Howdens Kitchen Respray Case Study: From Rejected Sample to a High-Quality Spray Finish

From Rejected Sample to Professional Finish: A Real Kitchen Respray Transformation Showing the Colour and Finish Behind the Result

When you are investing in a high-end new kitchen, the quality of the finish matters just as much as the colour.

This customer had ordered a kitchen through Howdens but wanted it finished in a specific Little Greene colour that was not available as part of the standard range.

Another spray-finishing company had already produced a sample, but the customer was unhappy with the result. The finish looked patchy and showed marks when the surface was wiped.

Before committing the full kitchen to another spray finish, he contacted Elite Spray Tech to see whether we could achieve the standard he was looking for.



We started with a new sample, giving him the opportunity to inspect the finish before deciding whether to go ahead with the full kitchen.

Kitchen Spray Paint Samples

We Proved the Finish First Rather Than Asking the Customer to Commit Straight Away

Before taking on the full kitchen, we had the required Little Greene colour professionally mixed and produced a sample for the customer to inspect.

He had already rejected one sample from another spray-finishing company, so he wanted to test ours properly before committing the full kitchen to the same finish.

He degreased the sample, wiped it down and inspected it outside in natural light, checking carefully for the streaking and white marks that had concerned him previously.



Once he was satisfied with the result, the full kitchen went ahead.

Kitchen Respray Preparation

The Kitchen Already Had a Good Base, But It Still Needed Proper Preparation

The kitchen components arrived at our Derby workshop already factory primed by Howdens.

That meant we were not starting from bare doors, but it did not mean the surfaces could go straight into the spray booth.

We sanded the kitchen using 400-grit sanding discs to key the existing surface and prepare it properly for the new colour.

With around 55–60 individual panels and components involved, the same preparation had to be carried out consistently across the whole kitchen before spraying began.

Once the preparation was complete, we applied two coats of the professionally mixed colour to both sides of the relevant components.

The finished pieces were then cured in the spray booth.

Because the full job was completed at our workshop, we could prepare, spray, cure and inspect every component before anything left us for installation.

Kitchen Respray Finish

Every Component Was Quality Checked Before It Was Wrapped for Collection

Because the customer had already rejected one poor sample, the final inspection mattered even more on this job.

Once the spraying and curing stages were complete, every component was checked for consistency and imperfections.

Only once those checks were complete were the components carefully wrapped and packed ready for collection and installation.



Because the customer had already experienced a finish he was unhappy with, it was important that he felt completely confident in the completed result.

Kitchen Respray Timescale

The Full Workshop Respray Took Around Three to Four Days

From preparation through to spraying, curing, inspection and wrapping, the workshop work took around three to four days.

Once the customer had approved our sample, Howdens arranged for the kitchen to be delivered directly to our workshop. 

When the work was complete, the components were wrapped and packed ready for collection and installation.



Because the kitchen had not yet been fitted into the customer's home, there was no on-site masking or fixed cabinetry to spray as part of this particular job.

Can a New Kitchen Be Professionally Spray Finished?

The Kitchen Was Brand New. The Customer Simply Wanted a Colour Howdens Did Not Offer.

Kitchen spraying is often associated with updating older cabinetry, but this project was different.

This was a brand-new kitchen, so the project was not about repairing wear or damage.

The customer simply wanted it finished in a specific Little Greene colour that was not available through Howdens.

Professional spray finishing gave him another option without changing the kitchen itself. 



The important part was making sure the supplied surfaces were suitable, preparing them correctly and proving the quality of the finish before the full project went ahead.

Kitchen Cabinet Respray 

A Smooth, Consistent Surface Was More Important Than Simply Matching the Colour

The customer already knew exactly which colour he wanted.

The challenge was achieving that colour with a smooth, consistent surface across the entire kitchen.

That meant the preparation, application and inspection stages all had to work together.

That is why the sample stage, preparation and final inspection mattered so much on this project.

A kitchen colour can be exactly what you asked for and still feel wrong if the surface is streaky, uneven or marks too easily.

Here, matching the requested colour was only half the job. The finish had to meet the customer's standard too.

Kitchen Respray Specialists

Why We Produced a Sample Before Spraying the Full Kitchen

This kitchen arrived new and already primed.

The issue was not damage or age.

The customer wanted a non-standard colour and needed to know the finished surface would meet his expectations before the whole kitchen was sprayed.

Homeowners choosing Elite Spray Tech also have the reassurance of:

• More than 25 years of experience
• More than 100 five-star reviews
• Unlimited colour choices
• Two-year paint guarantee
• Free, no-obligation quote
• Tailored cost and timeline estimate

We assess the existing surface first, then work out what preparation is actually needed.

Can My Kitchen Be Resprayed?

See What a Professional Respray Could Achieve for Your Kitchen

You do not necessarily need an old or dated kitchen to have a reason for respraying it.

Sometimes the kitchen itself is exactly what you want, but the manufacturer does not offer the colour or finish you have in mind.

A free kitchen respray quote will help you understand:

Whether the existing surfaces can be resprayed

What preparation will be required

Which parts of the kitchen can be sprayed

Your colour and finish options

The likely cost

The expected timescale

Or, if you are considering a different colour, try our Colour Visualiser to explore what your kitchen could look like with a new finish.