Two brothers from Queensland who took a punt on a business idea for luxury wallpapers more than a decade ago are now making a small fortune selling their unique designs.
Bryce and Richard Capp’s Milton & King sold a staggering 40,000 rolls of wallpaper in 2021-22, and their Toowoomba-based business now stretches across Australia and around the world.
While they are hugely successful now, Milton & King started with a different idea on a shoestring $250 budget that operated out of their parents’ garage.
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“Our initial business idea was to design work and canvas prints,” Bryce tells 7Life.
“We had travelled through a lot of hotels and realised that all the décor was very outdated.
“We thought we culd fill a gap in the market by producing exclusive designs as canvas prints, for both local and international artists.”
The pair say the beginning, as for many entrepreneurs, was tough.
“We had a lot of things to learn and more than a few problems to overcome, but we were committed to making our idea for canvases, full-scale wall murals and later designer wallpapers, work,” Richard says.
“There were a lot of late nights, and more than one argument, but we were dedicated.
“We wanted to give credit to our parents for their dedication and assistance helping us in our endeavours, so we combined their middle names to make the business name Milton & King.”
Nowadays, the pair works with more than 100 designers worldwide to make stylish, luxury wallpapers.
That includes their most recent collection: The Secret Garden Collection, which has been curated by Maine House Interiors founder and designer, Amy Spargo, and hand painted by Sydney-based artist Bethany Linz.
This collection showcases the traditional French art style of treillage, and it’s comprised of ornate lattice designs covered in delicate florals and vines.
The collection pays homage to a classic design style that has been popular in Europe and the United States for centuries, artfully contemporised to suit modern interiors and design styles.
According to the pair, their most popular wallpapers in Australia are “typically simple designs that come in lighter colours like beige or cream”.
“Shoppers love our Ticking Stripe Wallpaper, which is great for creating a neutral-toned backdrop to subtly enhance an interior,” Bryce says.
“In America, however, we see a lot more experimentation with our bold designs, like Kitty McCall’s Overgrown, which is a very popular choice for bathrooms.”
The brand is now huge around the world, and they have close to 150,000 followers on Instagram.
Reviews from shoppers who have bought from Milton & King are rave, with many saying they are “obsessed” with the unique designs.
“I love this brand and the paper designs so much. Oustanding! And it goes up so much easier than the last time I did wallpaper. Great job!!! Absolutely recommend,” one reviewer wrote.
“I am blown away by the quality of this wallpaper,” another added.
While a third wrote: “I truly can’t believe how gorgeous the wallpaper is in person. I knew it was going to be beautiful from the pictures, but it’s even more gorgeous in person. I don’t typically leave reviews, but I felt like I had to with this one.
“I would HIGHLY recommend this company. The wallpaper is easy to hang, it’s beautiful, and the shipping was fast”.
Bryce and Richard have no plans to stop here.
They revealed they have just launched a “dedicated wholesaler program, which we will be using to get a more physical presence for our brand in local stores, both here and in Australia”.
For more information about Milton & King, head here.