As a kitchen cabinet painter I work throughout Yorkshire. This particular kitchen painting project was in Batley, West Yorkshire.

I was contacted by Jill who had bought this solid wooden kitchen nearly thirty years ago. The cabinets were still in good condition and the layout worked perfectly, but with tastes having changed she now felt the cabinets looked dated. Having always wanted a hand painted kitchen, Jill set about finding an experienced kitchen painter with the skills to handle this type of project. With virtually no visible grain and large central panels, the painted finish needed to be second to none, as any brush marks or imperfections would be very noticeable.

As you can see from the photos below, the finished painting completely changed the look of her kitchen; making it appear much more spacious and contemporary. Jill was extremely happy with the results and was kind enough to write me this testimonial and offer to be reference for future projects.

Testimonial

‘I had a 29 year old solid wood kitchen, I liked the layout and didn’t really want to change it for an inferior new one. I knew what I wanted when I decided to have the kitchen units painted and Lee made it a reality. He offered advice not just about the units but also the decorating and which colours would complement each other, even which paint to use and where to get it from. It wasn’t just the units but the whole room which he advised upon.

When he began working on the kitchen he made the whole process as easy as possible (even taking in parcel deliveries). He is such a meticulous worker with an exceptional attention to detail. The finish of the units is superb and he has changed a very dated room into my perfect kitchen. Lee is a genuinely lovely man who is a pleasure to know and no matter how difficult it got he always had a smile. I would recommend Lee to anyone who wants a transformation with a professional finish. Thank you for making me smile every time I walk into my kitchen.’ Mrs J Sykes, Batley

The Consultation & Colour Choice –

After finding my details online, Jill contacted me to arrange for an estimate. After receiving some photos and sending my estimate by return, I was booked in for later that year. I have built up a very good reputation so it’s not uncommon to get a project booked and the deposit paid before even meeting the client. After making a few minor alterations to the kitchen, Jill contacted me and I headed over to Batley for the consultation. 

After I had thoroughly looked over the kitchen, we spoke about the painting process in more detail and what colours may potentially work. As Jill was looking for a totally new feel to the room, we not only discussed colour options for the cabinets, but also for the walls. Jill loved the painted samples I sent and went for The Little Greene Company’s ’50’s Magnolia’ for the cabinets and Farrow & Ball’s ‘Mizzle’ for the walls. The paints I use for painting kitchens are specially designed for that purpose, so I had Holman Paints in Swindon, accurately tint my paints to the equivalent ’50’s Magnolia’ colour.

Preparation & Painting –

I began by removing all the handles, doors and drawers, which I then took back to my workshop. As with all the kitchens I paint, I started by degreasing the units with an industrial cleaner to make every surface totally clean. I then thoroughly sanded everything and applied the first coat of high adhesion primer. Next, I lightly sanded the primer smooth, filled or caulked any gaps or holes and applied a second coat of the same primer. After denibbing, I applied the final two topcoats, sanding between coats. When sanding, I use a dust free sanding system and actually hoover up a lot, so that dust and bits are kept to a minimum throughout the project.

Once the doors and drawers were completed, I began work on the shell. Exactly the same process was used her as with the doors and drawers, but with one addition – masking off. I applied protection to all the areas that were not being painted, a vital stage that not only protects the appliances, worktop and floor, but helps me keep the area dust free. Dust sheets are a no no for a good kitchen painter as they release dust into the air which settles on the fresh paint. 

The project took around 3 weeks to complete, with the time being equally split between working on the doors and drawers in my workroom and working on the shell in situe. With the above stages being done meticulously, I was able to transform this old and dark kitchen with a smooth, durable finish that will last for many years to come.

Thank you for reading, if you’d like to see more kitchen projects and how I went about painting them, please click here

Lee works throughout Yorkshire as a kitchen cabinet painter and is within easy reach for kitchen painting projects in Batley, Morley, Tingly, Birstall, Gomersal, Lofthouse, Wakefield, Halifax, Headingly, Horsforth, Kirkstall, Rawdon, Harrogate, Wetherby, Otley, Ilkley and all the surrounding areas.