created by working with nature, utilising the four elements of earth, fire, water and air; it starts as limestone, it is then heated, then slaked in water for many months, it then turns back to Calcium Carbonate Limestone once it is painted on your wall by taking in Carbon Dioxide from the air – just like trees do. Lime paints allow your walls to breathe, are naturally antibacterial and, best of all, they are beautiful as they refract light in millions of crystals resulting in a paint that is like no other.
What’s your background?
I was a textile designer specialising in one-off long-length hand-painted fabrics for interiors. I always created my own colours and was known for my distinctive use of colour. We also had a family construction/heritage building company, which is where our love of limewash began, as we found it on all the historic buildings. Andreas, the other founder of Bauwerk, was originally from East Germany where he worked as a restorer in some of Dresden’s oldest buildings.
How environmentally friendly are your paints?
Very. The environmental footprint is very small; we leave only sand as residue in our manufacturing process, and have always used green power in our factory and offices. We are always looking for more ways to reduce or improve our packaging as environmental sustainability is very important to us personally. It is not something we do simply for our business, it is something we try to live by in all aspects of our life.
Discover more about Bauwerk Colour and other Brands We Love.
