Painting on Kensington’s Holland Park fringe

Stucco with architectural detail

Historic England’s entry for 81 Holland Park describes a Grade II stucco house of 1862, with a cornice and cast-iron balconies, forming part of the planned Holland Park layout. It is an architectural reference only. Its listing does not establish the status of a neighbour, and it is not presented as our work.

Sources: Historic England: 81 Holland Park

Separate coatings from underlying repairs

Where your home has painted stucco, identify cracks, loose areas and water staining before discussing a repaint. Note the junctions around windows, balconies and gutters. Distinguish decorative preparation from substrate repairs and investigation of water entry. Keep delicate profiles visible in the brief so that they are not treated simply as another square metre of wall.

Look at colour from several positions

Review samples next to unpainted masonry, window frames and retained metalwork. Check them from the street and close to the surface, at different times of day. Inside, compare the same sample with flooring and fabrics. The purpose is to agree a finish in its setting; a colour name alone says little about the preparation or product required.

Make the access arrangement explicit

Describe gates, steps, front areas and restrictions on reaching rear elevations. Agree who will arrange access equipment and any permissions. Parking and unloading need checking for the location and dates. Send the full address with photographs so the discussion stays tied to your property rather than assumptions about houses elsewhere in Holland Park.

• Elevations and surfaces proposed for painting
• Defects and repairs planned by others
• Sample colours beside retained materials
• Front and rear access constraints