Wall to Wall: Milton & King
Milton & King, Australia's leading wallpaper manufacturer, redefines interior design with imaginative patterns and eco-conscious products. Discover how two rural brothers from Toowoomba transformed their business into a global symbol of creative comfort.
Published: 11 October 2023
Written by Nicole Yap
Photography: Courtesy Milton & King
Wallpaper has experienced a serious resurgence in recent years. No longer a pariah of the interior design world, a childhood flashback to Nana's house or a kitsch relic of the past, it is safe to say that wallpaper is well and truly back in vogue.
After years of minimalism, people are rediscovering the appeal of bold patterns, textures, and vibrant colours as a form of expression, and a way of bringing personality and character into their homes.
In part, these shifting attitudes are due to companies like Milton and King, creative, innovative and reinventive. Wallpaper is now an item of luxury, comfort and a statement of design zeitgeist.
Few may have heard of Milton and King, Australia's largest wallpaper company, and many may be surprised to know of its Toowoomba connection and that this now global company still calls the Garden City home.
But just how did two rural brothers from the Darling Downs find themselves leading the way in a now global interior design brand?
Nicole Yap talked to Bryce and Richard about the journey so far.
Bryce and Richard Capp are revolutionising the wallpaper industry. Beyond a successful global brand, Milton & King is a symbol of imaginative interior design and creative comfort, with a mission to reveal that “each home has a remarkable story”. From the way wallpaper is installed, to collaborations with international artists, to the use of cutting-edge technologies, Milton & King has always looked to set itself apart as trailblazers in the wallpaper and fabric industry.
Milton & King Cofounder: Bryce Capp
Combining Bryce’s graphic design expertise and Richard’s background in accounting and sales, the brothers began working together in 2008 as business partners producing canvas prints for artists and photographers, which introduced them to a method that Milton & King is built around today – digital printing.
It was a wall mural project for the Noosa Surf Club in 2010 that paved the way for a new business trajectory. Bryce explained, “The technology we had was wrong, the paper we were using wasn’t great either, and we had no idea what we were doing; but we had rural resourcefulness, an exceptional installer and with a little bit of luck, we somehow managed to complete the job, [that's what] steered our business in a fresh direction – the wallpaper industry.”
In 2012, the brothers were in search of a new business name that sounded “historical, sophisticated and aristocratic”, and thus Milton & King was born – a derivative from the middle names of Bryce and Richard’s parents.
As the brothers worked to grow the business “bootstrapped” – or without external financing – the next six years were marked by challenges and hurdles.
“However, these challenges honed our resourcefulness, [and] pushed us to adopt superior techniques and to approach our decisions with greater thought and care,” Bryce said.
In 2018, as more sales grew through their e-commerce platform, Bryce and Richard realised their business could operate from anywhere. At the same time, the brothers and their young families were longing for a different, slower-paced lifestyle. They had vowed never to return to the Garden City after their boarding school days, but the prospect became more appealing.
“The climate [in Toowoomba] is nicer than Brisbane, there are actually four seasons in a year, there are some fantastic school options and the charm of smaller-town life became increasingly alluring. There's a genuine pleasure in strolling through the streets, bumping into familiar faces, and indulging in spontaneous 30-minute catch-ups,” Bryce said.
Fast forward to 2021, with 80 per cent of sales coming from the United States, Bryce stayed in Toowoomba, while Richard and his family relocated to Dallas to run a new factory dedicated to producing and dispatching U.S. orders on-demand within a three to four-day lead time – the same production speed within Australia.
“We've really embraced a sustainable, made-to-order manufacturing strategy, driven by our passion for producing high-quality wallpaper with short lead times at factories closest to our customers location,” Bryce said.
The importance of sustainability and social responsibility should be at the forefront of how all businesses operate.
“This approach significantly reduces logistics costs, emissions from manufacturing and distribution operations, supports more sustainable business practices such as waste reduction and local economy stimulation, and eliminates the risks associated with global supply chain volatility.”
According to Bryce, wallpaper is making a comeback in Australia and growing in popularity among both professionals and DIY home enthusiasts, thanks to social media circulation and the evolution of the product. Milton & King wallpaper is easy to install – a “paste-the-wall affair” – and easy to remove in large sheets leaving no pesky residue.
While other manufacturers clung to more conventional methods like gravure or rotary screen printing, Milton & King embraced the digital technologies of the age and the growing e-commerce market to produce and distribute internationally acclaimed designs, with inspiration from social media trends and the help of artists from around the world.
“By working closely with these creative minds, we curate a truly unique collection of wallpapers that captivate and inspire,” Bryce said.
“Trends are moving past the ‘beige and grey’ or ‘white on white’ into more personalised interiors, crafting spaces that resonate more with what we like, reflecting our passions, our personalities, and our aspirations.”
The future is bright and the horizon is wide for Milton & King, with plans to expand to the UK and EU markets and establish local manufacturing and customer service hubs. The business is also diversifying its products to generate steady sales throughout the seasons, with the introduction of natural fibre fabrics for upholstery and drapery such as cotton and linen, as well as plans to create a product line of finished goods such as cushions, napkins, tablecloths, lampshades, and other home accessories.
The road to success was not without obstacles, yet the family business has grown to become Australia’s leading wallpaper manufacturer with a global footprint. Ultimately, the brand advocates for the amalgamation of art and lifestyle to make a house into a home.
“We firmly believe that each home has a remarkable story to reveal, and it is our utmost privilege to help breathe life into these narratives through innovative, tailor-made, and eco-conscious products.”
