Kitchen Makeovers

A Paintable Kitchen Makeover With Geraldine

NHS doctor by day, interior blogger by night; Geraldine Tan, wanted a design that reflected her passion for colourful decor and was pleased to learn a paintable kitchen makeover would do just that. She also wanted a bespoke scheme that would stand out from the crowd and allow her to quickly change the look to suit new trends. Discover how Howdens worked with Geraldine to create a unique layout that captured her bold style.

About Geraldine

When off duty, Geraldine Tan spends her free time blogging about interior design and her renovation journey with her Victorian terrace home in London. The period property has a lot of original features that Geraldine loves to update with contemporary furniture and bright blocks of colour, adding an invigorating and welcoming effect to her home.

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Before and after

Plain and precise

Featuring white cabinetry in a slab design, Geraldine’s kitchen had a muted, minimal look that lacked character for her colour aesthetic. After a long day at work, Geraldine wanted to come home to a vibrant space that would re-energise her. So, she was determined to inject lots of colour into her new scheme to create a happy environment that would be a pleasure to spend time in.

Pretty and pastel

Geraldine has customised her paintable shaker doors in pastel tones to create a trendy, two-tone scheme with a bright and fresh feel. By choosing the five-piece, framed design of our Chilcomb collection, Geraldine has added an authentic handcrafted look to her home. This helps tie the layout with the old-world style of her property for a cohesive effect.

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The design details

Candy colours

Geraldine has used confectionary-inspired hues, like mint-green and candy-floss pink, to create a fun scheme. These tones add colour in a subtle way without overwhelming the space. Geraldine also chose our Chilcomb fronts, which have a square-edge border for a modern shaker design. Made of solid timber, they are a sustainable choice that can be sanded and repainted in new shades to match changing trends.

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Tall cabinetry

To accentuate the high ceilings in her room, Geraldine added lots of tall cabinetry, like larders and towers, in her design. They draw the eye up, creating a sense of height that makes her space appear bigger and more impressive. These units also maximise all available wall space and add extra storage, ensuring there is ample room to store and organise essentials for a clean and clutter-free look.

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A modern dresser

Geraldine has added visual interest in her scheme by including big, glass wall units, which help break up banks of colour. She has used these to frame her cooking devices, to define the area as a separate zone. These cupboards allow Geraldine to showcase her favourite crockery, and they also mimic the look of old-world dressers, which are characteristic of traditional shaker designs.

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Geraldine Tan

“I’ve been frustrated that many kitchens only come in standard colours. I adore the flexibility of Howdens’ Chilcomb range, as it means I don’t have to play it safe and I can paint my kitchen in any colour I like.”

Working with Howdens

Product choice

From fixtures and flooring to appliances and counters, Geraldine was impressed with the wide variety of products on offer at Howdens, as it meant she could get everything she needed from one place. She was also pleased with the selection of paintable designs available, which she could put her own personal stamp on.

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Design service

Geraldine was very specific about her desired look, so her designer researched her style before producing a 3D CAD plan of her new design. This meant the process was tailored to Geraldine’s needs. Through online consultations, her designer was also able to make practical suggestions, like adding plug sockets to the island, that make her space easier to use.

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Painting process

Determined to make her pastel palette the star feature of the design, Geraldine decided to get her paint colour-matched using some prints from her home that she already loved. Once she had her custom, solvent-based paint mixed, she had her cabinetry spray-painted to achieve a high-quality and even finish that would make her chosen shades pop.

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Range cooker

Paying homage to the heritage design of the property, Geraldine opted for a cooker from renowned brand, Rangemaster for her layout. Featuring a freestanding design and classic gas burners, it has a timeless appearance that offers Geraldine plenty of space to whip up family meals.

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American fridge freezer

Fond of bridging old and new aesthetics, Geraldine opted for an American refrigerator from household brand, Beko, which has a modern look compared to her Rangemaster equipment. This device also offers ample storage, making it easy to fit in fresh groceries for a healthy lifestyle.

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Brass handles

Geraldine’s signature style has always been playful and experimental, so she chose brass handgrips instead of steel versions for her units to create a luxe effect. As well as contrasting her silver appliances for an eclectic look, these fixtures add warmth to make the space more inviting.

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Quartz counters

Wanting a uniform look in her scheme, Geraldine decided on quartz counters, which have a consistent pattern thanks to its engineered construction. She chose a style from our bespoke solid surface collection, which is custom made for an exact fit. This also reduced the number of joins for a seamless effect.

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