Man gets street artists to paint front of his house

By Athena Stavrou via SWNS

A homeowner has spruced up his property by getting street artists to paint the entire front - but says neighbors love it.

Nick Underwood, 31, took a leap of faith after seeing local artists painting a mural in Swindon, Wilts, England.

Locals passing-by can't miss the colorful mural, which is a painting of a local historic canal bridge found nearby his home.

Nick, a builder, lives in the house, which they are currently renovating, with his wife Megan Underwood, 33.

The colorful house. (Tom Wren via SWNS)

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He said: "The bridge in the picture is further up the canal behind the house.

"It used to be a railway bridge, and now it's a cycle path. It symbolizes the evolution of Swindon for me, and the idea that the town grew because of that canal.

"I knew I wanted a mural on the house as we couldn't get rid of the render on the outside, so this was like a solution.

"Over the past year I've bumped into about five different artists and would ask them if they would be able to do a mural.

"Then on a Friday night in mid-October, I was driving home and I saw the most amazing mural on a wall in Swindon.

"Thankfully, there was a man still finishing off painting the corner, so I asked if he was interested in being commissioned to do something.

"He was unsure at first, but eventually agreed and it all worked out."

The artists, Ed Poster and Mickey Raw, were shown a photograph of the bridge, and set off on painting it on the outside of Nick and Megan's home.

The real bridge was originally built in 1883, and is known as Skew Bridge because it crossed the canal at a skew.

Now it's finished, Nick says neighbors and people walking past always recognize the bridge, and love the painting.

He said: "The neighbors opposite but one said they moved their bed in their bedroom so they could see the mural.

"Absolutely everyone walks past it and says 'wow that's the canal bridge.'

"If you walk in the area you'd know it, so it's really nice that people like it and feel connected to it."