Artifex Decor Painting & Finishes 0210 863 8636
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Painting, coatings andcreative finishes,crafted to last.

From residential and commercial painting to repaints, new builds, roof spraying, specialist coatings, decorative finishes, murals and bespoke artwork, Artifex Decor combines careful preparation, skilled workmanship and a creative eye.

Get a quote, 0210 863 8636 Email James
5.0 · 15 Google reviews

"I can't speak highly enough of the beautiful job James did on the interior and exterior of my two storied house. He goes the extra mile."

Annie Trengrove · Google review

The preparation behind a finish that lasts.

Central Otago's alpine sun, hard frosts and dry summers are tough on painted surfaces. Thorough washing, repairs, sanding, masking, priming and the correct coating system are what keep a finish looking sharp and performing properly for years.

5.0 · 15 Google reviews
Freshly painted medical centre waiting room in orange and white

Residential and commercial painting

Homes, rentals and holiday houses through to offices, clinics and shopfronts. Scheduled around your people and worked to the day.

Repainted pale blue weatherboard bungalow with crisp white window trim

Interior and exterior repaints

Walls, ceilings, joinery, weatherboard, plaster and fibre cement. Washed, scraped, filled and sealed before a topcoat goes near it.

New kitchen interior painted in crisp white with amber pendant lights

New builds and full-property projects

Whole houses from bare substrate to final coat, staged around the other trades so the finish is not the thing holding up handover.

Repainted plaster home with fresh grey walls and a dark garage door

Roof spraying and specialist coatings

Sprayed roof coatings and the protective systems that suit alpine exposure, matched to the substrate rather than the price list.

Freshly repainted villa with a full length veranda and solar panels

Timber, cedar and deck finishes

Oiling and staining for cedar cladding, schist-and-timber builds, pergolas, decks and fences that have gone grey in the sun.

Deep navy feature wall painted in an open plan living room

Decorative and textured finishes

Depth, texture and tonal work laid on by hand. Finishes that read as a surface in their own right, not just a colour on a wall.

Olive feature wall mid job with timber and materials staged on the floor

Bespoke feature walls and murals

One-off walls designed around the room they live in, from a single considered colour block through to a full painted mural.

Commissioned canvas of snow-capped peaks reflected in an alpine lake

Commissioned artwork

Original pieces painted to brief for homes and commercial spaces. Bring an idea, a space and a rough size, and James will work it up.

Kitchen cabinetry hand painted in a soft duck egg blue

Preparation, repairs and colour advice

Filling, patching, sanding and masking, plus a fan deck on site to test how a colour actually behaves in Central Otago light.

Finished lounge with fresh white walls and a big gable end window Wānaka & Hāwea

Professional painting, with a more creative edge.

Artifex Decor brings years of hands-on painting and decorating experience together with roof coatings, specialist finishes and original creative work. From straightforward repaints and full-property projects to commercial work, sprayed coatings, feature walls and one-off artistic designs, every project is approached with care, imagination and attention to detail.

James remains the main point of contact from the initial discussion and quotation through to completion.

  • Locally based, Lake Hāwea, working Wānaka to Luggate and Cardrona.
  • Clear written quotes, prep, products and coats spelled out before we start.
  • Tidy, respectful sites, covered floors, masked joinery, cleaned up daily.
See recent work

Commissioned art and bespoke murals.

Bring a personal story, favourite landscape or creative idea to life with an original piece of artwork designed especially for your home.

Artifex Decor creates individually commissioned artwork on canvas or painted directly onto suitable interior walls. From recognisable Wānaka landscapes and mountain scenery to expressive contemporary designs, each piece is developed to complement its surroundings and reflect something meaningful to the customer.

Commissioned canvas of a willow-lined lake edge hung above a timber sideboard
Commissioned canvas of a lake shore and old tree, displayed at scale in a living room
Commissioned canvas of snow-capped peaks reflected in an alpine lake

Original canvas artwork

Commission a one-of-a-kind acrylic painting created around your preferred subject, colours and dimensions. Your finished artwork can become a striking feature piece while remaining movable should you redesign or change homes.

Bespoke wall art and murals

For artwork that becomes part of the room itself, a design can be painted directly onto a feature wall. The scale, composition and colour palette are tailored to the space, creating something genuinely individual that cannot be bought from a shop.

Customers can provide a favourite photograph, local view, personal memory or simply an initial idea. We will work together on the composition, colours, scale and overall character before the finished artwork is created. Whether you want a familiar landscape, a bold artistic statement or something deeply personal, every commission is approached as an original creation.

Have an idea for your home? Talk to James about a bespoke canvas or hand-painted wall design.

Enquire about a commission

Decorative paint effects and bespoke finishes.

Transform an ordinary wall into a unique feature with a hand-applied decorative paint finish.

At Artifex Decor we create layered colour effects using specialist glazes, brushes, cloths and traditional decorative techniques. Every finish is developed by hand, giving the surface natural movement, depth and character that cannot be achieved with an ordinary coat of paint.

Woodland Mist finish in blended olive and grey-green tones on a living room wall

Woodland Mist

Deep olive and smoky grey-green tones are softly blended to create an organic, atmospheric finish. Layered glazing and gentle cloth work produce subtle movement reminiscent of weathered stone and natural landscapes.

Burnished Clay finish in warm terracotta tones behind a bed

Burnished Clay

Warm clay, terracotta and muted sandstone tones are applied in broad, overlapping brush movements. The result is an earthy, handcrafted finish with the warmth and character of traditional limewash.

Midnight Suede finish in stormy blue-grey and charcoal tones

Midnight Suede

Stormy blue-grey and charcoal-slate tones are softly worked together using cloth and chamois techniques. This creates a rich, clouded finish with a quiet, suede-like appearance, ideal for a dramatic feature wall.

Silver Linen finish in warm white and pearl grey with a fine linen texture

Silver Linen

Warm white and delicate pearl-grey glazes are cross-dragged with a soft brush to produce a fine, linen-inspired texture. Light and understated, this finish adds detail and sophistication without overpowering the room.

Created especially for your space

These designs are examples of what can be achieved. Colours, depth, texture and movement can all be adjusted to complement your home, lighting and furnishings.

Before work begins we can prepare a bespoke sample board using your selected colours and finish. This lets you see and approve the effect in your own space before it goes on the wall. From soft and understated to rich and dramatic, every decorative finish is individually created, so no two walls will ever be exactly the same.

Have a wall that deserves something special? Talk to James to explore the possibilities.

Enquire about a finish
5.0 · 15 Google reviews

What Wānaka says about James and the crew.

Real reviews from the Google listing. Five stars across all fifteen of them.

“I can't speak highly enough of the beautiful job James did, interior and exterior of my two storied house. He went beyond and put new life back into my front door and outside shutters. James is very polite and professional and goes the extra mile.”

Annie Trengrove Google review

“James and his team painted our new build and it was a professional and great finish. Since then we have contacted James on numerous occasions for other work. He is easy to contact and reliable. Would recommend to others.”

Amy Gavin Google review

“James and his team did an excellent job of painting the interior of our 1960s house's lounge, stairwell and kitchen, including the kitchen cabinets. It was hard work, being an older house, but they have made it look fresh and modern.”

Richelle Adams Google review
See all our Google reviews

Finished rooms, fresh exteriors, straight lines.

5.0 · 15 Google reviews
Finished living room with fresh white walls and a full height gable window
Modern dark kitchen in charcoal with timber features and a finished living space
Bright white kitchen and dining area after an interior repaint
Bright white kitchen and living area with amber pendant lights
Finished bathroom with a clean white painted ceiling over grey tile
Repainted lounge in soft neutrals with fresh white doors and trim
Deep navy feature wall in a completed open plan living room
Kitchen cabinetry hand painted in a soft duck egg blue
Completed medical centre waiting room painted in orange and white
Repainted plaster home with fresh grey walls and a dark garage door
Freshly repainted villa with a full length veranda and solar panels
Preparation under way, feature wall coated with materials staged on the floor
View the full gallery

Where these jobs started.

Exteriors as they arrived, before washing, repairs and the first coat. Worth seeing, because the preparation stage is what the finished result is standing on.

Before Weathered white weatherboard house before repainting, with tired paintwork and a mountain backdrop
Weathered white weatherboard, waiting on a wash and full repaint.
Before Mustard coloured exterior alongside dark stained cladding before recoating
Mustard exterior beside stained cladding, both due for recoating.

Happy with our work? Leave us a review.

A couple of lines on Google helps the next person in Wānaka find a painter they can trust. It takes about thirty seconds.

Leave a Google review

Talk to James about your project.

Two ways to get a quote

Both go straight to James. No forms, no call centre. Quotes are free.

Call 0210 863 8636 Email us the details