SERVICE · HAND-PAINTED KITCHENS

Kitchen cabinet painters

Hand-painted kitchens across Scotland and England. A brand-new finish on your existing cabinets — from around £1,200, and without ripping the kitchen out.

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4.9 / 5average rating
175+verified reviews
1959est. — 65 years of craft
£10 millionpublic liability cover
WELCOME TO BORTHWICK DECORATORS

We hand-paint kitchen cabinets, doors and frames in your home, giving tired or dated units a fresh, hard-wearing finish for a fraction of the cost of a new kitchen — typically from around £1,200. We have done this work across Scotland and England since 1959.

A new kitchen without the new-kitchen price

A full kitchen replacement runs to many thousands of pounds and weeks of upheaval — and most of the time the carcasses are perfectly sound. Hand-painting your existing cabinets gives you the colour and finish you want without any of that.

We rub down, prime and hand-paint the doors, drawer fronts, frames and end panels in place. You keep the kitchen you know; it just looks new. The whole job is done in your home with dust sheets down and the mess kept to a minimum.

A new kitchen without the new-kitchen price
Hand-painted, not sprayed

Hand-painted, not sprayed

We brush and roller by hand rather than spray. It gives a deeper, more durable finish, it can be touched up years down the line, and it doesn’t need your kitchen stripped out and taken away to a workshop.

A fraction of a new kitchen

A fraction of a new kitchen

Most kitchens start from around £1,200. You are paying for preparation, paint and skilled labour — not new units, worktops and weeks of fitting.

Done in your home

Done in your home

We work room by room with dust sheets and proper masking. You keep use of the kitchen through most of the job, and there is no skip on the drive.

Hard-wearing, low-odour paints

Hard-wearing, low-odour paints

We use water-based cabinet paints that cure to a tough, wipeable finish and are low in smell, so the kitchen is usable again quickly.

Decorators since 1959

Decorators since 1959

Borthwick is a multi-award-winning, family-run firm rated 4.9/5 across verified reviews. The same painters who finish period homes and commercial jobs do the kitchens.

AWARD WINNING
2025 Cultural Renovation Project of the Year 2025 Residential Category 2024 Private Domestic (Pre-1919) Project of the Year — Contract Manager 2024
View all awards →
WHAT WE PAINT

What's included

Cabinet doors & drawer fronts

The parts you see and touch most — rubbed down, primed and hand-finished both sides.

Frames & end panels

Cabinet frames, plinths and exposed end panels painted to match for a complete, built-in look.

Kitchen islands

Freestanding islands and breakfast bars, often picked out in a contrast colour.

Cornices, pelmets & trim

The detailing along the top and bottom of the units that ties the whole kitchen together.

Adjoining woodwork

Skirtings, architraves and doors around the kitchen, so nothing is left looking dated next to the new finish.

Colour matching

Any Farrow & Ball, Little Greene or Dulux colour — or matched to a sample you bring us.

MDF & timber units

Solid wood, veneer and MDF cabinets all take paint well with the right preparation.

Repairs before painting

Small chips, dents and worn edges made good first, so the finish isn't sitting over damage.

Why hand-painting beats spraying
ABOUT BORTHWICK

Why hand-painting beats spraying

Sprayed kitchens are usually finished in a workshop, which means your units are removed, sent away and refitted — more cost, more disruption, and a finish that is hard to repair if it chips.

We paint by hand, in your home. The preparation is the same care we put into period joinery: degrease, sand, fill, prime and finish in coats. The result is a tough, even finish with real depth to it, and one that we can touch up in future rather than having to redo.

FAQ

Common questions

How much does it cost to have a kitchen hand-painted?

Most kitchens start from around £1,200. The exact price depends on the number of doors and drawers, the condition of the units and whether you want adjoining woodwork done. We give a fixed quote after a free survey.

How long does it take?

A typical kitchen takes a few days to a week, depending on size and how many coats the colour needs. We work around you and keep the kitchen usable for as much of that time as possible.

Will the paint chip or peel?

Not with the right preparation. We degrease, sand and prime properly before painting, and use hard-wearing cabinet paints made for the job. A hand-painted finish can also be touched up years later, unlike a sprayed one.

Can you match any colour?

Yes — any Farrow & Ball, Little Greene or Dulux shade, or we can match to a sample you give us.

WHERE WE WORK

Across Scotland and England

We hand-paint kitchens throughout Scotland and England, with offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Perth and London and painters covering Fife, Stirling, Dundee and the surrounding areas. Wherever you are, the survey and quote are free.

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NEXT STEP

Get a free kitchen quote

Send us a few photos of your kitchen, or arrange a free survey. We'll give you a fixed price and a realistic timescale — no pressure.

Accreditations & memberships

Public liability insurance to £10 million.

PDA
Painting & Decorating Association
SDF
Scottish Decorators Federation
SSIP
Safety Schemes in Procurement
Trusted Trader
Edinburgh — Trading Standards Vetted
SafeContractor
Independent H&S Verification
CHAS
Contractors Health & Safety
SMAS
Safety Management Advisory
PASMA
Mobile Access Towers
IPAF
Powered Access (PAL)