A Kitchen Rescue Paint Job—Before and After
Anybody can buy the top-range paints and the brushes I use. You could even.
But it’s much harder to buy the experience and skill that goes into using them. That comes from practice and dedication.
For example. I could buy a Ferrari sports car tomorrow. Actually, I couldn’t. I don’t have the money and my wife would kill me stone dead if I tried. But suppose I did have the money and I got permission. My experience of driving a high-performance supercar is zero. I’d be terrified. Zero to 100 km/h at a tap of the accelerator would be too much power on the streets of Cloyne. I’d end up driving it no faster or better than I drive my van. In fact, probably worse.
Researching the best kitchen painting materials
To get comfortable and get the most out of it, I would have to practice driving this brute of a car. Just like I spent many years researching the best kitchen painting materials and equipment and practicing with them. I still do. My aim is to be the best hand painter of kitchens I can be. That way, you get the best job.
Here’s an example of what can go wrong when someone doesn’t have proper hand painting experience. It also didn’t help that they used rubbish brushes and paint, despite advertising themselves as a professional kitchen painter.
You can imagine the client was, shall we say, ‘disappointed’.
They contacted me to see whether I could help.
The Rescue Job
The first thing I did was take off the handles and knobs. You can’t do a proper job by painting round them. Then I removed the botched paint by sanding the cabinets and doors right back to the wood. That was a huge job, but the only way to save the kitchen.
Then I gave them the same love and attention I do to all my kitchens. Proper undercoat and three layers of the main paint.
I work fast (so I’ve been told by people who see me), but I take my time to make sure it’s done right. Quite honestly, my stomach is flutters every time I finish a kitchen. It has to be right because it’s a public testimony to my work ethic and skills. It is a reflection on me and my reputation. I couldn’t handover something that I wasn’t completely happy to have associated with my name. Let alone something that would have be given to someone else to rectify.
Experience isn't as expensive as a botched job
The moral of the story is this. Hiring a conscientious and experienced kitchen painter might cost a little more. But you’ll get more value than you pay for. That’s my aim, anyway. You will get a job that is done to the highest standard first time round. My promise to you.
Here’s what I say to all my clients. “I wouldn’t cut corners in my own house; and I won’t in yours either.”
Here is what the knobs and hinges looked like after the rescue:
And here's the finished kitchen island:
Finally, what did the client think? Here are her own words:
"Ours was the rescue kitchen… and we didn’t think it possible to fix. But Lee did it. He brought our kitchen back to life.
"We had been so fed up with the previous paint job that at one point we had actually thought about replacing the whole kitchen. Lee himself was appalled at the clumsy brush and roller marks, the many bits missed by the previous painter. The surfaces were impossible to clean the quality of the paint was poor. The colour had gone really dull so it looked almost like undercoat, and touchups clumsy and in a different shade…
"What a contrast to the job that Lee did, and the way he approached it! It is rare indeed to see someone take such pride in their work. He was punctual, tidy, and meticulous in his attention to detail. He explained exactly what would be involved, how long he thought it would take, and what the price would be. It was only when he began sanding that he realised what a huge job it was going to be (the surfaces hadn’t even been sanded before the previous job!), but instead of extending the job, Lee put in extra hours and worked the weekend to complete the work on time. And that was no problem because his presence was pleasantly calm and unobtrusive. He is totally respectful of your home and your privacy.
"I am so thrilled with our ‘new’ kitchen. Suddenly we could see the lovely simple design of the doors, their clean lines, and not a sign of a brush stroke. The surfaces are so smooth, and so easy to wipe clean. The colour is soothing, and blends perfectly with the living/dining areas on either side. The whole feel of the place has changed. We love our kitchen now. You know when you look at a magazine picture of your ‘perfect kitchen’, and dream "If only… ?" Well, now I have that dream picture perfect kitchen, and it’s a delight. Every time I come in to the kitchen now, it makes me happy.
"Thanks Lee!"
Bronwen, Glounthaune