Kitchen Painting Surrey

A homeowner in Surrey came to us with a kitchen that had seen better days. The solid wood cabinet doors and frames were in good structural condition, but years of cooking, steam, and everyday life had left the existing painted finish looking tired, chipped, and discoloured. Rather than spend £15,000–£25,000 on a full kitchen refit, they asked us if we could transform what they had — and the answer was a resounding yes.

The Challenge

The kitchen comprised 22 door fronts, a full run of drawer fronts, island cabinet panels, and all the surrounding frames and architraves. The existing finish was a cream oil-based paint that had yellowed with age and had numerous chips, scratches, and areas of uneven coverage. The client wanted a fresh, contemporary look — they had chosen Farrow & Ball's Mizzle, a sophisticated grey-green shade, for the main run and a contrasting darker navy for the island.

Preparation: The Most Important Stage

We dedicated the first full day of the project entirely to preparation. All door and drawer fronts were removed from their hinges and laid flat on sawhorses in the garage for spraying. The kitchen frames, carcasses and surrounds were masked off precisely for in-situ brush painting.

Every surface was thoroughly degreased using a specialist sugar soap solution, then sanded back to a smooth, even key. All chips and dents were filled with a fine surface filler, re-sanded when dry, and checked under raking light to ensure a perfectly flat surface. A coat of shellac-based primer was applied to any areas of bare wood before a full coat of adhesion primer went over everything.

Painting the Doors

The door and drawer fronts were sprayed in the garage using our HVLP spray system. Spraying the flat panels off-site allowed us to achieve the exceptionally smooth, factory-like finish that is simply not possible with a brush on site. We applied two topcoats of Farrow & Ball Estate Eggshell in Mizzle, cutting back lightly with ultra-fine abrasive between coats to achieve a perfectly smooth, even surface.

The island doors were sprayed in Hague Blue — a rich, deep navy that provides a striking contrast to the lighter main units and the white metro tile splashback.

In-Situ Frame Painting

While the doors were drying in the garage, our team worked through the kitchen painting all the frames, carcass sides, pelmets and cornices using a high-quality brush and roller technique. The results of in-situ painting are subtly different to sprayed doors, but with the right technique — cutting in precisely and laying off carefully — the finish is excellent and the slight texture actually gives a more authentic hand-painted character that suits a period or traditional kitchen beautifully.

Finishing and Rehang

On the final day, all doors and drawers were carefully reattached. Hinges were adjusted for perfect alignment and all hardware was thoroughly cleaned. Any small touch-ups needed after rehang were attended to before we thoroughly cleaned up and removed our protection.

The Result

The transformation was remarkable. What had been a worn, uninspiring kitchen became a beautiful, characterful heart of the home. The client told us that friends and family who visited couldn't believe it was the same kitchen — several assumed they had bought entirely new doors. The project cost was approximately £2,800 in total — a fraction of the cost of a new kitchen and a result that was, if anything, more personal and beautiful than a replacement would have been.