Kitchen Refinement FAQs
Clear answers about Kitchen Refinement, cabinetry refinishing, project costs, timescales and whether your existing kitchen is worth keeping.
What is Kitchen Refinement?
Kitchen Refinement is Bespoke’s fully managed, design-led approach to a kitchen makeover. We retain the cabinetry, layout and materials that still earn their place, then develop and coordinate the changes needed to make the room feel resolved.
This may include cabinetry refinishing, repairs, hardware, worktops, tiles, lighting, decoration and selected joinery.
Can you makeover a kitchen without replacing the cabinets?
Yes. When the cabinet carcasses are sound and the layout still works, keeping them can provide an excellent foundation.
We assess what should be retained, repaired, realigned, refinished or remade, so investment is focused on the elements that will make the greatest difference.
What does a managed kitchen refinement include?
Every project is different. A Kitchen Refinement may bring together design and material direction, cabinetry refinishing, repairs, replacement doors or panels, hardware, worktops, tiling, lighting, decoration and selected joinery.
Bespoke develops one agreed scope and coordinates the relevant specialists and sequence of work.
Can worktops, handles, tiles or lighting be changed at the same time?
Yes. Worktops, handles, knobs, sinks, taps, tiles and lighting can be considered as part of a wider Kitchen Refinement project.
Existing handle holes can often be filled and redrilled, while replacement surfaces and architectural details are specified in relation to the cabinetry and wider room.
How is Kitchen Refinement different from a kitchen respray?
Cabinetry refinishing renews the finish of the cabinetry. Kitchen Refinement considers the whole room.
It may include refinishing, but also examines colour, hardware, worktops, tiles, lighting, decoration and joinery so the separate decisions belong together.
If refinishing alone is genuinely enough, our initial review will identify that.
Do I need to have the design worked out before contacting you?
No. Begin by showing us the kitchen as it is and explaining what you would like to improve.
During Design & Project Development, we establish what should remain, develop the colour and material direction, specify the individual elements and coordinate any specialist surveys required.
How do I know whether my kitchen is worth keeping?
We consider the condition of the carcasses, doors and drawers, alignment, proportions, layout and how the cabinetry works within the room.
A kitchen does not need to be perfect, because repairs, realignment and selected replacement pieces may be possible. If the existing kitchen is not a worthwhile foundation, we will say so honestly.
How much does a kitchen refinement project cost?
Every project is individually developed because the investment depends on the size and condition of the kitchen, the finishes and materials selected, the cabinetry work required and the number of specialist stages involved.
Following the Design & Project Development stage, you receive the complete scope, project investment and proposed programme before approving the works.
How long does a kitchen refinement project take?
Timescales depend on the cabinetry, materials and number of trades involved.
We establish the required sequence during Design & Project Development and provide a proposed programme with the complete project scope.
Cabinetry-only refinishing typically takes 7–10 working days from collection to refit; wider projects are programmed individually.
Do you coordinate all the relevant trades?
Yes. Bespoke plans the agreed sequence and coordinates the relevant specialist businesses, suppliers, materials and site stages.
Beth leads the design direction and client experience, Drew leads the cabinetry and technical detail, and Bespoke remains your central point of contact through to installation and final review.
Can we stay at home while the work is completed?
Often, yes, although access to the kitchen will be restricted during parts of the programme.
The answer depends on the worktops, tiling, electrical work, decoration and on-site refinishing involved. We explain the practical impact and planned sequence before work begins, allowing you to decide what will be most comfortable.
Can you repair or replace individual doors, panels or plinths?
Yes. Where refinishing alone is not the right answer, we can repair or recreate selected doors, drawer fronts, plinths, end panels, shelving and other cabinetry elements.
Drew’s carpentry and kitchen-fitting experience, together with our CNC capability and trusted joiners, allows new pieces to be designed around what remains.
Cabinetry Refinishing
Do you refinish cabinetry in the workshop or in the home?
For spray-finishing projects, suitable removable components are normally finished in a controlled workshop environment. Fixed cabinetry is prepared and finished on site as specified. Hand-painting work is planned around the kitchen and access available, with components removed where needed.
What coatings do you use?
We select the primer and finish for the substrate, existing coating, application method and agreed appearance. A colour reference is separate from the coating specification: where a colour is matched to another manufacturer's reference, we make that distinction clear.
Can vinyl-wrapped kitchen doors be refinished?
Yes, most of the time. Peeling vinyl can often be removed before the underlying doors are assessed, prepared and refinished.
Suitability depends on the condition and construction of the door beneath, so we review photographs and inspect the cabinetry before confirming the correct approach.
Will the new cabinetry finish be durable?
We use professional cabinet-specific coating systems selected for the material beneath and everyday kitchen use.
Durability comes from assessment, repairs, cleaning, preparation, priming, controlled application and curing—not simply the final colour. We also provide practical aftercare guidance.
Do you offer staining/gel staining/ darkening wood?
No - we specialise in applied finishes (paint and lacquer systems).
Staining and colour matching natural wood tones is best handled by a dedicated French polisher.
Planning Your Project
Which areas do you cover?
Bespoke is based in Canton, Cardiff, and generally undertakes projects within approximately 40 minutes of the city, including Cardiff, Penarth, the Vale of Glamorgan, Caerphilly, Pontypridd, Pontyclun and Newport.
If you are unsure whether your home is within our area, send your postcode with your enquiry.
How do I start a project?
Complete our online project-review form with clear photographs and a brief description of what you would like to improve.
We assess the cabinetry, likely scope and suitability first. Suitable projects are then invited to one complimentary site visit before the paid Design & Project Development stage begins.