There is something particularly satisfying about returning to a kitchen that you have painted before.
Recently, one of our members Russ Pike Interiors was contacted by a client in Little Aston, Sutton Coldfield, whose Mark Wilkinson Kitchen Russ had originally hand painted several years ago. The kitchen had served the family well, but they decided it was time for a change of colour and wanted to give the room a completely different look.
Unfortunately, the subsequent repaint had not gone as planned and the client was distraught that their high end bespoke kitchen was now ruined due to poor workmanship and wrong advice.
The client had employed a local painter and handyman to carry out the work. Although the intention was to give the kitchen a fresh new appearance, the finished result was disappointing, with the standard of preparation and painting falling well short of what was required for a quality handmade kitchen.
Having invested in a Mark Wilkinson Kitchen in the first place, the client was understandably unhappy with the result.
They decided to get back in touch with Russ at Russ Pike Interiors, and asked if he could restore the kitchen and repaint it properly again.
Sometimes, repainting a kitchen means starting again
When Russ first inspected the kitchen, it was clear that this wasn’t simply a case of applying another coat of paint. All of the existing reddish colour, paint finish needed to be thoroughly sanded and degreased. A very labour intensive process.
A successful kitchen repaint is all about preparation. Existing coatings need to be assessed, surfaces properly cleaned and prepared, imperfections addressed and the correct primers and finishes selected. With a hand-painted kitchen, the preparation is just as important as the painting itself.
In this case, the previous work meant that considerable preparation was required before he could begin applying the new finish.
The aim was not simply to cover up the previous paintwork. The goal was to bring the kitchen back to the standard it deserved and create a finish that looked as though it had been professionally hand painted from the outset, to showroom standards.
After many years working as a professional kitchen painter and specialist decorator, Russ has learned that there are no shortcuts when it comes to achieving a quality finish. View more of Russ’s projects here.
A completely new colour scheme
The clients also decided to take the opportunity to make a complete change to the colour of the kitchen.
A change of colour can transform an existing kitchen without the disruption and expense of replacing the cabinetry. In this case, the new colours gave the kitchen a fresh, contemporary feel while retaining the character and craftsmanship of the original Mark Wilkinson cabinetry.
One of the great advantages of repainting an existing kitchen is that you can completely change its personality, time and again, while keeping the kitchen you already know and love.
New handles, knobs and hinges
The transformation didn’t stop at the paintwork.
The clients had chosen new handles and knobs, which meant that the existing hinges also needed to be considered carefully.
This is where having experience with different types of kitchen cabinetry really matters. Our specialist kitchen painters can fill existing holes in doors and drawers and re drill to accomadate new handles of any size.
Mark Wilkinson Kitchens use a particular size and type of hinge on their doors, and these aren’t always straightforward to source from the usual hardware suppliers. Simply replacing them with a standard hinge would not necessarily provide the correct fit or the finish required. A time consuming job if it requires fitting a diffrent size hinge.
Fortunately, through our recommended, specialist ironmongery suppliers Slingers 1858 the correct sized hinges were sourced to work with the new cabinet hardware and fit perfectly into the existing cut outs.
Russ was then able to fit the new hinges alongside the new handles and knobs, giving the whole kitchen a consistent and carefully considered finish.
It’s often the smaller details that make the biggest difference.
Experience really does matter
Russ has been working as a professional painter and specialist decorator for over 40 years, and throughout that time, has worked on all sorts of surfaces, furniture and cabinetry, specialising in hand painted kitchens
Hand painting a kitchen isn’t simply a matter of putting paint onto a door or a quick fix with a spray gun!
Understanding the materials, knowing how different existing finishes will react, preparing surfaces correctly, choosing suitable products and applying the finish with care all contribute to the final result.
With a kitchen such as a Mark Wilkinson, there is also the craftsmanship of the original cabinetry to consider. It deserves to be treated with the same level of care and attention during a repaint as it received when it was originally made.
This project was a good example of why experience is so important when deciding who to trust with your kitchen.
A kitchen transformed rather than replaced
The finished kitchen was given a completely new lease of life.
The new colour, combined with the new handles, knobs and hinges, created a fresh appearance while retaining the original Mark Wilkinson cabinetry and the character that made the kitchen special in the first place.
For the client, it was particularly pleasing to see the kitchen returned to a standard they were happy with.
After changing the colour of our kitchen again we chose Russ Pike Interiors ( whom we have used previously ) Outstanding work, professional, great advise, and best service . Great advise on choosing the correct colours due to sun light and lighting . Thank you again
For Russ, it was also a pleasure to return to a kitchen that he had originally painted several years earlier and have the opportunity to bring it back to life once again.
Thinking about repainting your kitchen?
If you have an existing wooden or hand-painted kitchen that has become tired, dated or simply no longer suits your taste, repainting can be a wonderful way to transform it.
Russ Pike Interiors specialise in hand painting existing kitchens throughout Nottingham, Derbyshire, South Yorkshire and even Sutton Coldfield and the surrounding areas. With more than 40 years’ experience as a professional painter and specialist decorator, he takes great pride in the preparation, craftsmanship and attention to detail that goes into every kitchen he works on.
Sometimes your kitchen doesn’t need replacing. If you would like to find out more, please Get in Touch here.
It simply needs the right person to bring it back to life. Hand Painted Kitchens UK have a nationwide network of trusted, reliable and knowledgeable Craftsman and Craftswoman.
