Decoration and Interior Finishes in London Renovations

Paint quality has a disproportionate effect on the finished appearance of a renovation. Professional decorators use professional-grade products — not the same products available in DIY stores — because they cover better, flow more smoothly, and produce a more even finish.

**Key paint decisions:**

**Primer and preparation:** New plaster must be primed with a mist coat (highly diluted emulsion paint, approximately 3:1 dilution with water) before full emulsion coats. Applying full-strength emulsion to bare plaster causes the plaster to absorb moisture unevenly, resulting in a patchy, spongy finish. Mist coating seals the surface for uniform absorption.

• **Emulsion specification:**
• For walls:
• •Matt emulsion for most walls — hides imperfections, classic matte appearance, available in thousands of colours via colour-matching systems
• •Eggshell finish for bathrooms, kitchens, and children's rooms — slightly more washable than flat matt but still low-sheen

• **Woodwork specification:**
• Skirting boards, architraves, doors, and window frames are typically painted in a hard-wearing, semi-gloss or full gloss paint:
• •Oil-based gloss (traditional): very hard, high-sheen finish; long drying time; strong odour; requires white spirit for clean-up. Produces the best durability but declining in professional use.
• •Water-based satinwood / eggshell: faster drying, low odour, adequate durability. Now the most common professional specification for woodwork in London renovation projects.

**Brand selection:** Professional London decorators most commonly use Little Greene, Farrow & Ball, Dulux Trade, Crown Trade, or Johnstone's Trade. The premium heritage brands (Farrow & Ball, Little Greene) produce exceptional depth of colour — particularly in dark or complex pigmented colours — but at higher cost. For most rooms, Dulux Trade or Crown Trade equivalents are adequate.

**Colour and light:** London's natural light is more grey and muted than most homeowners realise. Colours that look warm in a show room often look cooler in the actual space. Sampling paint on the actual wall (at least A5 painted area, checked at different times of day) before committing is essential — particularly for rooms that face north or have limited glazing.

Tiles are permanent — they outlast most other interior finishes and are very expensive to replace once installed. Investing in the correct specification and appropriate quality at the outset is more cost-effective than replacing substandard tiles 5–10 years later.

• **Kitchen splashback tiles:**
• •Ceramic tile in neutral tones (white, off-white, metropolitan grey) is the most durable and cost-effective kitchen splashback
• •Hand-made or hand-glazed tiles add character appropriate for period London kitchens — available from specialist tile suppliers
• •150×75mm metro tile (the classic London kitchen tile) in white or coloured glazes is a timeless choice
• •Cost: £15–£80/m² supply depending on specification; installation £25–£45/m²

• **Bathroom tiles:**
• •Porcelain is more durable and less porous than ceramic — preferred for floor tiles and wet areas
• •Slip resistance rating R10 for shower trays, R9 for bathroom floors outside the shower zone
• •Large format tiles (600×600mm, 600×1200mm) give a contemporary, clean appearance and fewer grout lines to maintain
• •Cost: standard porcelain bathroom tile: £20–£60/m²; Italian designer tile: £60–£200+/m²

**Grout selection:** Light grout (white or cream) shows staining in shower areas — mid-tone or dark grout in shower zones is more practical. Use epoxy grout in wet areas (shower trays and shower walls below shower head height) for the best stain and mould resistance.

• **Sanitaryware and fittings:**
• Bathroom sanitaryware (WC, basin, bath) from mid-range to premium specification:
• •Budget (Ideal Standard, Twyford standard range): £800–£1,500 for WC + basin + bath supply only
• •Mid-range (Duravit, Geberit, Laufen): £1,500–£3,500
• •Premium (Villeroy & Boch, Axor, Vitra): £3,000–£8,000+

For most London renovation bathrooms, mid-range sanitaryware (Duravit or equivalent) combined with a quality valve and showerhead (Grohe, Hansgrohe) represents the best balance of quality, appearance, and value.

The kitchen is typically the highest single-cost interior fit-out element in a London renovation. The main cost variables:

• **Unit carcass specification:**
• •Flatpack (IKEA, JYSK, Wickes): lowest cost; adequate quality for rental or budget renovations
• •Semi-rigid (Howdens, Second Nature): mid-range; supplied through trade channels; better construction
• •Rigid carcass (Symphony, Masterclass): most durable; doors and drawers hung before delivery; better for higher specification kitchens

• **Door fronts:**
• The most visible element of the kitchen — where most of the visual quality is perceived:
• •Slab door (flat front): contemporary, easy to clean, suits new-build or contemporary extension kitchens
• •Shaker door: the most popular London kitchen door style — suits both contemporary and period London properties
• •In-frame (true or faux): more traditional, typically higher cost

• **Worktops:**
• Worktop material choice has a significant impact on both aesthetics and maintenance:
• •Laminate: lowest cost, adequate for rental; vulnerable to heat and water damage at joints
• •Solid timber: warm, period-appropriate; requires oiling; not suitable around sinks without care
• •Quartz composite (Silestone, Caesarstone): the most practical premium worktop — heat and scratch-resistant, low maintenance, wide colour range; cost: £400–£800/linear metre installed
• •Dekton/Sintered stone: the most durable option — heat-proof, scratch-proof; slightly less forgiving than quartz at the edge; cost: £500–£900/linear metre installed
• •Marble and granite: premium natural stone; marble stains and requires care; granite is more durable

Note: all second-fix materials including kitchen units, worktops, appliances, and sanitaryware are client-supplied to rcbGroup renovation projects unless specifically arranged otherwise.