Kitchen Advice

How To Design A Paintable Kitchen

From planning a stand-out colour palette to choosing products that add longevity to a layout, this guide on how to plan a paintable kitchen covers insight that interior blogger, Poppy Marples, discovered from her own painted renovation with Howdens. Having created a playful, practical, and personal look for her home, Poppy shares her top tips on how to design a painted kitchen, so you are fully prepped for your paint adventure.

Poppy stood in front of a teal shaker kitchen, wearing a floral dress, looking down, and pouring a cocktail into a glass.

About Poppy

Poppy has spent the last two years honing her interior design skills with several renovation projects and creating her own signature style. Having used our Fairford Navy doors in her old home, Poppy wanted to use a Howdens kitchen to transform her new Brighton flat, which is part of a Grade II listed building.Poppy has been updating the property into an open-plan space to reflect her aesthetic, whilst retaining all the original features and character.

See more @dustsheets_and_decor

Teal paintable shaker cupboard next to a white marble, with a brass bar handle, pink dried flowers and oak chevron flooring.

1. Choose the right range

One of the benefits of choosing a painted style is that they can be refreshed over time, so getting the right door design is important as it will feature in your home for years to come. Shaker styles will always be in fashion, which is why we went for the Chilcomb collection. Its authentic woodgrain offers a traditional look that complements our period property.

Explore Chilcomb kitchens

Paintable single wall kitchen idea with teal shaker cupboards, brass bar handles, a white worktop and a white belfast sink.

2. Be paint savvy

When choosing paint, we realised how vital it was to find an option that was hardwearing, moisture resistant, and easy to clean, such as solvent-based paint, resulting in a high-quality finish. One tip that helped us decide on our smoky green shade is to paint a sample onto a large piece of paper to see how it looks in different areas of the room and throughout the day.

Discover paintable kitchens

Birds eye view of shaker doors lying side by side on the floor, showing how they have been freshly painted in a teal shade.

3. Prepare for paint

We added an entire week to our renovation schedule to allow for painting, as we were completing the job ourselves. It took us five days with drying time and within the space available, although your trade professional may take less. I highly recommend lightly sanding the doors before priming, and following this with two coats of paint for a rich and robust finish.

Teal paintable kitchen idea with shaker cupboards, brass handgrips, white tiles, quartz counters, and a white marble table.

4. Master your floorplan

We wanted to create a social hub that could accommodate a living area, so we decided on a single wall layout to make the most of space. Considering your lifestyle, your must-have features, and your goals is a significant factor when designing a painted kitchen to ensure it works for you – now and in the future. Making a list of essentials is a great place to start.

Explore single wall kitchens

5. Stock up on storage

The colour of a painted style is the centrepiece of a design, so keeping it in focus will retain its wow factor. We opted for lots of storage to keep clutter at bay. When planning our units, we plotted them out on paper and labelled where everything would go. Look beyond standard cupboards to make the best use of space, such as towers and plinth drawers.

See kitchen storage

6. Counters that count

With the option of repainting the kitchen in a few years, we wanted a versatile countertop that would complement a wide selection of colour palettes. Quartz caught our eye, thanks to its neutral style that is easy to clean and maintain. Paintable kitchens also offer longevity, which is matched by the hardwearing nature of this surface.

View quartz worktops

7. Ever-long sinks

A butler sink adds so much style with its crisp white tone and authentic ceramic construction. It is also a practical addition as it is easy to clean and great for washing up larger pots and pans. These timeless styles are exactly what you need for a painted design to ensure the look lasts for years ahead, especially in a period property like ours.

Explore ceramic sinks

8. Coordinate your fixtures

Antiqued finishes have always grabbed my attention, so I was sold when I saw the brass t-bar handles at Howdens. They add a luxe look to our shaker doors that take our design to the next level. I also opted for a brass, single-lever tap as it created a coordinated look that will help our painted design stand the test of time, no matter what colour we choose.

Discover brass cabinet handles

Close up of a white quartz worktop and a black induction hob, showing a brass mixer tap, white chevron tiles and a plant.

9. Invest in flush-fitting

When selecting equipment, we wanted them to be space-saving and up-to-date to add to our design's longevity. It was also important to choose models that were flush fitting to keep the colour front and centre. We chose a ceramic hob that sits in-line with the surface, offering a contemporary look that also doubles up as prep space.

See ceramic hobs

10. Switch to integrated

Adding to the clutter-free look of our single-wall design, we opted for sleek integrated devices that would sit seamlessly within our layout. Tucked behind a cupboard door, the integrated dishwasher and refrigerator offer practicality that keeps the eye on our statement teal shade, helping to create the characterful aesthetic that we aimed for.

Discover integrated dishwashers