How to Paint Your Kitchen Cupboards

A kitchen with painted cupboards is by far my favourite style of kitchen. Don’t get me wrong, I can see the beauty of natural wood, I just can’t live surrounded by it. And glossy contemporary kitchens are okay in the right setting, (I’m living with one at the moment and I’m not entirely hating it) but it’s a painted kitchen that really makes my heart sing. But here’s the catch. A hand-painted kitchen is expensive, and out of the budget range for many of us. Unless of course, you paint your cupboards yourself. Which I’ve done myself in the past, and it’s not a job to take lightly or half-heartedly. If you’re going to do it, you have to do it well, use the right equipment, take your time, and most importantly not rush it.

I can’t take the credit for this guide – we all need expert help from time to time – it’s been compiled by British Standard Cupboards who sell kitchen cupboards primed and ready for painting. Which means you can skip the boring bit, and launch straight into the fun, colouring-in bit.

Kew Kitchen by British Standard

Planning Your Paint Scheme

There are no set rules when it comes to painting your cupboards, but there are several different techniques you might like to try to create different ‘looks’ in your space:

Monochrome: A monochome colour scheme is one in which the walls, woodwork and cupboards are all painted in the same colour. Most cupboards are painted in an eggshell effect paint but other paint finishes can add interest. Gloss paint for instance can add a contemporary edge creating an interesting contrast with traditional style cabinets.

British Standard Kitchens

Tonal: Another way of bringing unity to your kitchen is to create a tonal colour scheme by choosing two or three colours that work harmoniously in your space. You might choose to use the main colour on the exterior of your cupboards with a complimentary colour on the insides, or to paint wall cupboards in a lighter accent colour to give the illusion of space.

Colour Block: For the more adventurous, a colour block scheme is a way to add interest to an otherwise plain room. This is done by splitting the entire room with a horizontal line, with one colour above, and another colour below the line.

Ornail Kitchen by British Standard

Painting Your Cupboards

Oil-based or water-based paint can be used according to your preference. British Standard Cupboards recommend Little Greene oil-based eggshell for its hardiness over time, but for those of us not used to oil-based paint they recommend Farrow and Ball’s water-based eggshell which is just as durable. (I find it hard to use oil-based paint so I’d go for water-based every time). They also recommend a good quality synthetic brush and suggest Purdy’s.

Aspland Kitchen by British Standard

To achieve a solid looking surface you’ll need to apply at least two coats, and sometimes three. You are looking to build up thin coats of paint, so try to avoid applying too much at once or you will end up with thick ‘ridge and furrow’ type brush strokes. Alternatively, if using oil-based paint only, you could apply the paint to the cupboards with a small six-inch foam roller, followed by lightly brushing out the paint. Try to avoid solely using a roller as this can result in an unattractive orange-peel like surface.

Maintaining Your Cupboards

The beauty of painted cupboards is that they can be revived with a quick lick of paint. A little wear and tear from being used and loved is charming, but should you want to refresh them, simply give them another coat of paint. Please note though, that even if you only have small marks on the woodwork you should repaint the entire area (for example a whole door or a whole panel). Just putting a blob of paint on the mark will make it stand out even more.

Plain English Kitchen by British Standard

To do this, simply follow the steps 2 – 5 of the instructions above, but this time apply one coat of paint instead of two. And ideally try to use the same tin of paint that you used originally, as different batches of paint can vary slightly in colour. A tin of paint can last several years as long as the lid is sealed tight and kept indoors away from frost.

Skye Kitchen by British Standard

British Standard kitchens start from £8,000 and are handmade in Suffolk.

 

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