As the last of the bumper summer Apple crop drops from the tree, the colder, wet weather lured me towards crumbles and pie comfort; I had a chance to take stock of the year so far and felt I should share my news.
I have been working on glorious kitchen projects, straightforward renovations, new kitchen extensions, entire kitchen replacements and even a whole new house specification, so 2022 has given me plenty of opportunities to share my knowledge and help clients recreate their perfect kitchen.
I have worked with kitchen makers, including Davey & Alger, Poliform, John Willies, DIY Kitchens, John Lewis Of Hungerford and Howdens. An array of local specialists have collaborated to supply floors, splashbacks, handles and worktops. Appliance houses such as Abode, mQuvee, Fisher & Paykel, Perrin & Rowe and Aga have been involved, sometimes direct but often through fabulous retail partners such as Appliance World when severe delivery delays necessitated swift resolution.
It has not just been the appliance manufacturers who have experienced unprecedented issues in supply timeframes and price increases. Over the last twenty-four months, there has been a dramatic change in how paint has been made and distributed. Following the stop-start effect of the Covid pandemic, the new trend of large conglomerates for bulk, bulk buying and the shortage of raw materials, the increase in costs has been extraordinary. In addition to cost increases of raw minerals that make up the Kitchen Cupboard Paint pigments, there has been a 56% increase in the cost of tinplate over twelve months. #bonkers but #recyclable
And then there is transportation. Brexit and the subsequent shortage of warehouse staff and van and lorry drivers, the consumer demand for next-day delivery and higher fuel costs is the heady cocktail that pushed up the cost of all deliveries.
The good news and most important for you to know is that the Kitchen Cupboard Paint formula is unchanged, retaining the professional quality and amount of pigments as before.
Paying premiums for raw material consistency is a priority, and unlike other paint companies that are reformulating to cut costs, I am not.
The Kitchen Cupboard Paint Topcoat cost is just £2 per square metre (less £ than F&B modern eggshell). Free delivery for orders over £300 of for collected orders.
Nearly all painted kitchen renovations need at least one 5-litre tin, the best price by volume.The 1-litre tins were unavailable for a while but are now back in the shoop for smaller volume orders and adding pops of colour.
As my 2022 kitchen projects conclude, I hope to share the design, specification and transformation journeys with you, do keep an eye on my Instagram and Facebook pages.
Until next time, best wishes from Charlotte, the Kitchenista at Kitchen Cupboard Paint.