This striking Victorian property in a gentile part of Southsea had some very impressive period features – but also some wear and tear which obscured its charm.

We have no hesitation in writing this testimonial for Barry and the NB Paint team. Their work is exemplary and to the highest of standards. Always on time, clean, tidy workers and absolute perfectionists in all aspects of the project. Decorating both inside and out of our Victorian house they showed both respect and sympathy to the house. With painstaking levels of preparation and restoring detail in the plaster-work that was above and beyond. We highly recommend his work.

Lee and Jo Sutherland, Southsea

The interior woodwork required a lot of sanding and filling to restore it to pristine condition and the front door required a makeover. The existing fixtures were removed, glass retaining beads carefully prised off, old putty scraped out and all holes filled and levelled. The door was then sanded, primed and undercoated before finishing with two topcoats – after which we finally added new glass, putty and door furniture.

The clients had a very clear idea of the colour they wanted, having applied colour swatches to the walls to test their choices in varying light. They finally settled on ‘ancient artifact‘ which complemented the period features beautifully. Coupled with a satinwood finish on the woodwork, the result was a stunning reinstatement of the property – a classic look with a fresh feel.

There was also a good deal of remedial work required on the exterior, especially to the soffits and facias which were in a poor condition. All loose paintwork was scraped back, sanded and stabilised before being filled and painted. Some pointing work was required around the windows before they could have new putty installed. The finished render was washed with a fungicidal solution before painting to a ensure good, long-term adhesion of paint.

Attention was also paid to the small details like the profile of the skirting boards on highly visible corners. This is a tricky and labour intensive task – but one which provides a natural and worthwhile focal point in a room. We feel that it is essential to look after the small details on any property, or the overall feel will be compromised.