Walls, ceilings and woodwork
Kitchen Painting and Decorating
Kitchen painting and decorating means repainting the walls, ceiling and woodwork of a kitchen with a tough, wipeable finish, after degreasing every surface properly, because cooking leaves a film of grease that stops new paint from bonding if it is not removed first.
This page covers the room itself. If you want the cupboard doors and units refinished as well, our kitchen cabinet painting page explains that separate service in detail.
Grease is the hidden problem
Even a clean looking kitchen has a thin layer of grease on the walls and ceiling, heaviest around the hob and extractor. Paint applied over it can stay soft, show patches or peel away within months.
So preparation in a kitchen starts with washing down with a suitable degreaser, rinsing and letting the surfaces dry. Only then do we fill, sand with dustless equipment and prime any repairs.
Choosing a finish for a working room
Kitchen walls get splashed, steamed and wiped. A durable, scrubbable paint designed for kitchens and bathrooms copes far better than a standard emulsion, and a finish with a slight sheen is easier to clean than a very flat matt.
Ceilings above the hob take the most steam and grease, so they benefit from the same care. Woodwork, including door frames, skirting and any boxing, is finished in a hard wearing satin or eggshell.
Working around units and appliances
In a fitted kitchen much of the wall is behind units, splashbacks and appliances, which leaves lots of short runs and tight edges. Worktops, units and floors are protected before we start, and every edge against tiles, splashbacks and cabinets is cut in by hand.
We plan the work so the kitchen stays usable as much as possible, and agree with you when the room will be out of action. We work Monday to Friday, 7.30am to 6pm.
Painting the room and the cabinets together
Many kitchen projects combine a fresh wall colour with repainted cabinets, which can change the whole feel of the room without replacing the units. Doing both at once lets the colours be chosen together and means one period of disruption rather than two.
Cabinet painting is a separate, more involved process, with doors removed, degreased, sanded, primed and finished in a hard wearing coating, so it is quoted in its own right.
Colour ideas that work in kitchens
Kitchens with lots of cabinetry often suit calm wall colours that let the units lead. Where the cabinets are white or pale, a stronger wall colour can add warmth. North facing kitchens usually benefit from warmer shades, while bright south facing rooms can take cooler ones.
Our inspiration pages show kitchen and cabinet colour schemes if you want ideas before the visit.
Open plan kitchens and diners
In open plan spaces the kitchen shares walls with the dining and living areas, so the decorating needs planning as one room. Choosing where one colour ends and another begins, often at a natural break such as a chimney breast, a corner or a change in ceiling height, keeps the space looking deliberate rather than patched.
The kitchen end still needs its tougher, wipeable finish, while the living end can take a softer matt. Using the same colour in two different finishes is a neat way to keep the space consistent while giving each area the protection it needs.
Common questions
Why does kitchen paint need degreasing first?
Cooking leaves a film of grease on walls and ceilings. Paint over it can stay soft, patch or peel, so it must be washed off first.
What paint is best for kitchen walls?
A durable, scrubbable paint made for kitchens, ideally with a slight sheen so it wipes clean more easily.
Can you paint the cabinets as well?
Yes. Kitchen cabinet painting is a separate service; see our kitchen cabinet painting page.
Will my kitchen be out of use?
For part of the job. We protect units and worktops and agree with you in advance when the room will be unavailable.
Do you give free quotes?
Yes. Every job starts with a free written quote after a visit.