What options are there for decorating the kitchen?
Most of the kitchen wallpapers I've seen are too gross for words (tea pots!!) - but not-perfect walls need covering up and tiling is too dear for huge walls.
Is it just a case of buy the least offensive kitchen stuff, or will lining or blown vinyl wallpaper last if it's painted with kitchen paint?
mogga wibbled on Tuesday 27 October 2009 09:38
Doesn't have to be (without knowing what "huge" means):
Are the walls so bad that using a matt paint wouldn't subdue any imperfections? It's surprising how a crap wall can be quite passable with a good matt paint.
If not, I might go for lining paper fixed with a good glue (sorry can't advise - but something that's not going to fall off with a bit of cold water vapour) and paint that.
It's a floor to ceiling stretch of wall maybe 8-9ft long - it's got a radiator on it too.
Something like Dulux Tough Matt Kitchen Paint Cookie Dough ? (Why do I like paints that are the colour of new plaster?)
OK. I think lining paper is probably the cheapest & easiest option.
I'll have a look for wallpaper pastes. Thanks
mogga wibbled on Tuesday 27 October 2009 10:28
So about 8m2 including 10% tile wasteage, so that's 32 quid's worth of tiles, 2 tubs of BAL Greenstar (£19) and some grout (£20 at worst). A decent can of Dulux Endurance is £20. So the tiling option is £51 more. Take out the lining paper and adhesive if you do use those and you're left with the question:
Are the admittedly very cheap white tiles above going to look better or worse than painted lining paper or painted walls?
I have no idea what your budget is, but tiling doesn't have to be stupidly expensive. It gets expensive if you go for uber fancy tiles and pay someone to do it for you.
Tile round it, or if the valves at both ends work, take it off - no need to drain the whole system, just the rad.
I wasn't very impressed with the Dulux Bathroom paint. The end result is good, but the coverage was awful. If the kitchen paint is that bad, I'd go for Endurance. I've found the coverage to be excellent (2 coats max guaranteed).
It will be quicker than tiling. Tiling walls isn't remotely hard, but it can be time consuming for smaller tiles.
Cheers
Tim
Good question and for a few quid more a few fancy tiles or bits of trim can be added that give the impression of expense for very little extra outlay.
So those 15cm square white tiles ... at tops tiles... (Ahh just spotted the link below) I'd not considered them but it's certainly an option I spose. Ta. :-) I will go and ask Mr Mogga what he thinks of the idea
They've be easier to clean for sure. :)
Endurance has lots of nice colours too - cool!
I know it's just whether mr mogga will trust me to do it. :) (there's plenty of other jobs for him to be doing already ... he did let me put a couple of tiles on in the bathroom here the other year, and didn't remove them the minute I left the room )
My lined and painted walls certainly look good to me. :-)
There is also the consideration that a quick repaint of the wall can easily change the look of the kitchen if you want to refresh it, whereas you are stuck with the tiles.
There are washable papers available with more acceptable designs, but it is a very subjective area. You will probably get much better choice if you have a local specialist shop, rather than looking in the sheds.
Chris
mogga wibbled on Tuesday 27 October 2009 11:39
If I've undone any preconception that tiling is really expensive, then if you set a budget you might be able to get something really nice from a clearance deal without spending much more.
For example, still on the neutral white theme:
True. Endurance paint is a bit tougher than cheap emulsion, so you hould get some milage out of it.
Infinite virtually - it's one that can be blended in store from the 6 million colours on the little cards.
If you start by marking the wall with a level line and maybe repeat after a couple of courses, or use a line laser if Mr Mogga has one, or a taught string set level - then that and tile spacers makes it easy to avoid wobbliness.
The BAL Greenstar, like many modern adhesives is near zero slip, so you get to adjust the tile for quite a while and it will stay put by itself - no need for battens to support the first row. My advice is small grout lines -
2mm or so, but it's personal preference.The only fiddly bit is cutting tiles, which is only likely to be 2 edges and the sockets if you plan it right - but a hand scorer will work for minimum expense and a nibbler or saw to go round awkward shapes.
I've used a couple of panel pins per tile to support the bottom row without problems (other than the one time I didn't check for pipes behind!).
Yes - we have an old farmhouse, which means the kitchen walls once painted just look "rustic", not crap :-)
It does depend on how 'regular' the crappyness is, I suppose - if it's things like the outline of where cupboards used to be etc. (i.e. regular shapes, straight lines) then it'll probably show, but if it's just imperfections in the finish then yes, a good paint will really sort it I think.
cheers
Jules
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.